Need help heading off tax issues before they start? Need help reaching the right contacts at the various government agencies who can help expedite processing of paperwork? We’re here for you. California State PTA has a dedicated tax support specialist available to offer tips and direct you to help. 

California State PTA also offers tax workshops/filing help at various trainings and has helped hundreds of units file their postcards and charitable trust renewals over the last few years. While we can’t file the long-form taxes for you, we are here to support you in the process.

As a part of the PTA organization, you are able to use File990.org at a discounted rate. Starting in the 2021-22 term, the 990-EZ form must be filed electronically only and this access will save you money.

Last year, the Attorney General asked for additional information from all of our postcard filing units. (PTAs that make less than $50,000 a year are eligible to file taxes by a simple electronic postcard.) The required forms can be confusing because the AG’s terminology doesn’t match up to what most people call things in their budgets/treasurer’s reports. That is why we created our annotated RRF-1 and CT-TR-1 forms. Our annotated forms help you translate the AG  information making it much easier to complete without all the stress.

It is really important that if you get a letter from any government agency, you take it seriously, but don’t panic! Contact your district PTA. They can advise you or help you get in touch with one of us at the California State PTA. 

If you have questions, a great place to start is by visiting the Tax Filing Support Center on our website. 

Help with tax filings is one compelling reason that more than 3,000 schools in California choose PTA. 

Interesting tax related fact and added benefit of your PTA status:
A special exemption for sales tax collection is granted by the state of California specifically for parent teacher organizations chartered as part of the California State PTA. You are not required to collect state sales tax on items your PTA sells because you are considered “consumers of products” you are selling. In this case, it means even though you are selling something, the profits are being consumed for your charitable purpose in your budget. Most other non-profits are not exempt and have to collect and send in sales tax to the state.
*Note: This doesn’t mean you don’t have to pay sales tax when you purchase items for your PTA, just that you don’t have to collect it on your sales.