The IRS has released a new form that is to be filed by each church whenever there is a change in the “Responsible Party” (or the address of the church) at a church. The purpose is so that the IRS has on file the proper individual and address to which it will send any notices (relating to withheld taxes and so on). This is done by completing Form 8822-B and mailing it to the IRS.
While filing the form is mandatory, there are no penalties for not filing it. However, should the IRS issue a letter to the church and it is not delivered because the name of the Responsible Party or the address is incorrect, the church could find itself not getting the correspondence on a timely basis and, if there are taxes due, penalties and interest could accrue. Therefore, I urge you to complete and submit this form unless you are absolutely certain that the IRS has the name of the Responsible Party on file.
Attached is a brief explanation of Form 8822-B. In general:
- Most churches’ questions are addressed in the Question/Answer #4 and #5.
- The Responsible Party (Q&A #6) is generally the treasurer of the church.
- You would generally check box 1 and/or box 3 of Form 8822-B when you file.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Sam Reckford, Diocesan Chief Financial Officer at sreckford@dioceseofnewark.org. You can download the form at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8822b.pdf.
