Thursday, May 15, 2014

Charitable Organization Renewal Deadline May 31

It is time to complete your Charitable Organization Registration/Renewal with the Office of the Secretary of State Corporations & Charities Division. Forms and instructions on how to fill out the forms can be found at http://www.sos.wa.gov/charities/AllForms.aspx. If you have already filed this renewal form this year, please disregard this message.

1. To help you with this renewal process your WSPTA state office staff offers the following information:
 If your PTA’s gross solicited income last year (sum of lines 1, 6a, 6b, and 7a from your Form 990EZ for the year ended June 30, 2013) was $50,000 or more, or if you hired an independent contractor during the year ended June 30, 2013,  you need to complete the Charitable Organization Registration/Renewal Form - including the Washington State Combined Fund Drive found by clicking: Charitable Organization Registration and Renewal Form.

a.       Instructions for this form here.

b.      Guidelines to complete the form here.

c.       You will find line by line instructions prepared by WSPTA staff here.

d.      Fill out the form, print, sign and mail to Secretary of State Corporations & Charities Division PO Box 40234 Olympia WA 98504-0234 with a check for the $40 renewal fee payable to “Secretary of State”.

e.      Note: If you did not file the Charitable Organization Registration/Renewal Form last year you will need to check the “Initial/Re-registration” box and pay $60 (rather than $40).

f.        The registration/renewal is due at the Secretary of State’s office by May 31, 2014 – be sure to leave time for mail delivery. If the renewal is not received by May 31 and additional $50 late fee is owed.

2.       If your PTA’s gross solicited income last year was less than $50,000 you qualify to complete the Optional Registration – including the Combined Fund Drive found by clicking: Optional Registration Form.

a.       Instructions for this form here.

b.      This is a much shorter form, and there is no fee for this filing. While not required annually, having a current version of this form on file helps the Secretary of State’s office better respond to inquiries from the public. At the very least you should file this form one time.

c.       Fill out the form, print, sign and mail to Secretary of State Corporations & Charities Division PO Box 40234 Olympia WA 98504-0234.

d.      If your PTA normally has gross solicited income of $50,000 or more but did not this past year, consider filing the Charitable Organization Registration/Renewal Form - including the Washington State Combined Fund Drive anyway (rather than the Optional Registration) in order to avoid having to pay the re-registration fee the next year income is $50,000.

If after trying these instructions and guidelines you have questions please feel free to contact Tatia Vasbinder at the Washington State PTA office at (253) 214-7410 or email tvasbinder@wastatepta.org.