Tax, Legal & Compliance

Millions of California Student Records to Be Released to Nonprofit
February 19, 2016 at 9:55 am

Personal information for millions of California public students, including social security numbers, will soon be turned over to a nonprofit organization representing special needs children. The Concerned Parents Association was granted access to the information through a lawsuit it filed against the state Department of Education to see if schools are violating federal laws on…

America's 'Second-Worst Charity' to Shut Down
February 17, 2016 at 10:10 am

Cancer Fund of America, one of four cancer charities the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) named in a civil complaint last May, has agreed to shut down. The Tennessee-based charity allegedly was part of a scam that bilked donors out of more than $187 million. Named the second-worst charity in America by The Tampa Bay Times, it is the last of the four charities named in the FTC complaint to cease operations...

Donald Trump Accuses RNC of 'Illegally' Fundraising Using His Name
February 16, 2016 at 10:25 am

Just hours ahead of attending Saturday's GOP primary debate in Greenville, S.C., Donald Trump blasted the Republican National Committee (RNC) for a fundraising email he claimed was "illegally" sent using his name. The billionaire went on a Twitter spree against the RNC early Saturday. Trump's recent comments are a response to fundraising messages the committee…

What Does Antonin Scalia's Death Mean for Nonprofits?
February 16, 2016 at 10:20 am

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was found dead on Saturday morning, apparently of a heart attack sustained while visiting a hunting ranch in Texas. He was 79. Scalia, the longest-serving Supreme Court justice in history, was nominated by Ronald Reagan and confirmed by the Senate in 1986. He earned a reputation as the intellectual…

The Unpaid Internship: Proceed With Caution
February 15, 2016 at 10:22 am

What college student wouldn't want the opportunity to work with a nonprofit, right? Think about all the experience he or she will gain, not to mention the fact that you can finally get that huge file-storage project done. If this all sounds familiar to you and your organization, step back and take note: The Fair Labor Standards Act may put a damper on your unpaid intern dreams...

IRS Grants Nonprofit Status to ‘Dark Money’ Group Founded by Karl Rove
February 12, 2016 at 8:56 am

Donors to the nonprofit group Crossroads GPS, founded by Republican strategist Karl Rove, no longer have to worry about their identities being disclosed. After a five-year wait, the IRS has approved the organization’s application for tax-exempt status. Crossroads had been the most active of the nonprofits that are funneling cash into politics—often called "dark money"…

Wounded Warrior Project Responds: CBS Investigation 'Patently False'
January 29, 2016 at 11:36 am

Wounded Warrior Project has responded to a CBS News investigation that called the charity's spending "out of control." In a letter addressed to CBS executive director Al Ortiz and posted to Wounded Warrior Project's website, Wounded Warrior Project called the news network's reporting "patently false" and demanded that CBS retract "false statements" and apologize to the public and "tens of thousands of wounded veterans."...

Wounded Warrior Project Investigation: What CBS News Got Wrong
January 28, 2016 at 10:57 am

On Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, CBS News aired a two-part investigation into the spending habits of Wounded Warrior Project. Citing tax documents and interviews with more than 40 former employees, the investigation found that the nonprofit spent $26 million on conferences, conventions and meetings in 2014, and described the charity's spending as "out of control." It's a bad look for Wounded Warrior Project, but there are a handful of issues with the report...

2 Abortion Foes Behind Planned Parenthood Videos Are Indicted
January 27, 2016 at 9:54 am

A grand jury in Houston that was investigating accusations of misconduct against Planned Parenthood instead has indicted two abortion opponents who made undercover videos of the organization. Prosecutors in Harris County said one of the leaders of the Center for Medical Progress—an anti-abortion group that made secretly recorded videos purporting to show Planned Parenthood officials…

4 Reasons Tax Time Equals Legacy Giving Time for Your Nonprofit
January 25, 2016 at 9:00 am

From late January until early April, nearly every potential legacy donor is using some portion of their time to pull together all of the documents required for tax filings with a financial planner. This is the time when those individuals already are thinking about estate planning and the benefits of charitable giving. Here are four…