When to use it
Knights of Columbus councils are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(8) and must file with the IRS every year to keep that status. Most councils file Form 990-N because gross receipts are normally ≤ $50,000. The deadline is the 15th day of the 5th month after your fiscal year ends — May 15 for a December year end, November 15 for a June (Columbian) year end. File on time, every year — missing three consecutive years triggers automatic revocation.
Step by step
- Go to Compliance → Tax Filing. Expand "What is the 990-N e-Postcard?" if you want the full background.
- In Tax Settings, enter your council's EIN, set the Fiscal Year End Month (December or June for most councils), and add your website. Save settings — the filing card stays locked until the EIN is set.
- Review the Form 990-N review card: EIN, tax year, legal name, mailing address, principal officer (the Grand Knight), gross receipts, and the ≤ $50,000 check. Use the copy buttons to copy each value exactly. Expand "Show breakdown" to see how gross receipts were derived from categorized deposits.
- Click Open IRS e-Postcard Portal, sign in with your IRS account, and enter the values on the IRS site. Submit there and save the confirmation number.
- Back in DuesSync, click Mark Tax Year … as Filed, paste the IRS confirmation number, add any notes, and Confirm Filing. The status banner turns green and the filing appears in Filing History.
Tips & gotchas
- Three consecutive missed years = automatic revocation of tax-exempt status. Reinstatement means filing Form 1024 and paying a $600+ user fee — file every year.
- 990-N filers don't need a Form 8868 extension and there's no late penalty, but the 3-year revocation rule still applies.
- If gross receipts exceed $50,000, the card flags it — you must file Form 990-EZ (or 990) instead of 990-N.
- The gross-receipts figure comes from categorized bank deposits; categorize transactions in Finance first so the number is accurate. Skipped transfers/refunds are excluded.
- DuesSync does not file with the IRS for you — it prepares and tracks; the actual submission happens on the IRS portal.
Related
- See also form-1295