Form 990-EZ Tax Preparation

Why Form 990-EZ?

Most PTAs and school organizations are 501©(3) nonprofits required to file annual information returns with the IRS:

• Form 990-N (e-Postcard): Gross receipts normally $50,000 or less
• Form 990-EZ: Gross receipts under $200,000 and total assets under $500,000
• Form 990: Gross receipts of $200,000 or more, or total assets of $500,000 or more

BeeKeeper generates a Form 990-EZ preparation report to help you gather the numbers needed for filing. It shows your gross receipts and total assets, and tells you at the top of the report when they point to the 990-N or the full Form 990 instead.

Filing a 990-N instead? If your gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less, you don’t need this report at all — head to the new Tax Center instead. It prepares your Form 990-N from your books and files it directly with the IRS, so there’s no report to export and no separate website to visit.

What BeeKeeper Provides

The Form 990-EZ report extracts and organizes data from your BeeKeeper records into the format needed for the tax form:

Part I: Revenue, Expenses, and Changes in Net Assets

Revenue (Lines 1-9)

• Line 1: Contributions, gifts, grants
• Line 2: Program service revenue
• Line 3: Membership dues
• Line 4: Investment income
• Line 5a-c: Gross amount from sale of assets (5a), less cost or other basis and sales expenses (5b), gain/loss (5c)
• Line 6a-d: Gross income from gaming such as raffles and bingo (6a), gross income from fundraising events (6b), less direct expenses of both (6c), net income (6d)
• Line 7a-c: Gross sales of inventory (7a), less cost of goods sold (7b), gross profit (7c)
• Line 8: Other revenue
• Line 9: Total revenue

Expenses (Lines 10-17)

• Lines 10-16: Expense categories (grants, benefits, compensation, professional fees, occupancy, printing, other)
• Line 17: Total expenses

Net Assets (Lines 18-21)

• Line 18: Excess or deficit for the year
• Line 19: Net assets at beginning of year
• Line 20: Other changes in net assets
• Line 21: Net assets at end of year

Part II: Balance Sheets

Each line shows two columns, just like the form: (A) Beginning of year and (B) End of year.

• Line 22: Cash, savings, investments
• Line 23: Land and buildings
• Line 24: Other assets
• Line 25: Total assets
• Line 26: Total liabilities
• Line 27: Net assets

Organization Information

• Legal name and address
• EIN (Employer Identification Number)
• Fiscal year dates
• Accounting method
• Gross receipts (Item L on the form)

Generating the Report

Step 1: Navigate to the Report

1. Go to Reports
2. Select Form 990-EZ

Step 2: Select the Fiscal Year

Choose the fiscal year you’re preparing the return for. The report opens on the current fiscal year, so if you’re filing for the year that just ended, pick it from the Fiscal Year filter. Ensure all transactions for that year are entered before reviewing.

Step 3: Map Accounts (If Needed)

For accurate categorization, your accounts may need a Form 990-EZ line assigned:

Set up mappings per account via the 990-EZ Line dropdown on the account edit form.

Step 4: Review

The report displays automatically after you select the fiscal year — there’s no separate Generate step.

1. Read any notices at the top of the report first (see Notices at the Top of the Report below)
2. Review each section on the page
3. Verify amounts match your records
4. Note any items needing manual adjustment

Step 5: Export

Export the report for your tax preparer or IRS filing:

• Download PDF: Formatted reference document
• Export XLSX: Editable for adjustments

Both include a Beginning of year (A) column for the Part II balance sheet lines.

Understanding the Report Sections

Whole Dollars

Every line on the report is rounded to whole dollars, the way the IRS asks for them, and each total is added up from the rounded lines — so the numbers you copy onto the form always add up. Click a line to see the accounts behind it; those keep their cents.

Revenue Section

Lines 5b, 6c and 7b are shown as positive numbers — enter them on the form that way. The form subtracts them for you on 5c, 6d and 7c.

Event tickets that include a donation. When a guest pays more than the value of what they receive — a $100 gala ticket that includes a $40 dinner — the extra $60 is a contribution. Report it on line 1 instead of line 6b, and enter the total in the parentheses on line 6b. BeeKeeper can’t tell which part of a ticket was a gift, so this adjustment is yours to make.

Expense Section

Per-Capita Dues

If you’re a PTA that uses membership withholding, the per-capita dues you sent on to your council, state, and national PTA during the year appear on line 3 (dues received) and line 10 (paid on). That keeps them in your gross receipts without changing your net assets. Only money that actually left your bank counts, and dues you’re still holding don’t appear until you send them.

Net Assets Section

Line 20 picks up entries posted straight to a fund balance rather than through income and expenses — most often an opening balance entered partway through the year — plus the dollar or two left over from rounding every line to whole dollars. Click the line to see exactly what it’s made of. If it isn’t zero, the IRS asks you to explain it on Schedule O.

Balance Sheet Section

Column (A) is your books as of the day before the fiscal year began. An opening balance dated the first day of the year counts here too, since it’s really last year’s ending balance. Column (B) is your books on the last day of the year.

Notices at the Top of the Report

• Form 990 or 990-N: when gross receipts are $200,000 or more, or total assets are $500,000 or more, the report says you need the full Form 990. When a finished year’s gross receipts are $50,000 or less, it points you to the 990-N.
• Opening balances entered after the year began: these show up on line 20 rather than line 19. If your books started on that date, the income and expenses from before it aren’t in BeeKeeper, so lines 1-18 cover only part of the year. Line 19 should still match line 21 of last year’s return.
• Unmapped Accounts: income accounts with activity and asset accounts with a balance that have no 990-EZ line. They’re still on the report (see below), but assigning the right line makes it accurate.

Preparing for Accurate Reports

Before Fiscal Year End

• Categorize all transactions
• Reconcile bank accounts
• Enter any pending transactions
• Review account assignments

Form 990 Line Mapping

For accurate reporting, assign Form 990 lines directly to each account:

1. Go to Bookkeeping > Chart of Accounts
2. Edit each income, expense, and asset account
3. Select the appropriate Form 990 Line from the dropdown
4. Save

Account                 Code    990-EZ Line
Donations               4100    Line 1
Membership Dues         4200    Line 3
Raffle Income           4250    Line 6a
Fundraiser Income       4300    Line 6b
Fundraiser Expenses     5050    Line 6c
Teacher Grants          5100    Line 10
Office Supplies         5200    Line 16
Insurance               5300    Line 16
Checking                1000    Line 22

Nothing is left off the report. An account without a line is reported on the form’s catch-all line for its type:

Unmapped income and asset accounts are listed in the Unmapped Accounts warning so you can fix them. Unmapped expense accounts aren’t — line 16 is where other expenses belong.

Review Checklist

Before filing, verify:

• [ ] All transactions entered for fiscal year
• [ ] Bank accounts reconciled
• [ ] No Unmapped Accounts warning (or you’re happy with lines 8 and 24)
• [ ] Raffles and bingo on line 6a, other fundraising events on 6b
• [ ] Revenue and expenses reasonably match bank activity
• [ ] Line 19 matches line 21 of last year’s return
• [ ] Line 20 explained on Schedule O if it isn’t zero

Important Disclaimers

BeeKeeper Is Not Tax Software (for Form 990-EZ)

• Report is for preparation assistance only
• Numbers may need adjustment
• Does not file Form 990-EZ directly with the IRS
• Does not provide tax advice

Note this applies to Form 990-EZ specifically. If your organization qualifies for the simpler Form 990-N, the Tax Center does file that one directly with the IRS.

Consult a Professional

If you’re unsure:

• Contact a CPA or tax professional
• Reach out to your state PTA for guidance
• Review IRS instructions for Form 990-EZ

Your Responsibility

• Verify all numbers before filing
• Ensure proper authorization for filing
• Meet filing deadlines (usually 15th day of 5th month after year end)
• Keep records for 7 years

Filing the Actual Return

BeeKeeper helps prepare, but you still need to file:

Option 1: Paper Filing

1. Download Form 990-EZ from IRS.gov
2. Transfer numbers from BeeKeeper report
3. Complete remaining sections (governance, etc.)
4. Mail to IRS

Option 2: E-File

1. Use IRS-authorized e-file provider
2. Enter data from BeeKeeper report
3. Complete required schedules
4. Submit electronically

Option 3: Professional Preparer

1. Export BeeKeeper report
2. Send to your CPA/accountant
3. They prepare and file
4. Review before submission

Tips for Successful Filing

Start Early

• Don’t wait until deadline
• Allow time for questions and corrections
• Give professional preparers adequate time

Maintain Documentation

• Keep BeeKeeper reports
• Save bank statements
• Retain receipts
• Document any adjustments

Know Your Deadlines

Extensions available (Form 8868) but apply before deadline.

Limitations

• Report is preparation tool, not filing software
• Some 990-EZ sections require manual input
• Schedule A (public charity status) not generated
• Schedule O explanations (lines 8, 16, 20, 24, 26) not written for you
• Governance questions not included
• Multi-state filing requirements not addressed

Common Questions

Does BeeKeeper file my 990-EZ? No. BeeKeeper provides the financial data. You must file separately.

My fundraisers moved from line 6a to line 6b. Why? The IRS form puts gaming (raffles, bingo) on line 6a and fundraising events on 6b, with the direct costs of both on 6c. BeeKeeper used to follow an older layout, so every account you’d mapped to fundraising events was moved for you: event income to 6b, event expenses to 6c. If one of those accounts is really raffle or bingo income, change it to 6a.

Why is there an amount on line 20? Click line 20 to see what it’s made of. Usually it’s an opening balance entered partway through the year, an entry posted straight to a fund balance account, or a dollar from rounding. The IRS wants a short explanation on Schedule O whenever line 20 isn’t zero.

Why doesn’t line 19 match last year’s return? Line 19 comes from your books as of the day before the year began. If your books start partway through the year, or last year’s return was prepared outside BeeKeeper, the two can differ. On the form, use last year’s figure for line 19, move the difference onto line 20 so line 21 still adds up, and explain it on Schedule O.

What if my numbers don’t match my CPA’s? Review account categorizations. Different interpretations of revenue/expense categories are common.

We’re under $50,000 - do we still need this? No — if your gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less, skip this report and use the Tax Center instead. It prepares your Form 990-N from your books and files it directly with the IRS in a few minutes.

What about Schedule A? Schedule A (public charity support test) requires additional information not tracked in BeeKeeper. Consult a professional.

My state requires separate filing - does BeeKeeper help? State requirements vary. The 990-EZ report provides your financial data, but state forms may differ.

What if we have unrelated business income? Unrelated business income requires Form 990-T. Consult a tax professional.

How long do we keep these records? IRS recommends 7 years. Keep BeeKeeper data and filed returns permanently.