990-EZ | 990-N (e-Postcard) – Which to E-File?

There are a number of things that can genuinely confuse us all. You may think that you understand what you see or speak about, but actually you’re mistaking it for something else because of similarities between the two. And that’s fine—nobody is perfect. But the goal after making a mistake is learning from it, which reduces the risk of it being made again.

Lately, we, at Express990, are noticing that a large amount of people see “990-EZ” and mistake it for the 990-N (e-Postcard). Don’t let the “E’s” confuse you. These are two specific tax forms that follow two different sets of rules about how they are filed. Feel free to use this blog as a quick reference if you’re ever in doubt whether to e-file a Form 990-EZ or a Form 990-N (e-Postcard).

Form 990-N (e-Postcard)

• Exempt organizations that make less than $50,000 are required to file a Form 990-N (e-Postcard)
• A Form 990-N (e-Postcard) is due on 15th day of the 5th month after the end of your tax year
• You cannot file an extension for a Form 990-N (e-Postcard)
• There are no penalties for e-filing a Form 990-N (e-Postcard) late, which means you can basically e-file anytime throughout the year after your tax end date
• Failure to file a Form 990-N (e-Postcard) for three consecutive years will result in the loss of your tax-exempt status

Form 990-EZ

• Exempt organizations that have gross receipts less than $200,000 and total assets less than $500,000 are required to file a Form 990-EZ
• Filing a Form 990-EZ includes completing various schedule forms
• A Form 990-EZ is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after the end of your tax year
• You can e-file an Extension Form 8868 Part I to automatically extend your tax deadline by three months. (Example: If your Form 990-EZ is due on May 15, you can extend it to August 15)
• You can e-file an Extension Form 8868 Part II for an additional 3-month extension (Example: If you already extended your Form 990-EZ deadline to August 15, you can extend again to November 15)
• There are penalties for e-filing your Form 990-EZ late (For more information, check out 990 Penalties & How To Avoid Them)
• Failure to file a Form 990-EZ for three consecutive years will result in the loss of your tax-exempt status

As you can see, there are some similarities; however, there are even more specific differences that set these two tax forms apart. Another point you should keep in mind is that it’s more common to receive a notice about a Form 990-EZ than a Form 990-N (e-Postcard). You may receive a notice about an e-Postcard if you’re a couple of years behind.

You should also pay close attention to how the titles of these forms are written out. If you get a notice about an e-Postcard, it should be written out completely as “Form 990-N (e-Postcard).” If the notice is about another form, the title will be completely written out as well.

You can easily find out which tax form you need to e-file with Express990. Even if you accidentally choose the wrong form, once you put in the gross receipt amount, our program redirects you to the correct form. We work closely with the IRS to offer a safe, secure, and accurate e-filing process, backed by expert professionals, that will save you time and money.

For assistance with e-filing any of our available 990 forms, contact our live support by phone Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm, Eastern Standard Time, at (704) 839-2321, by email at [email protected], or by live chat at the Express990 website.