Employees often are a nonprofit’s greatest asset. Passionate for the cause, knowledgeable about the organization’s donors and operations, and promoting the mission with loyal dedication, they can be nothing short of invaluable. But what happens if an employee leaves a…
No doubt, our recent times have been epochal – significantly affecting individuals, nonprofits, and much more. We’ve seen a pandemic, racial tension, mass shootings, protests, war, incredible social media influence, and increasing division on social issues. We all have been…
“Can we get sales tax exemption?” Wagenmaker & Oberly, LLC law firm’s State Compliance and Tax Practice Group handles this question on a regular basis, usually for a specific state and increasingly with an eye toward online activity and multi-state…
Innovative nonprofit leaders frequently leverage so-called “multicorporate structures” to achieve multiple beneficial objectives. May nonprofit corporations do so, such as through forming subsidiaries? If so, when, and why? What are the liability and tax implications? This article describes legal aspects…
Many nonprofits use employee handbooks to serve the valuable function of providing their employees with advance notice of work expectations, applicable requirements, and other responsibilities for a productive and mutually beneficial relationship. Such goals may likewise apply to volunteers serving…
It is indeed a joyful day when a nonprofit receives the anticipated IRS determination letter, recognizing its tax-exempt status. But note: such status is under federal law and only for income tax liability generally. What state tax considerations exist? A minority of states impose additional…
All nonprofits should maintain confidentiality of medical information related to their employees, program participants, and volunteers. Is such information subject to “HIPAA?” For many organizations, the answer is no – HIPAA does not apply across the board to all medical…
Nonprofits regularly use logos, taglines, and other descriptions for their organizational activities. To what extent may nonprofits trademark such information, along with their corporate name? Just exactly what is a trademark, and why is it important – particularly for legal…
As Bitcoin and other virtual currencies become increasingly popular, Section 501(c)(3) nonprofits may encounter a novel question when a donor offers to contribute Bitcoin. Should the nonprofit accept Bitcoin as a tax-deductible charitable contribution? The short answer is likely, “yes.”…
We are huge fans of Google AdWords. It gives your company short term gains and an almost instant return on investment. However, not everyone should be using AdWords. Here are 4 situations in which it is best to avoid Google…
