Starting and Managing a Nonprofit Organization A Legal Guide

by Hopkins, Bruce R.

• ISBN13: 9781118413456
• ISBN10: 1118413458
• Edition: 6th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2013-01-22
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

Nuts-and-bolts guidance on the laws, rules, and regulations governing the nonprofit sector-from leading nonprofit law expert, Bruce R. Hopkins Nonprofits must comply with stringent federal and state laws due to their special tax-exempt status; the government's ultimate threat is revocation of a nonprofit's tax-exempt status, which usually means the nonprofit's demise. Written in plain English, not "legalese," Starting and Managing a Nonprofit Organization: A Legal Guide, Sixth Edition, provides essential guidance for those interested in starting nonprofits, as well as valuable advice for leaders of established organizations. Revised and expanded to include updated information on changes in laws, rules, and regulations governing the nonprofit sector Covers federal tax law, nonprofit, governance, the annual information return (Form 990), charitable giving rules, and current IRS ruling policy Presents essential, practical legal information in easy-to-understand English Explains the applications and implications of corporate, tax, and fundraising laws for nonprofits This easy-to-read resource contains essential information on virtually every legal aspect of starting and operating a nonprofit organization from receiving and maintaining tax-exempt status to tips for successful management practices.

Author Biography

BRUCE R. HOPKINS is the country's leading authority on tax-exempt organizations and a senior partner with the law firm Polsinelli Shughart. He is the author of more than twenty-eight books, all published by Wiley, including The Law of Tax-Exempt Organizations, Tenth Edition, and the newsletter Bruce R. Hopkins' Nonprofit Counsel.

Table of Contents

Preface                                                                                                                                                      

Acknowledgments                                                                                                                                  

PART   ONE STARTING A  NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION                                                                    

Chapter One: What  Is a Nonprofit Organization?                                                                           

Chapter Two: Starting a Nonprofit Organization                                                                             

Chapter Three: Debunking Some  Myths and  Misperceptions                                                     

PART   TWO  BEING NONPROFIT, LEGALLY                                                                                    

Chapter Four: Nonprofit Organizations: Much More  than Charity                                            

Chapter Five: Nonprofits and  Private Benefit                                                                                 

Chapter Six: From  Nonprofit to Tax-Exempt                                                                                  

Chapter Seven: Charities: Public or Private?                                                                                     

Chapter Eight: Governance: Board  Duties and  Liabilities                                                            

Chapter Nine:   Braving Annual Reporting                                                                                      

Chapter Ten: Tax Exemption: Not  a Paperwork Exemption                                                   

Chapter Eleven: Charitable Giving Rules                                                                                         

Chapter Twelve:  Government Regulation of Fundraising                                                           

PART   THREE TAX-EXEMPT  ORGANIZATIONS CAN   BE TAXABLE, AND SO  CAN   THEIR MANAGERS

Chapter Thirteen: Related or Unrelated?                                                                                        

Chapter Fourteen: Lobbying Constraints—And Taxes                                                               

Chapter Fifteen: Political Campaign Activities—And More  Taxes                                        

Chapter Sixteen: Donor-Advised Funds, Tax-Shelters Insurance Schemes—And Still  More  Taxes            

PART   FOUR HELPFUL HINTS  AND  SUCCESSFUL TECHNIQUES                                                   

Chapter Seventeen: Subsidiaries: For-Profit and  Nonprofit

Chapter Eighteen: Joint  Venturing and  Other Partnering

Chapter Nineteen: Wonderful World of Planned Giving                                                            

Chapter Twenty: Putting Ideas into  Action

PART   FIVE  SIDESTEPPING TRAPS

Chapter Twenty-One: Watchdogs on the  Prowl

Chapter Twenty-Two: Potpourri of Policies and  Procedures

Chapter Twenty-Three: Commerciality, Competition, Commensurateness                            

Chapter Twenty-Four: IRS Audits of Nonprofit Organizations

Chapter Twenty-Five: Avoiding Personal Liability

PART   SIX  CONSTITUTIONAL LAW  PERSPECTIVE                                                                       

Chapter Twenty-Six: Nonprofit Organizations and  the  Constitution

Glossary                                                                                                                                                  

Index