§ 508 Special rules with respect to section 501(c)(3) organizations

OLRC 119-134 · eCFR 2026-10-19 · 4 regs · 3 amending Acts · cited by 6 sections

Enacted 1969 · Pub. L. 91-172 Amended · 3 Acts

Connections Cited by 6 · Cites 11

(a) New organizations must notify Secretary that they are applying for recognition of section 501(c)(3) status Except as provided in subsection (c), an organization organized after October 9, 1969, shall not be treated as an organization described in section 501(c)(3)—

Amended 1976
  • 1976 Pub. L. 94-455 Pub. L. 94–455, § 1901(a)(71)(A), struck out last sentence providing that for purposes of paragraph (2), the time prescribed for giving notice under this subsection shall not expire before the 90th day after the day on which regulations first prescribed under this subsection become final.
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    (1) unless it has given notice to the Secretary in such manner as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe, that it is applying for recognition of such status, or

    Amended 1976
    • 1976 Pub. L. 94-455 Pub. L. 94–455, § 1906(b)(13)(A), struck out “or his delegate” in three places after “Secretary”.
    Cited by 1

      (2) for any period before the giving of such notice, if such notice is given after the time prescribed by the Secretary by regulations for giving notice under this subsection.

      Amended 1976
      • 1976 Pub. L. 94-455 Pub. L. 94–455, § 1906(b)(13)(A), struck out “or his delegate” in three places after “Secretary”.
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        (b) Presumption that organizations are private foundations Except as provided in subsection (c), any organization (including an organization in existence on October 9, 1969) which is described in section 501(c)(3) and which does not notify the Secretary, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe, that it is not a private foundation shall be presumed to be a private foundation.

        Amended 1976
        • 1976 Pub. L. 94-455 Pub. L. 94–455, §§ 1901(a)(71)(A), 1906(b)(13)(A), struck out “or his delegate” in two places after “Secretary” and “The time prescribed for giving notice under this subsection shall not expire before the 90th day after the day on which regulations first prescribed under this subsection become final” after “a private foundation”.
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          (c) Exceptions

          (1) Mandatory exceptions Subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply to—

          Textual readingANY OF= subsections (a) and (b) not applying

          (A) churches, their integrated auxiliaries, and conventions or associations of churches, or

          (B) any organization which is not a private foundation (as defined in section 509(a)) and the gross receipts of which in each taxable year are normally not more than $5,000.

          (2) Exceptions by regulations The Secretary may by regulations exempt (to the extent and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed in such regulations) from the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) or both—

          Amended 1976
          • 1976 Pub. L. 94-455 Pub. L. 94–455, § 1906(b)(13)(A), struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary”.

          (A) educational organizations described in section 170(b)(1)(A)(ii), and

          Amended 1976
          • 1976 Pub. L. 94-455 Pub. L. 94–455, § 1901(b)(8)(E), substituted “(A) educational organizations described in section 170(b)(1)(A)(ii), and” for “(A) educational organizations which normally maintain a regular faculty and curriculum and normally have a regularly enrolled body of pupils or students in attendance at the place where their educational activities are regularly carried on; and” after “(b) or both—”.

          (B) any other class of organizations with respect to which the Secretary determines that full compliance with the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) is not necessary to the efficient administration of the provisions of this title relating to private foundations.

          Amended 1976
          • 1976 Pub. L. 94-455 Pub. L. 94–455, § 1906(b)(13)(A), struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary”.

          (d) Disallowance of certain charitable, etc., deductions

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            (1) Gift or bequest to organizations subject to section 507(c) tax No gift or bequest made to an organization upon which the tax provided by section 507(c) has been imposed shall be allowed as a deduction under section 170, 545(b)(2), 642(c), 2055, 2106(a)(2), or 2522, if such gift or bequest is made—

            Amended 2004
            • 2004 Pub. L. 108-357 Pub. L. 108–357 struck out “556(b)(2),” after “545(b)(2),”.
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              (A) by any person after notification is made under section 507(a), or

              (B) by a substantial contributor (as defined in section 507(d)(2)) in his taxable year which includes the first day on which action is taken by such organization which culminates in the imposition of tax under section 507(c) and any subsequent taxable year.

              (2) Gift or bequest to taxable private foundation, section 4947 trust, etc. No gift or bequest made to an organization shall be allowed as a deduction under section 170, 545(b)(2), 642(c), 2055, 2106(a)(2), or 2522, if such gift or bequest is made—

              Amended 2004
              • 2004 Pub. L. 108-357 Pub. L. 108–357 struck out “556(b)(2),” after “545(b)(2),”.
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                (A) to a private foundation or a trust described in section 4947 in a taxable year for which it fails to meet the requirements of subsection (e) (determined without regard to subsection (e)(2)), or

                Amended 1976
                • 1976 Pub. L. 94-455 Pub. L. 94–455, § 1901(a)(71)(C), substituted “(e)(2)” for “(e)(2)(B) and (C)” after “regard to subsection”.
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                  (B) to any organization in a period for which it is not treated as an organization described in section 501(c)(3) by reason of subsection (a).

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                    (3) Exception Paragraph (1) shall not apply if the entire amount of the unpaid portion of the tax imposed by section 507(c) is abated by the Secretary under section 507(g).

                    Amended 1976
                    • 1976 Pub. L. 94-455 Pub. L. 94–455, § 1906(b)(13)(A), struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary”.

                    (e) Governing instruments

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                      (1) General rule A private foundation shall not be exempt from taxation under section 501(a) unless its governing instrument includes provisions the effects of which are—

                      (A) to require its income for each taxable year to be distributed at such time and in such manner as not to subject the foundation to tax under section 4942, and

                      (B) to prohibit the foundation from engaging in any act of self-dealing (as defined in section 4941(d)), from retaining any excess business holdings (as defined in section 4943(c)), from making any investments in such manner as to subject the foundation to tax under section 4944, and from making any taxable expenditures (as defined in section 4945(d)).

                      (2) Special rules for existing private foundations In the case of any organization organized before January 1, 1970, paragraph (1) shall not apply—

                      Amended 1976
                      • 1976 Pub. L. 94-455 Pub. L. 94–455, § 1901(a)(71)(B), redesignated subpar. (C) as (B).
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                        (A) to any period after December 31, 1971, during the pendency of any judicial proceeding begun before January 1, 1972, by the private foundation which is necessary to reform, or to excuse such foundation from compliance with, its governing instrument or any other instrument in order to meet the requirements of paragraph (1), and

                        Amended 1976
                        • 1976 Pub. L. 94-455 Pub. L. 94–455, § 1901(a)(71)(B), struck out subpar. (A) relating to taxable years beginning before 1972, and redesignated subpars. (B) and (C) as (A) and (B), respectively.
                        Cited by 1

                          (B) to any period after the termination of any judicial proceeding described in subparagraph (A) during which its governing instrument or any other instrument does not permit it to meet the requirements of paragraph (1).

                          Amended 1976
                          • 1976 Pub. L. 94-455 Pub. L. 94–455, § 1901(a)(71)(B), redesignated subpar. (C) as (B) and substituted “(A)” for “(B)” after “described in subparagraph”.
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                            (f) Additional provisions relating to sponsoring organizations A sponsoring organization (as defined in section 4966(d)(1)) shall give notice to the Secretary (in such manner as the Secretary may provide) whether such organization maintains or intends to maintain donor advised funds (as defined in section 4966(d)(2)) and the manner in which such organization plans to operate such funds.

                            Amended 2006
                            • 2006 Pub. L. 109-280 Pub. L. 109–280, which directed the addition of subsec. (f) to section 508, without specifying the act to be amended, was executed by making the addition to this section, which is section 508 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.