Compiled by the Chinese School Association in US
(CSAUS)
建立新学校的一些必要步骤
Basic Steps to Start a New Chinese School
(For reference only, NO LEGAL VALUE)
1. Obtain an Employer's
Identification Number (EIN)
Thru SS-4 Form. It
can be downloaded from http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fss4.pdf
Reference/Suggested fill-ins:
"8a: Other Non-profit organization":
"Educational"
"9: Purpose...": check
"banking" & give "checking account";
"14: Principal Activity": "Promote Chinese Language
and Culture to general public in spare time" or alike;
"16: To whom...": check
"other" and give "those who are interested in Chinese heritage
in the general public" or alike.
You may call in (phone number listed for different areas) with the
form ready to get the EIN instantly and mail in the form afterwards for a
confirmation. With this EIN you may open a bank account and start the school
operations.
2. Register at your state
government, Chamber of Commerce.
Find the number from your area phonebook and call in for a form
for "Articles of Corporation". It usually requires three officers' names
and a contact address (no mail box), with $20 fee for new, and $10 for annually
renewal (Federal EIN obtained at step 1, and By-laws by your school may be
required).
Those two are the most basic steps
common for every school. Up to here, your school is an
business entity. It needs to file for Tax annually as an
independent entity (may not necessarily pay tax if there is no
"Net-income").
You have options whether to persuade the next two steps.
3. Apply for Educational
Non-profit organization status from your state
government, Dept. of Treasury.
The EIN, By-laws and Corporate registration information, obtained
from above,?may be
needed. If approved, the school may get
state sales tax waived for school related purchases/
4. Federal Non-profit
Organization status (501 3 C)
For "Federal
Tax Exempt" status. This is a more appealing feature and
requires a lot of work as well.
Generally, it's easier for a brand-new
organization since it needs only to show the financial planning; but more
difficult for an already-established one because it then needs to present all
the financial records for the past three years to prove that IT IS "non-profit"
in nature.
Consultation to or help from a
Legal/Financial professional is STRONGLY
recommended.
Fee involved: $150-550.
Major Benefits:
1. Ask / accept donations (donor can claim for tax returns);
2. Do NOT need to pay tax if the "net-income" is
reasonable;
3. Simple filing for tax if annual income below $25000;
4. Pay no sales tax on operation related purchases
Major disadvantages:
1. A lot of work to get the approval;
2. More formal By-laws and organization structure required;
3. Must keep a decent Financial Records which are subject to
public (or IRS) audits at any time.
CSAUS has obtained this status, and has helped many schools with
this process. Now CSAUS Service Center offers help on this subject at a very
nominal material fee. Contact Grace Li: mailto:yungraceli@yahoo.com;
or 281-265-5844
Last modified: Feb. 14, 2001