Tax-Exempt Organizations

Washington University School of Law | 3 credits

This class will analyze tax aspects of tax exempt organizations and is designed to cover issues that attorneys in a tax related practice may encounter. This class covers several tax-related issues applicable to organizations exempt under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, including issues related to the organization, qualification, and governance of tax-exempt organizations. The course will also cover tax-related issues applicable to public charities, including classification, lobbying and political campaign activities, private inurement and excess benefit, and unrelated business income. In addition, the course will cover tax-related issues applicable to private foundations, including self-dealing, minimum distribution requirements, excess business holdings, jeopardizing investments, and taxable expenditures. Finally, the course will analyze the income and estate tax planning issues that arise when forming a tax exempt entity, including a study of the formation of Charitable Remainder Trusts, Pooled Income Funds, Gifts of a Remainder Interest in a Personal Residence, Charitable Gift Annuities, Charitable Lead Trusts, Private Non-Operating Foundations, Private Operating Foundations, and Supporting Organizations. Included in this analysis are issues that arise when drafting the documents.