| December 5, 2017 -- As I write this article, it’s “Black Friday”, Thanksgiving is over and Christmas is on its way! It seems like yesterday we were closing the 133rd Annual Session of the Connecticut State Grange.
We can report to you that we have a new contract in place with the Holiday Inn Norwich for the 2018 State Session. As with any event, there were “bumps” along the way but on the whole, they have treated us exceptionally well in the three years we have met there and know the same will be true in the coming year.
I have received emails and calls from several Granges concerning paperwork to be completed for their local municipalities regarding their property tax. These filings are required by State law but each town handles them a little differently. Most were due at the beginning of November but if you are still working on them and have questions, please let us know. We may not always know the answer but we are willing to point you in the right direction.
The most common question has been regarding 501(c) status. All of our Granges in Connecticut are either a 501(c)(5) or a 501(c)(8) under the IRS classifications. 501(c)(5) covers “Labor, Agricultural and Horticultural Organizations” while 501(c)(8) covers “Fraternal Beneficiary Societies and Associations”. You would think all Granges would have been classified as one or the other. Unfortunately, this is the IRS and they have, without rhyme or reason, classified some as agricultural and others as fraternal.
Ultimately it means the same thing when it comes to tax exemption. While we are considered tax exempt, we do not enjoy the same tax exempt benefits enjoyed by 501(c)(3) organizations who are able to accept charitable donations that the donor can then deduct from their taxes.
We recommend calling the IRS tax exempt customer service line (877) 829-5500 to find out your specific classification. Ordinarily I would be happy to do this on behalf of Granges but these calls can take 30-90 minutes and I can only request information for one Grange per call, per IRS rules.
We remind all Granges the fourth quarter of 2017 will close on December 31. Please send in your reports as soon as possible. The 2018 Annual Word cannot be communicated to your Grange until the report for the fourth quarter is filed.
As always we remind you of the many items of regalia, songbooks, supplies, and some furniture we have on hand at the Central Office. Give us a call or email to find out more.
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