Yes, you should have a different tax ID than the schools'. Each is a separate business entity.
There are two different levels, state and federal.
At the state level, you are usually concerned with sales tax. If you are set up as a tax exempt entity, you don't have to pay sales tax on certain purchases, and you may not have to collect and remit sales tax on your fundraisers. (It may not be all or nothing.) So you'll want to check with the state agency that administers that function. In PA, it looks like that is the Department of Revenue. Here's a link: (
www.revenue.state.pa.us/revenue/cwp/view...0tax-exempt%20status
)
If the link doesn't work, do a search within their site (
www.revenue.state.pa.us/revenue/
) on "Purely Public Charities". Check with that department to see if you are already registered. It didn't look like you are required to be a 501(c)(3) to apply, buy you'll want to read through the material.
With the IRS, PTOs often apply to become 501(c)(3) organizations. As a recognized non-profit in this category, your donors can count their donations as charitable gifts on their income tax, you have more credibility as a charitable organization, it may be required for certain grants, etc. To find out if you are already listed, call the IRS Exempt Organization customer service toll-free line 1-877-829-5500. Their hours are 8:00am - 9:30pm EST Monday-Friday. (They are really helpful!!) [img]smile.gif[/img]
You need to understand that a PTO with money coming in and out of its accounts is a business. According to the IRS, anyone grossing over $5000 per year should be accountable to the IRS. If you aren't set up as a non-profit (a 501c3), then they just consider you a business. If you are set up as 501(c)(3) then their is an information return organizations complete if they earn over $25,000 per year.
There are lots of us here who can help you. Hopefully this will get you started.
[ 08-22-2002: Message edited by: JHB ]</p>
