Recent Blog Posts
Do Religious Organizations Have to Apply for Tax Exemption?
Under United States tax law, religious organizations are considered to be public charities, often called Section 501(c)(3) organizations, referring to a section of the federal Internal Revenue Code (IRC) concerning charities. Religious organizations are eligible to take advantage of the 501(c)(3) exemption, which allows nonprofit charities to remain exempt from federal, state, and local… Read More »
How to Keep Your Nonprofit Out of Trouble with the IRS
Nonprofit organizations have business matters to attend to. It is an unavoidable part of running a nonprofit. In addition, they are subject to heavy regulation by the Internal Revenue Service, in large part because of the special treatment they receive under the tax laws. Nonprofits depend on maintaining tax-exempt status under Section 501(c) of… Read More »
Filing an IRS 990 Report as an Illinois Nonprofit
Nonprofit organizations, like any other business, must generally file annual returns with the IRS. Nonprofits must file these returns even though, by definition, they do not pay federal taxes except in limited circumstances (e.g., UBIT). The annual informational filing is known as a Form 990. A knowledgeable Illinois nonprofit attorney can help ensure that… Read More »
Legal Issues Your Church is (Probably) Facing
Churches are, legally speaking, not-for-profit organizations that are subject to many of the same laws and regulations as other non-profit businesses. Below we explore some of the legal issues that churches often face. If you have a question regarding one of the issues below or any other legal issue facing your church or other… Read More »
Questions to Ask a Nonprofit Lawyer
Nonprofit organizations are, in many ways, just like any other business. They have rules and regulations to follow, whether dealing with formation and corporate structure issues, annual filings, employment agreements, or other legal issues that arise during the nonprofit’s operation. An experienced Illinois nonprofit attorney can be one of your most valuable resources in… Read More »
Fast Food Companies Agree to Drop “No-Poach” Provisions in Unfair Competition Settlement
Prosecutors from a coalition of 13 states, including Illinois, and the District of Columbia recently announced a settlement with a handful of major fast food franchise corporations whose so-called “no-poach” employment policies were alleged to be anticompetitive and harmful to workers. Learn below about the targeted policies and the terms of the settlement, and… Read More »
Illinois Governor Signs $15 Minimum Wage Bill into Law
The new governor of the State of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, has recently signed a law that will raise the Illinois minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. Business owners across the state are currently questioning the ways that the new law will change how they staff their businesses when the law takes full… Read More »
Review Your Estate Plan
Perhaps you’ve already taken the time to create an estate plan that carries out your wishes and makes the most of the assets you plan to leave to your heirs. You might assume that your estate planning responsibilities are over, but this simply isn’t the case. Your estate plan may need to be revisited… Read More »
Digital Assets Deserve a Place in Your Illinois Estate Plan
You may not think of yourself as having “digital assets,” but if you’re reading this post online, then you almost certainly do. Digital assets include all the information and media we store online, such as emails, documents, photos and videos, as well as our social media accounts and digital subscriptions or bill pay accounts…. Read More »
Illinois Federal Appeals Court Finds Average Hourly Wage Across Workweek is Relevant Unit for FLSA Minimum Wage
Businesses or workers confronted with potential wage and hour violations are often faced with differing and competing methods for calculating the actual value of the wages being challenged for purposes of a lawsuit. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which governs federal law matters in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin, recently resolved some of the… Read More »