Form 8872: Step-by-Step Filing Instructions

Form 8872, the Political Organization Report of Contributions and Expenditures, is a disclosure document filed with the Internal Revenue Service to report the financial activity of political organizations under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code. The form details the contributions an organization receives and the expenditures it makes. This reporting provides transparency, and the submitted information is made publicly available for inspection on the IRS website.

Filing Requirements and Deadlines

The obligation to file Form 8872 applies to political organizations established under Section 527 that have notified the IRS of their existence by filing Form 8871. An organization must file if it accepts a contribution or makes an expenditure for an exempt function during the calendar year. Certain exceptions exist for qualified state or local political organizations that report similar information to a state agency that makes the reports public.

Filing schedules for Form 8872 differ based on whether it is an election year. In an even-numbered year, an organization can file on a monthly or quarterly basis. Quarterly reports are due by the 15th day after the end of each calendar quarter, while monthly reports are due by the 20th day of the following month. Near a general election, special pre-election and post-general election reports replace the standard monthly filings.

During odd-numbered, non-election years, organizations may file on either a semiannual or monthly schedule. Semiannual reports cover two six-month periods; the first is due by July 31 for the period of January 1 through June 30, and the second is due by January 31 of the following year for the period of July 1 through December 31. The monthly schedule in non-election years requires a report by the 20th of the following month, with the December report due by January 31 of the next year.

A pre-election report is due 12 days before any election for which the organization made a contribution or expenditure, covering activity through the 20th day before the election. A post-general election report must be filed by the 30th day after the election. This report covers transactions through the 20th day after the election.

Required Information for Form 8872

An organization must gather its legal name, Employer Identification Number (EIN), and mailing address. You will also need the email address of the organization, the name and address of the person who has possession of the organization’s books and records, and the name and address of a contact person for public inquiries.

For Schedule A, the organization must itemize each contributor who gave aggregate contributions of at least $200 during the calendar year. For each itemized contributor, you must provide:

• Full name and mailing address
• Employer and occupation (use terms like “Retired” or “Student” if not employed)
• Date the contribution was received
• Amount of the contribution
• Aggregate year-to-date total received from that person

For Schedule B, an organization must itemize every recipient of aggregate expenditures of at least $500 during the calendar year. For each payee, you must collect their:

• Full name and mailing address
• Date of the expenditure
• Amount paid
• Purpose of the expenditure
• Employer and occupation, if the recipient is an individual

Step-by-Step Guide to Completing the Form

In the top section of the main page, you will enter the organization’s name, EIN, and mailing address as they appear on file with the IRS. You must also enter the reporting period in Line A. Line B requires you to check a box indicating the type of report, such as an “Initial report” for the first filing of a period or an “Amended report” if you are correcting a previously filed form.

The main form continues with lines for the organization’s email address, the custodian of its records, and a public contact person. Section 8 requires you to select the specific type of report being filed, such as “Monthly,” “Quarterly,” or a “Pre-election” report. The summary of financial activity is entered in Part I. Line 9 is for the total of all itemized and unitemized contributions from Schedule A, and Line 10 is for the total of all expenditures from Schedule B.

Schedule A is used to itemize contributions. For each contributor meeting the $200 aggregate threshold, you will fill out a separate entry with their name, address, employer, and occupation. The schedule has columns for the date of the contribution, the amount, and the aggregate year-to-date total. Contributions from individuals who gave less than the $200 aggregate threshold are not itemized individually and are combined into a single lump sum.

Schedule B operates in a similar fashion for itemizing expenditures. Each payee who received an aggregate of $500 or more during the year must be listed separately. The schedule includes columns for the date of the expenditure, the amount, and a description of its purpose. Expenditures to payees who received less than the $500 aggregate threshold are not itemized and are entered as a single line item.

How to File and Post-Submission Steps

All Forms 8872 must be filed electronically through the IRS website, as paper versions are not accepted. To submit the form, an organization needs a username and password, which the IRS mails after the electronic filing of Form 8871 and the related Form 8453-X. If login information is lost, a request for a new one can be mailed to the Internal Revenue Service in Ogden, UT, or faxed to 855-214-7520.

After submission, Form 8872 and its schedules become public information on the IRS website. The organization must also make a copy of the report available for public viewing at its principal office. Failure to comply results in a penalty of $20 for each day the failure continues, with a maximum penalty of $10,000 for any single report.

If an error is discovered on a report after it has been filed, the organization must file an amended return. This is done by completing a new Form 8872 for the same reporting period and checking the “Amended report” box on Line B of the form. Organizations that fail to file a required report by the due date or submit a report with incomplete or incorrect information are subject to penalties. The penalty is 21% of the total amount of contributions and expenditures to which a failure relates.