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Treas. Reg. § 1.501(a)-1

Exemption from taxation.
eCFR amendment effective 2016-07-12 · superseded Jun 30, 2017 · last amended by T.D. 9674, 79 FR 37631, July 2, 2014
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(a) In general; proof of exemption.
(1) Section 501(a) provides an exemption from income taxes for organizations which are described in section 501 (c) or (d) and section 401(a), unless such organization is a feeder organization (see section 502), or unless it engages in a transaction described in section 503. However, the exemption does not extend to unrelated business taxable income of such an organization (see part III (Section 511 and following), subchapter F, chapter 1 of the Code).
(2) [Reserved] For further guidance, see § 1.501(a)-1T(a)(2).
(3) An organization claiming exemption under section 501(a) and described in any paragraph of section 501(c) (other than section 501(c)(1) shall file the form of application prescribed by the Commissioner and shall include thereon such information as required by such form and the instructions issued with respect thereto. For rules relating to the obtaining of a determination of exempt status by an employees' trust described in section 401(a), see the regulations under section 401.
(b) Additional proof by particular classes of organizations.
(1) [Reserved] For further guidance, see § 1.501(a)-1T(b)(1).
(2) In addition to the information specifically called for by this section, the Commissioner may require any additional information deemed necessary for a proper determination of whether a particular organization is exempt under section 501(a), and when deemed advisable in the interest of an efficient administration of the internal revenue laws, he may in the cases of particular types of organizations prescribe the form in which the proof of exemption shall be furnished.
(3) [Reserved] For further guidance, see § 1.501(a)-1T(b)(3).
(c) Private shareholder or individual defined. The words private shareholder or individual in section 501 refer to persons having a personal and private interest in the activities of the organization.
(d) Requirement of annual returns. For the annual return requirements of organizations exempt under section 501(a), see section 6033 and § 1.6033-1.
(e) Certain Puerto Rican pension, etc., trusts. Effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1973, section 1022(i)(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) (88 Stat. 942) provides that trusts under certain Puerto Rican pension, etc., plans (as defined under P.R. Laws Ann. tit. 13, section 3165, and the articles thereunder), all of the participants of which are residents of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, are to be treated only for purposes of section 501(a) as trusts described in section 401(a). The practical effect of section 1022(i)(1) is to exempt these trusts from U.S. income tax on income from their U.S. investments. For purposes of section 1022(i)(1), the term residents of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico means bona fide residents of Puerto Rico, and persons who perform labor or services primarily within the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, regardless of residence for other purposes, and the term participants is restricted to current employees who are not excluded under the eligibility provisions of the plan.
(f) [Reserved] For further guidance, see § 1.501(a)-1T(f).
Source credit, amendments & notes

[T.D. 6500, 25 FR 11737, Nov. 26, 1960, as amended by T.D. 7428, 41 FR 34619, Aug. 16, 1976; T.D. 7859, 47 FR 54298, Dec. 2, 1982; T.D. 9674, 79 FR 37631, July 2, 2014]

Treas. Reg. § 1.501(a)-1 — Exemption from taxation. · eCFR amendment effective 2016-07-12 · https://pensionresource.website/EAMain?content=EAMain.Law&id=cfr26-1.501%28a%29-1&asof=2015-04-01 · printed Oct 16, 2026
On this page
  • (a) In general; proof of exemption.
  • (b) Additional proof by particular classes of organizations.
  • (c) Private shareholder or individual defined.
  • (d) Requirement of annual returns.
  • (e) Certain Puerto Rican pension, etc., trusts.
  • (f) (f) [Reserved] For further guidance, see § 1.501(a)-1T(f).
Implements
I.R.C. § 501 Exemption from tax on corporations, certain trusts, etc.
Cited by (code & regs)
Guidance addressing this section

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Also cited in 1 other documents
IRS / Treasury
Revenue Rulings
  • Rev. Rul. 2008-40Modified Jul 28, 2008 — Transfer of amounts; nonqualified foreign trust; transition relief. This ruling provides that the transfer of amounts from a trust under a plan qualified under… (e)
    Modified by Notice 2012-6

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Private Letter Rulings (1)
Private Letter Rulings (1)
Also cite this provision (1)
  • PLR 200521012 May 27, 2005 — Special Rules for Pensions, Annuities, and Certain Other Deferred Income UIL 3405.00-00 (e)

Each row is a version of the text as published by the official source. Code dates are the edition/release point that first reflected the change; regulation dates are eCFR effective dates. The library checks the official sources automatically, so new versions appear here on their own; “run” opens the sync that recorded a version.

EffectiveThroughSourceAmended by
Apr 1, 1997Mar 31, 2015CFR 2014 annual edition (revised as of 2014-04-01) run 127T.D. 7859, 47 FR 54298, Dec. 2, 1982View
Apr 1, 2015Jun 29, 2017eCFR amendment effective 2016-07-12 run 26T.D. 9674, 79 FR 37631, July 2, 2014View · Redline (sign in)
Jun 30, 2017currenteCFR amendment effective 2017-06-30 run 2T.D. 9819, 82 FR 29732, June 30, 2017View · Redline (sign in)
Provision-level history (blame)