How can I find out legal answers on how to start a charity if I have no money for legal advice?
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How can I find out legal answers on how to start a charity if I have no money for legal advice?
Asked on February 22, 2014 under Business Law, Wisconsin
Answers:
Bradley Miller / Miller Law LLC
Answered 10 years ago | Contributor
Not to be rude or disrespectful, but if you don't have enough money for legal advice then you really don't have enough money to start up a charity. Probably even more so than with a for-profit business, it is important that a non-profit is set up properly because it can affect whether or not the IRS will grant you tax-exempt status and whether you are able to maintain it. Tax-exempt status is critical if you plan to accept donations from others. Your question shows that you understand the importance of the legal components of a non-profit organization and the advice of an attorney.
Ultimately, you are best off going to an attorney to help you with the legal issues. However, you can find some good resources on setting up non-profits through a simple Google search. In addition, the IRS has a very good section on its site with videos for people looking to start or operate a tax-exempt business that I would recommend you checking out.
I hope this helps. Again, properly setting up a charity necessarily has a significant legal component. The cost of good legal advice should be prioritized and built into your start-up budget. If you don't have enough money for that legal help, you probably should wait before trying to start up your non-profit.
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