Tax Access: Government proposes new tax access rules for schools

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tax exempt organizations, including private schools, may have to make their tax returns more readily available to the public.The Treasury Department proposed rules in September to carry out a year-old law which requires tax-exempt organizations to send copies of their annual returns to anyone who submits a written request.The rules, if approved, will require organizations to mail copies of their tax returns within 30 days of receiving a request. This includes e-mail and fax requests.The rules also state organizations must provide the documents the same day if a request is made in person.Organizations must release all parts of a return, according to the proposed rules. However, the names of donors may be excluded.A public hearing on the proposed rules is scheduled Feb. 4, 1998, at the IRS headquarters in Washington, D.C.