The text below is taken from the Arizona Corporation Commission’s instructions for its form Articles of Incorporation for a nonprofit corporation. The ACC Warning is for All Nonprofit Organizations that Intent to be Tax-exempt Organization. If your to be formed nonprofit organization intends to be a charitable organization exempt from federal income tax DO NOT USE THE ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION’S FORM ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION!!!
The following text is the warning the ACC gives to people on page 1 in the middle column of its Instructions for the Articles of Incorporation for a nonprofit corporation:
“The Internal Revenue Service requires that certain language be in the Articles of Incorporation before it will grant tax exempt status. The form provided by the Arizona Corporation Commission complies only with the minimal requirements of Arizona law and does not include any IRS language. If you intend to apply for tax exempt status after the corporation is formed, you should determine what language is required by the IRS and prepare your own Articles of Incorporation. It is advisable to seek the advice of your tax or legal professional and/or the IRS before you form your corporation. The Commission staff cannot give you legal or tax advice, and cannot tell you want language to include in your Articles.“
Translation: The Arizona Corporation Commission is telling people who want to form an Arizona charitable organization to hire an experienced nonprofit organization attorney. Of course I am prejudiced, but I recommend you hire me (a legal professional who has formed 9,000+ Arizona corporations and LLCs and who has a masters degree in federal income tax law from New York University School of Law) to start an Arizona nonprofit organization that intends to become a tax-exempt charity. See my article called “Arizona Nonprofit Corporation Formation Services” for a list of the 28 tasks I perform and 16 documents I prepare when I create an Arizona charitable organization for the extremely low price of $1,297.