Expert IRS Form 1023 Preparation & Filing Services
Richard Keyt (Rick at 480-664-7478) and his son former CPA Richard C. Keyt (Ricky at 480-664-7472) are Arizona attorneys who form nonprofit corporations and prepare and file IRS form 1023, the 501(c)(3) tax exemption application. They want to form your new Arizona nonprofit corporation.
Hire Us to Prepare IRS Form 1023, Application for 501(c)(3) Tax Exemption
Your nonprofit corporation is not a tax-exempt charity just because it was incorporated. To become a Section 501(c)(3) charity, the corporation must apply to the IRS and receive a determination letter. For most organizations, that application is IRS Form 1023, Application for Recognition of Exemption Under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. A careless or incomplete Form 1023 can mean months of IRS follow-up questions, a delayed exemption, or a denial that leaves donors unable to deduct their gifts.
Arizona charitable organization attorney and former CPA Richard C. Keyt prepares and files IRS Form 1023 for a nonprofit corporation formed in any state that wants to become a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity. If you have questions about preparing IRS Form 1023 or applying for tax-exempt status for your charitable organization, call attorney and former CPA Richard C. Keyt at 480-664-7472 or email him at rck@keytlaw.com. You can also book a free office, phone or Zoom video consultation.
Who Prepares Your Form 1023
Richard Keyt has practiced law in Arizona since 1979 and holds a master's degree (LL.M.) in tax law from New York University School of Law. Richard C. Keyt is an Arizona attorney and former CPA with a master's degree in accountancy from the University of Notre Dame. Together they have formed 550+ Arizona nonprofit corporations that became 501(c)(3) charities.
That combination matters on Form 1023. The IRS wants two things from you: a clear narrative explaining what your charity will actually do, and financial information that is consistent with that narrative. A tax lawyer and an attorney and former CPA work on both halves of the application.
What You Get When You Hire Us to Prepare IRS Form 1023
When you hire KEYTLaw to prepare and file your IRS Form 1023, we provide the following services:
- Thirteen-page explanation letter from Richard C. Keyt. The letter gives you an overview of the process and explains in detail the important facts and information about Form 1023, including what the IRS expects in the required narrative description of your activities and the financial information.
- Four-page, 50-item IRS Form 1023 Checklist developed by Richard C. Keyt. The checklist covers every task that must be completed to prepare Form 1023 and lists the 29 documents your corporation delivers to us. We ask you to update the checklist every week so we make steady progress and finish the application as soon as possible. The checklist makes preparing Form 1023 much easier for you and for us.
- Conferences with our experienced Form 1023 team to answer your questions and gather the information needed to finalize the application.
- Preparation and filing of IRS Form 1023. We prepare the complete application, including the narrative and financial attachments, and file it electronically with the IRS.
- Interaction with the IRS if the IRS has questions about your Form 1023 after we file it.
Our Flat Fee to Prepare IRS Form 1023
Our flat fee to prepare and file IRS Form 1023 is $3,500, payable in advance.
Important: Our $3,500 fee does not include the IRS user fee to file the application. The IRS user fee for Form 1023 is $600, and it is paid to the IRS through Pay.gov when the application is filed. The IRS will not process the application until the user fee is paid.
How to Hire Richard C. Keyt to Prepare Your IRS Form 1023
To hire us to prepare an IRS Form 1023 for your nonprofit corporation, complete these two steps:
Step 1: Sign the Engagement Agreement
Complete our IRS Form 1023 Preparation Engagement Agreement. An authorized officer of the corporation enters his or her name and email address, then the corporation's name and the signer's name and title. When the officer digitally signs the agreement, DocuSign emails a PDF of the signed engagement agreement to the signer and to Richard Keyt.
Step 2: Pay Our Fee
Go to our secure online store to pay our $3,500 fee with a Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover credit or debit card. If you prefer, you can give us your credit card information over the phone by calling 480-664-7478.
IRS Form 1023 FAQs
Does your $3,500 fee include the IRS filing fee?
No. The IRS charges a separate $600 user fee for Form 1023. It is paid to the IRS through Pay.gov, by bank account or credit or debit card, when the application is filed.
Can my organization file the shorter Form 1023-EZ instead?
Possibly. Small organizations that meet the IRS eligibility test can file the streamlined Form 1023-EZ, which has a $275 IRS user fee. Churches, schools, hospitals and several other types of organizations cannot use Form 1023-EZ regardless of their size. Read our article IRS Form 1023-EZ: Eligibility, Instructions & Filing Guide to learn whether your organization qualifies.
Will you prepare Form 1023 for a nonprofit corporation formed outside Arizona?
Yes. Form 1023 is a federal application filed with the IRS, so we prepare it for nonprofit corporations formed in any state.
When should we file Form 1023?
Sooner is better. Under Internal Revenue Code Section 508 and the IRS rules that implement it, an organization that files Form 1023 within 27 months after the end of the month it was formed can have its 501(c)(3) exemption recognized back to the date it was formed. Miss that window and the exemption generally starts only on the date the application is filed, which can leave earlier donations non-deductible to the donors.
We have not formed our nonprofit corporation yet. Can you do that too?
Yes. Our flat fee to form an Arizona nonprofit corporation is $1,297 and includes 28 services. See our Arizona nonprofit corporation formation services and our step-by-step guide to forming an Arizona nonprofit corporation. To hire us to form your nonprofit corporation, submit our nonprofit incorporation questionnaire.
Questions About IRS Form 1023 or 501(c)(3) Status?
If you have questions about preparing IRS Form 1023 or applying for tax-exempt status for your charitable organization, call attorney and former CPA Richard C. Keyt at 480-664-7472 or send him an email at rck@keytlaw.com. You can also book a free office, phone or Zoom video consultation.
Questions? Book a free meeting or call or email one of our Arizona attorneys. We don't charge to talk to people.
Created October 11, 2026