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Center for Taxpayer Rights

EIN 84-2581279 · Washington, DC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceGood77 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The Center for Taxpayer Rights is dedicated to furthering taxpayers' awareness of and access to taxpayer rights. The Center accomplishes its mission, in part, by educating the public and government officials about the role taxpayer rights plays in promoting compliance and trust in systems of taxation.

Income
$1.3 million
Spending
$1.2 million
Spent on programs
98%
Reserves
7.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 81%
Employees
10
Volunteers
175
Highest pay
$232,537, exec director, director, treasurer, asst sec'y

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 16% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    98% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 77 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 6 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $611,946 spent. Effective Tax Administration Programs/Projects: This initiative is designed to improve the protection of taxpayer rights, taxpayer knowledge, and tax administration policies and practices to increase voluntary compliance and trust, particularly with respect to underserved or vulnerable populations. Programming and projects include Tax Chats!, workshops and conferences, Effective Tax Administration briefs and other publications, amicus briefs in courts in cases raising important taxpayer rights issues, FOIA requests, training programs, and the Center's website and its newsletter, Taxpayer Rights Digest.
  2. $47,007 spent. International Conference on Taxpayer Rights (ICTR): The Center organizes and convenes an annual international conference on taxpayer rights. The ICTR brings together scholars, practitioners, and government officials from over 40 countries to discuss and explore how to promote, enhance, and provide taxpayer rights and protections. In 2025, the Center held its conference in Washington DC; the conference was also live-streamed. The theme of the conference was "Taxpayer Rights, Trust, and the Rule of Law." Judges, tax agency officials, academics and practitioners from all over the world participated. Each of the conferences includes a pre- or post-conference workshop or roundtable for persons working for or interested in establishing Low Income Taxpayer Clinics and Taxpayer Advocate/Ombuds offices in their respective countries. Videos and materials of the conference panels are publicly available on the Center's website and youtube channel.
  3. $467,714 spent. Low Income Taxpayer Clinic Support Center: The Center supports LITCs in the US and internationally through its LITC Support Center. The Center works with academics and practitioners in other countries who are interested in creating LITCs, and also works with tax agencies in those countries to educate them about LITCs. In the US, the Center also hosts a weekly litigation strategy call with US LITCs to coordinate litigation and identify emerging issues. The Center is developing a nationwide pro bono referral network, through its application, LITC Connect, which matches up volunteer attorneys with small, rural and other LITCs that do not have many volunteers in their communities. The LITC Support Center website, www.litcsupportcenter.org, not only hosts LITC Connect but provides resources and training for Low Income Taxpayers and their representatives. The Center also operates a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, providing pro bono representation to low income taxpayers and conducting outreach and education to English as a Second Language taxpayers about their rights and responsibilities as taxpayers.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 2019.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.