Is there a gap between 501 c 3 and incorporation?
No.
Since we have to incorporate, do you want us to start now (on our own)?
No.
What additional reporting will be added with the incorporation - will the reporting formats be the same, different or in addition to what we already report annually?
The reporting for the Diocese will remain the same. For the Arizona Corporation Commission, a report will need to be filled out and filed annually. The report is quite short and not at all onerous.
What are the documents pastors will receive on incorporation?
They will receive a copy of the Articles of incorporation, the Bylaws, and a parish service agreement to cover the services to be performed for the parishes by the Diocese.
What is the deadline for the incorporation?
The bankruptcy court deadline is April 15, 2006.
When the incorporation papers are signed does it have to be witnessed by the statutory agent?
No.
Will each Parish get its own 501c exemption?
No. Each parish will be included in the exemption granted to all the Dioceses in the USA by the IRS Ruling which comes out every July. The parishes will be recognized as tax exempt by the inclusion by the Diocese of the parishes in the Official Catholic Directory.
Will there be uniformity in record keeping and standard compatibility between parish and Diocese?
Hopefully, yes.
What is the timetable for incorporation?
The Articles will be filed in November. A fee will be paid to expedite handling of them. We expect to have the Articles approved and returned to us by December or early Janaury. We will then publish (three consecutive publications) the Articles in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the parish church is physically located in order to complete the incorporation process under Arizona law. The effective date of incorporation is the date the articles are actually delivered to the Arizona Corporation Commission, even though the Corporation Commission will not file or approve the Articles until a later date. Once the publication is complete, we will file an affidavit of publication (with an actual cut-out copy of the Articles as printed in the newspaper) with the Arizona Corporation Commission to complete the incorporation process. Property currently held in trust bythe Diocese will be deed over to each parish following incorporation and before April 15, 2006.