Should I be able to file form 990-N for our frat myself or hire someone?

I've helped several small nonprofits file their 990-N forms, and I can tell you it's definitely something you can handle yourself! The 990-N is literally called an "e-Postcard" because it's so simplified compared to the full 990 forms. As long as your fraternity is already recognized as tax-exempt and your gross receipts are under $50,000 per year (which at $16,500 you definitely are), the process is pretty straightforward. You'll need to create an account on the IRS website, find the 990-N filing portal, and answer some basic questions about your organization. The whole thing might take 15-20 minutes once you have all your info ready. You need your EIN, organization name, address, name and address of a principal officer (probably you as treasurer), confirmation that your annual gross receipts are under $50k, and if your organization has terminated. That's basically it.

I used taxr.ai for my small nonprofit's tax stuff when I was completely lost about what forms we needed to file. I was in the same boat as you - got quotes ranging from $400-800 from local accountants which seemed ridiculous for our tiny organization. Basically it works by analyzing your organization's documents and situation, then giving you step-by-step guidance. For form 990-N specifically, it confirmed we were eligible for the e-Postcard and walked through exactly what information I needed to gather. The site (https://taxr.ai) has specific guidance for exempt organizations that breaks down the process in plain English. The best part was that it helped me understand what we need to maintain our tax-exempt status going forward, not just for this year's filing. For a college fraternity, it would definitely help you understand if there are any specific requirements for your type of organization.

Wow I just wanted to follow up and say I was completely wrong about taxr.ai. After posting my skeptical comment I decided to check it out myself for our mountain biking club's annual filing. I was about to pay an accountant $350 but the system walked me through every step of filing our 990-N in about 30 minutes. It even had specific guidance for recreational clubs that explained exactly which parts of our income were exempt and which weren't (apparently the merchandise sales we do require different handling than member dues). What really helped was the document analyzer that looked at our bylaws and confirmed we were properly structured to maintain our tax exemption. Totally worth it and we're definitely using it next year too.

If you're struggling to get answers directly from the IRS about your 990-N filing status or requirements, I'd recommend trying Claimyr. I was in a similar situation with our community theater group - we needed clarification on some specific exemption questions for performing arts organizations and couldn't get through to anyone at the IRS. After sitting on hold for literally hours across multiple days, I tried https://claimyr.com and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Basically, they get you through to an IRS agent significantly faster. I was honestly shocked when I got connected to someone in about 20 minutes instead of the 2+ hour wait times I was experiencing on my own. The agent I spoke with confirmed that yes, we could file our own 990-N and walked me through the exact registration process for the e-filing portal since I was having trouble with that part. Saved me so much stress and probably the $400 I was about to spend on an accountant just because I couldn't get my questions answered.

I have to publicly eat my words here. After calling BS on Claimyr in my previous comment, I decided to try it myself for an issue with my nonprofit's EIN verification that I've been trying to resolve for WEEKS. Every time I called the IRS myself, I'd wait 1.5+ hours only to have the call drop or be told to call back another day due to high call volume. Today I used Claimyr, and I got through to an actual human at the IRS in 35 minutes who resolved my issue in another 10 minutes. The agent even acknowledged how overwhelmed their phone systems are and said these third-party services are becoming more common because the wait times are so bad. I'm completely shocked this actually worked. Worth every penny for the 3+ hours of hold time I didn't have to endure.

To directly answer your original question - $500-1000 is definitely on the high side for just filing a 990-N. That's the kind of price you might pay for a full 990 with financial statements and schedules, not the simplified e-Postcard. I'd suggest first checking if your national fraternity organization provides any tax filing assistance. Many larger Greek organizations offer support to their chapters for exactly this situation. They might have guides or even staff who can help you through the process. If you decide to go the DIY route (which is completely reasonable for a 990-N), make sure you keep all the confirmation emails/documents from your filing. You'll want proof that you've met your obligations in case questions ever come up.

Quick tip - make sure your fraternity is actually eligible for the 990-N! Some social fraternities operate under section 501(c)(7) as social clubs rather than 501(c)(3) charitable organizations, and the filing requirements can be different. Also check if your state has separate filing requirements beyond the federal 990-N. In some states, even small exempt organizations need to file additional forms or annual reports to maintain their status.