A. You may wish to review the list of actions to complete before preparing your Form 1023-EZ.

When you register, be ready to provide a secret password and a "shared secret password," to guarantee your future access to the site. 

When you complete Form 1023-EZ, it is a good idea to have a rough draft in hand so that you can complete the form in one sitting.  If you complete the form only partially, planning to finish it another day, your data can be lost due to pay.gov updates and/or maintenance.

Unlike the long-form electronic 1023, Form 1023-EZ does not provide call out boxes with excerpts from the instructions.

If you enter an Employer ID number that is not 9 digits long, you will be prompted to correct it.  Do not enter a dash - the software will do so automatically.

Likewise, your phone number must be ten digits long.

Your incorporation date (or other formation date) must be entered in MMDDYYYY format.

Questions 1e and 8 in Part I ask for zip code plus four.  If you do not know these, you can look them up here.  

Although the 1023-EZ software will allow you to proceed to the rest of the form with only one board member entered in Part I, Question 8, the IRS may not feel that such a small board will truly serve public purposes.  Consider formally expanding the board to include at least three unrelated individuals.

Some questions (Part II, Question 1 and Part IV, Question 1) will only allow you to check one of the boxes provided.  Changing your choice unchecks the other boxes.

Generally, you will not be able to proceed to the next page in Form 1023-EZ until the software determines that the page you are on is complete.

The individual who "signs" Form 1023-EZ, must be listed in Part I, Question 8.

Payment need not be made until the 1023-EZ is complete.  Payment must be from a bank account or through a credit or debit card.

Although the IRS can help 990-N filers who do not have access to a computer, no similar assistance is available for 1023-EZ filers.  To file form 1023-EZ, you must have access to a computer.

Be sure to keep a copy of your completed form for your records. ​

Q. Do you have any hints for using pay.gov?​