Independent form guide. BrieflyGo is not affiliated with or endorsed by IRS, USCIS, SSA, DOL, or any U.S. government agency. Official forms are sourced from public government websites.
Official form guide
Form 8870: Information Return for Transfers Associated With Certain Personal Benefit Contracts
IRS Form 8870 is the Information Return for Transfers Associated With Certain Personal Benefit Contracts. Charitable organizations described in IRC 170(c) and charitable remainder trusts described in IRC 664(d) must file when they paid premiums after February 8 1999, reporting totals to Form 4720. The filing deadline is April 15 following the calendar year of the premiums.
Need help with Form 8870?
Open it in the AI Editor for field guidance, checks, and PDF export.
Need help? AI Editor guides you through every field of Form 8870.
Start filling →Form Overview
IRS Form 8870 - Information Return for Transfers Associated With Certain Personal Benefit Contracts
IRS Form 8870 is the Information Return for Transfers Associated With Certain Personal Benefit Contracts. Charitable organizations described in IRC 170(c) and charitable remainder trusts described in IRC 664(d) must file when they paid premiums after February 8 1999, reporting totals to Form 4720. The filing deadline is April 15 following the calendar year of the premiums.
Risk Radar
Scan points- 1Missing the April 15 filing deadline triggers IRC 6033 penalties.
- 2Failing to sign the return under penalties of perjury.
- 3Omitting the total premiums on line (i) before carrying to Form 4720.
- 4Not listing beneficiary SSN or EIN in Part C column (c).
- 5Submitting the form after April 15 without an approved extension.
Plain English
Form 8870 tells the IRS how much a charity or charitable remainder trust paid for life‑insurance, annuity, or endowment contracts that benefit a person. The organization lists each contract, the beneficiary and the transferor, then totals the premiums. Those totals are used to calculate an excise tax on Form 4720. The return must be signed and mailed to the IRS.
Submission Date
- Filing date: 2021-10-26 22:13:33
- Preparation window: collect IDs, supporting records, and signatures in advance.
- Final review: verify names, dates, and required fields before submission.
AI co-pilot
Fill it faster. Catch mistakes before you file.
What this form is for
- Use this form when a charitable organization described in IRC 170(c) or a charitable remainder trust described in IRC 664(d) paid premiums after February 8 1999 on personal benefit contracts.
- Do not use it when the filing entity is not a charitable organization described in section 170(c) nor a charitable remainder trust described in section 664(d).
- Check Form 4720 instead when reporting the combined total amount on line 8 of Part I.
Form selector
Use this form or another form?
Reporting the total amount of transfers on Form 8870
The total must be entered on line 8 of Part I of Form 4720
✓ Confirm the amount matches the combined total from Continuation Schedules
Providing accounting period information for the organization
Accounting period must match that reported on Form 990
✓ Verify the start and end dates are identical to those on Form 990
Reporting for a charitable remainder trust
Form 5227 is the return for charitable remainder trusts and includes required accounting period data
✓ Ensure the trust’s EIN and address match Form 8870
Deadline or filing window
The filing requirement is triggered when a charitable organization or charitable remainder trust pays premiums on personal benefit contracts after February 8 1999. The return is due by April 15 of the year after the premiums are paid; if that day is a weekend or legal holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day. Extensions are permitted, but the return must still be filed by the extended due date with a statement explaining any late filing.
Checklist
What you need before filling it out
Accounting period dates
Beginning and ending dates of the period · Heading of Form 8870
Name and address of organization
Legal name, street, suite/room, city, state, ZIP, country · Heading of Form 8870
Employer identification number
EIN · Heading of Form 8870
Exemption application pending checkbox
Indication if exemption application is pending · Box on page 1
Total amount (line g) from Continuation Schedules
Combined total of all Continuation Schedules · Part B, line (g) on Form 8870
Before you submit
- 1Verify the revision date on the cover page reads October 2021
- 2Confirm the accounting period start and end dates are entered
- 3Ensure the organization’s name, street address, suite/room, city, state, ZIP, and country are complete
- 4Enter the correct EIN in the designated field
- 5Check the “exemption application pending” box if applicable
- 6Complete all Continuation Schedules and calculate the combined total
- 7Enter the combined total on line (g) and copy it to Part B, line (h) as instructed
- 8Attach any required statements for late filing if applicable
- 9Sign the form in the signature area
- 10Mail the return to the IRS address in Ogden, UT 84201-0027 or use an approved private delivery service
How to file this form
- 1Gather required data (accounting period, EIN, address, premium amounts) and complete the heading
- 2Fill out Continuation Schedules for each personal benefit contract and calculate the combined total
- 3Enter the combined total on line (g) and copy it to Part B, line (h) as instructed
- 4Sign the form and prepare the mailing envelope
- 5Send the completed Form 8870 to the IRS address in Ogden, UT, retaining the mailing receipt as proof of filing
Known limitations
- 1The form does not apply to for‑profit entities
- 2The form does not apply to charitable organizations that did not pay premiums after February 8 1999
- 3The form does not apply to contracts that are not life insurance, annuity, or endowment contracts covered by section 170(f)(10)
Field map
Compact field-by-field guide
Entity Info
1 items
Name and taxpayer ID of the entity claiming the credit.
Credit Info
1 items
Type of credit or incentive being claimed.
Calculation
2 items
The base amount used to calculate the credit.
Calculated credit amount after applying formulas and limitations.
Certification
1 items
Detailed breakdown supporting the credit calculation.
Signatures
1 items
Sign and date the form.
Almost done reviewing the fields?
Fillable formOpen in Editor->Form 8870 (Rev. October 2021) is the current edition; the form directs users to www.irs.gov/Form8870 for the latest information.
What changed or needs a fresh check
- Edition date — confirm the revision date reads October 2021
- Fee — Not stated in the official source
- Mailing address — confirm the address is Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Ogden, UT 84201-0027
- Signature — confirm a signature appears in the designated area before sending
- Exemption application pending box — verify if it should be checked based on the organization’s status
Quick Facts
Downloads
After you file
- 1Keep a copy of the filed Form 8870 for at least three years
- 2Retain all supporting Continuation Schedules and premium documentation
- 3Await acknowledgment; if no confirmation is received within 30 days, follow up with the IRS
- 4If an error is discovered, file an amended Form 8870 with corrected information
Sources
- SRCForm p.1 — revision date reads October 2021
- SRCForm p.4 — filing deadline for charitable organizations is the fifteenth day of the fifth month after the end of the tax year
- SRCForm p.4 — filing deadline for charitable remainder trusts is April 15 following the calendar year
- SRCForm p.4 — mailing address is Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Ogden, UT 84201-0027
- SRCForm p.4 — who must file: charitable organization described in section 170(c) or charitable remainder trust described in section 664(d) that paid premiums after February 8, 1999
- SRCForm p.4 — total amount from line (g) must be entered on line 8 of Part I of Form 4720
- SRCForm p.5 — accounting period information must match that reported on Form 990, 990‑EZ, 990‑PF, or 5227
- SRCForm p.5 — name and address format requires suite/room and full country name
- SRCForm p.1 — checkbox for exemption application pending appears on page 1
- SRCForm p.5 — you may duplicate Continuation Schedule and attach as many as needed
Common confusion points
Do I need to file if my organization is a charitable remainder trust?
Section 170(f)(10) has separate rules for trusts
→ Verify the entity is described in IRC 664(d) and use the trust filing deadline
What is the filing deadline for a charitable organization?
Different deadlines exist for charities versus trusts
→ Confirm the deadline is the fifteenth day of the fifth month after the tax year end
Where do I report the total amount from Continuation Schedules?
Line (g) must be entered on only one schedule and copied to Part B line (h)
→ Check that the total appears on line (g) of one schedule and on Part B line (h)
Can I use an abbreviated country name for foreign addresses?
Instructions require the full country name
→ Enter the full country name without abbreviation
Do I need to attach a statement if filing late?
Late filing requires a statement of reasons
→ Include a written explanation when filing after the due date
Is a private delivery service allowed?
Only IRS‑designated services meet the timely filing rule
→ Confirm the service is on the IRS PDS list before mailing
Workflow map
Related forms and next steps
Before
Current
After
Often used with
⚠ If something goes wrong
- Form 4720 – file an amended Form 4720 to correct the reported total
Questions about IRS Form 8870
What is IRS Form 8870 used for?
Form 8870 tells the IRS how much a charity or charitable remainder trust paid for life‑insurance, annuity, or endowment contracts that benefit a person. The organization lists each contract, the beneficiary and the transferor, then totals the premiums. Those totals are used to calculate an excise tax on Form 4720. The return must be signed and mailed to the IRS.
Who must file IRS Form 8870?
Charitable organizations described in IRC 170(c) and charitable remainder trusts described in IRC 664(d) must file Form 8870 if they paid premiums after February 8 1999 on personal benefit contracts.
What information does IRS Form 8870 require?
The form collects the accounting period, each personal benefit contract, beneficiary name, address and SSN/EIN, transferor details, and the total premiums paid, which are carried to Form 4720 line 8.
When is IRS Form 8870 due?
A charitable remainder trust must file Form 8870 by April 15 following the calendar year in which it paid the premiums; if that date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, filing is due the next business day.
Where do I file IRS Form 8870?
Send the completed Form 8870 to the Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Ogden, UT 84201-0027, or use an IRS‑approved private delivery service.
How do I complete IRS Form 8870?
First, enter the accounting period matching the organization’s Form 990, 990‑EZ, 990‑PF, or 5227. List each contract in Part A, then provide beneficiary details in Part C and transferor details in Part D. Add the premiums in columns (g) and (h), total them on line (i), and carry the amount to Form 4720 line 8. Finally, sign under penalties of perjury and, if applicable, have the paid preparer sign with a PTIN.
What happens if IRS Form 8870 is filed incorrectly?
If the return is not filed by the due date, penalties applicable to returns required under IRC 6033 apply, and a statement explaining the late filing must be attached.
Do I need to file if my organization is a charitable remainder trust?
Section 170(f)(10) has separate rules for trusts Verify the entity is described in IRC 664(d) and use the trust filing deadline
Source transparency
Copyright & Licensing - US Government Forms
BrieflyGo links to and explains official public form sources. We are not a government agency, and this page is for general form guidance, not legal advice.
Understand the agreement before you sign it.
Review risky clauses in plain English, fix the document, and keep it moving toward signature.