Congress Examines Nonprofit Hospital Tax Exemption: Kiplinger Tax Letter
Providing community benefit is just one of many requirements for a charitable hospital tax exemption.

Getting the right tax advice and tips is vital in the complex tax world we live in. The Kiplinger Tax Letter helps you stay right on the money with the latest news and forecasts, with insight from our highly experienced team (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Tax Letter or subscribe). You can only get the full array of advice by subscribing to the Tax Letter, but we will regularly feature snippets from it online, and here is one of those samples…
Nonprofit hospital community benefit
Congress is eyeing the community benefit provided by nonprofit hospitals. These hospitals have to meet many rules to get and keep their tax exemption.
Nonprofit hospitals must provide a community benefit, observe organizational and operational rules, and satisfy other edicts related to emergency care policies, billing and collection data, community health needs assessment, and financial assistance policies for the indigent.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Some lawmakers query whether the community benefits provided by these hospitals justify their exemption from taxes. A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation estimates the value of the tax exemption for nonprofit hospitals at $28 billion for 2020. This includes federal, state and local income tax; sales and property tax; and more.
The House Ways & Means Oversight Subcommittee held a hearing to investigate whether and what reforms would be necessary to ensure these hospitals provide a level of community benefit that is commensurate with their tax savings.
This first appeared in The Kiplinger Tax Letter. It helps you navigate the complex world of tax by keeping you up-to-date on new and pending changes in tax laws, providing tips to lower your business and personal taxes, and forecasting what the White House and Congress might do with taxes. Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Tax Letter or subscribe.
Get Kiplinger Today newsletter — free
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
Joy is an experienced CPA and tax attorney with an L.L.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law. After many years working for big law and accounting firms, Joy saw the light and now puts her education, legal experience and in-depth knowledge of federal tax law to use writing for Kiplinger. She writes and edits The Kiplinger Tax Letter and contributes federal tax and retirement stories to kiplinger.com and Kiplinger’s Retirement Report. Her articles have been picked up by the Washington Post and other media outlets. Joy has also appeared as a tax expert in newspapers, on television and on radio discussing federal tax developments.
-
Presidents and Social Security: How Presidents Have Impacted America's First Social Insurance Policy
Since its inception in 1935, Social Security has expanded its mission and reach. Here is how each president from Roosevelt to Trump has impacted Social Security.
By Donna LeValley Published
-
4 Ways to Lower Home Insurance Premiums in 2025
Learn how to reduce your homeowners insurance premiums with these four effective strategies.
By Jacob Wolinsky Published
-
AMT and Pass-Throughs Add Complex Layers to 2025 SALT Tax Planning
The Tax Letter The state and local tax (SALT) deduction is a key sticking point in President Trump's tax plan.
By Joy Taylor Published
-
Popular Tax Breaks Are in Danger
The Tax Letter A number of tax breaks, including the home mortgage interest deduction, are in peril as lawmakers hunt for revenues to pay for the President's tax plan.
By Joy Taylor Published
-
Six Hurdles for Trump's Tax Bill
The Tax Letter While the odds for a new tax bill in 2025 are quite good, there are some sticking points that President Trump and Congress will have to work through.
By Joy Taylor Published
-
The IRS is Pursuing Partnerships and Their Owners
The Tax Letter The IRS has many enforcement priorities, and partnership tax noncompliance is near the top of that list.
By Joy Taylor Published
-
Universal Savings Accounts Are Like Roth IRAs, But With a Twist
The Tax Letter Republican lawmakers and conservative think tanks are proposing a new type of tax-advantaged savings account. Think Roth IRAs, but not just for retirement.
By Joy Taylor Published
-
Could Millions of Taxpayers Be Facing the AMT (Alternative Minimum Tax) in 2025?
Tax Letter Millions of taxpayers could owe the AMT if Congress allows the tax breaks de-fanged in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to expire.
By Joy Taylor Published
-
Tax Changes are on Trump's 2025 To-Do List
The Tax Letter Donald Trump campaigned on lower taxes and, as president, he will push Congress to pass big tax changes next year
By Joy Taylor Published
-
Harris vs. Trump's Tax Wish List: Income Tax, Capital Gains, Estate Tax and More
The Tax Letter Take a comprehensive look at Harris and Trump's tax proposals. We cover income tax rates, tax credits and deductions, capital gains tax, estate tax, corporate tax and much more
By Joy Taylor Published