Form 5884-C (Rev. 3-2020)
Page 2
General Instructions
Section references are to the Internal Revenue Code unless
otherwise noted.
Future Developments
For the latest information about developments related to Form
5884-C and its instructions, such as legislation enacted after
they were published, go to www.irs.gov/Form5884C.
What’s New
The work opportunity credit is now available for qualified first-
year wages paid to qualified veterans who began work for the
organization after December 31, 2019, and before January 1,
2021.
Purpose of Form
Qualified tax-exempt organizations (defined below) use Form
5884-C to claim the work opportunity credit for qualified
first-year wages paid to qualified veterans who begin working
for the organization on or after November 22, 2011, and before
January 1, 2021. The credit is claimed against the employer
portion of social security tax on wages paid to all employees
during the 1-year period beginning on the day a qualified
veteran begins working for the organization. The credit does not
apply to the employer portion of Medicare tax. The qualified
veteran must be performing services in activities related to the
purpose or function constituting the basis of the organization’s
exemption under section 501.
The organization files Form 5884-C after it files its
employment tax return for the employment tax period for which
it is claiming the credit. The organization files Form 5884-C for
each employment tax period during which qualified first-year
wages are paid to a qualified veteran. Each Form 5884-C figures
the cumulative credit the organization is entitled to for all
periods during which qualified first-year wages are paid to a
qualified veteran and reduces the amount claimed for the period
by any amounts claimed on previously filed Forms 5884-C.
Generally, the organization should only file one Form 5884-C per
employment tax period.
Form 5884-C is filed separately from any other returns. The
credit claimed on Form 5884-C will not affect the tax liability
reported on the organization’s employment tax returns.
Accordingly, the organization should not reduce its required
deposits in anticipation of any credit. Instead, the IRS will refund
the amount shown on line 11 of Form 5884-C, plus any interest
that applies, unless the IRS corrects Form 5884-C during
processing or the organization owes other taxes, penalties, or
interest.
TIP
The amount properly claimed on Form 5884-C is
treated as a credit on the first day of the
organization’s employment tax return period.
However, because Form 5884-C will generally not be
processed with the organization’s employment tax return, an
organization that reduces its required deposits in anticipation of
a Form 5884-C credit may receive a system-generated notice
reflecting a balance due and associated penalties and interest, if
applicable. The balance due, including any related penalties and
interest, resulting from the reduction in deposits to reflect the
Form 5884-C credit will be abated when the credit is applied.
Such abatement will generally occur without any action from the
organization.
Qualified Tax-Exempt Organization
A qualified tax-exempt organization is an organization described
in section 501(c) and exempt from tax under section 501(a). An
agency or instrumentality of the federal government, or of a
state, local, or Indian tribal government, is not a qualified tax-
exempt organization unless it is an organization described in
section 501(c) and exempt from tax under section 501(a).
Qualified Veteran
A qualified veteran is a veteran certified (as described below) as
any of the following.
• A member of a family receiving assistance under the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (food
stamps) for at least a 3-month period during the 15-month
period ending on the hiring date.
• Unemployed for a period or periods totaling at least 4 weeks
(whether or not consecutive) but less than 6 months in the
1-year period ending on the hiring date.
• Unemployed for a period or periods totaling at least 6 months
(whether or not consecutive) in the 1-year period ending on the
hiring date.
• Entitled to compensation for a service-connected disability
and hired not more than 1 year after being discharged or
released from active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces.
• Entitled to compensation for a service-connected disability
and unemployed for a period or periods totaling at least 6
months (whether or not consecutive) in the 1-year period ending
on the hiring date.
To be considered a veteran, the individual must:
• Have served on active duty (not including training) in the U.S.
Armed Forces for more than 180 days or have been discharged
or released from active duty for a service-connected disability,
and
• Not have a period of active duty (not including training) of
more than 90 days that ended during the 60-day period ending
on the hiring date.
Certification Requirement
The organization must ask for and be issued a certification for
each qualified veteran from the state workforce agency (SWA)
(formerly known as the state employment security agency
(SESA)) of the state in which the organization is located. The
certification proves that the employee is a qualified veteran. The
organization must either:
• Receive the certification by the day the individual begins work;
or
• Complete Form 8850, Pre-Screening Notice and Certification
Request for the Work Opportunity Credit, on or before the day it
offers the individual a job and receive the certification before it
claims the credit.
If the organization completes Form 8850, it generally must be
signed by an officer of the organization and the individual and
submitted to the SWA of the state in which the organization is
located (where the employee works) by the 28th calendar day
after the date the individual begins work.
TIP
If the credit expires and is retroactively extended, the
IRS may allow the organization more time to submit
Form 8850 for an individual who began work while the
credit was expired or for a reasonable time after it was
extended. If more time is allowed, we will provide details at
www.irs.gov/Form8850 and in revised Instructions for Form
8850.
If the SWA denies the request, it will provide a written
explanation of the reason for denial. If the certification is
revoked because it was based on false information provided by
the worker, wages paid after the date the organization receives
the notice of revocation don’t qualify for the credit.