Legal Question in Business Law in Illinois

Illinois Association Law

Must an unicorporated association for religious purposes ( a Church ) in Illinois, follow specific guidelines set forth in the law? Is it subject to registration requirements?

Is it required to file it's articles with the secretary of state,the county clerk, or another state or local agency? Is such an incorporated association for religious purposes exempt from paying taxes? How can I know that the name choosen for the Church is not a name that another Church somewhere else has exclusive rights to?


Asked on 4/17/05, 5:08 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys

Kenneth J. Ashman Ashman Law Offices, LLC

Re: Illinois Association Law

You ask a number of questions, the general answer to them is "yes," a religious association must comply with state and federal law for incorporation, not-for-profit status, and tax exemptment. An attorney experienced in those requirements along with selecting the church's name can help.

-- Kenneth J. Ashman; [email protected]

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Answered on 4/17/05, 7:55 pm
Jonas Grant Law Office of Jonas M. Grant, A.P.C.

Re: Illinois Association Law

Assuming the association/church wants to avail itself of the benefits of tax exempt status, then, yes, it will certainly need to apply for recognition under the applicable state and federal tax exemption provisions for non-profits. You may also want to consider incorporating. It is difficult to provide specific answers to your questions as (a) you haven't provided very detailed information, (b) most attorneys, myself included, will only provide legal advice to clients. You may find that paying a business entities/non-profit attorney for a few hours of his time is well worth while.

If you are interested, I am located in California but also licensed in Illinois and have many clients I represent solely via phone/fax/email. See my website at

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Answered on 4/17/05, 11:59 pm


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