An astute constituent recently brought to my attention a mistake concerning Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s (PPFA) fiscal year 2009 Internal Revenue Service 990 tax form.

I wrote recently that Planned Parenthood NETTED an income of $106 million in fiscal year 2009. What I should have said was that according to its 990 tax form, PPFA (headquarters) brought in REVENUE of approximately $106 million in fiscal year 2009. Of course, revenue is not profit. The actual amount the organization claimed as profit is $21,773,569, still a hefty chunk of change and well below the estimated $350 million Planned Parenthood gets annually from various federal, state and local taxpayers.

It is critical to understand the larger context of Planned Parenthood’s net profit. The best source for PPFA’s annual profit is the organization’s annual report (here is a link to the latest). You will notice that the data seem somewhat outdated, with June 2008 being the final date listed.

A lot has happened in the U.S. since June 2008, most notably the election of a President who vowed on the campaign trail to do all he could to expand Planned Parenthood’s reach, and has populated his Administration with staff who share that goal.

PPFA’s annual report encompasses information on abortions, adoption referrals, government grants, income, revenue, expenses, contracts, etc. The annual report compiles most data from affiliates around the United States, whereas the IRS 990 form details only a small portion of the Planned Parenthood budget.  For example, in Fiscal year 2008, PPFA’s annual report states that the organization made a profit (“excess of revenue over profits”) of approximately $85 million dollars. However, PPFA’s 990 form for the same year (2008) reads that the profit was only $16,429,108. Why the difference? The 990 form only accounts for a fraction of the entire organization’s budget; the amount noted in the 990 is likely only headquarter costs.

So, the mistaken $106 million figure might not be that different from the profit reported in PPFA’s annual report. But we won’t know for certain until (and if) Planned Parenthood publishes the annual report.

Planned Parenthood typically publishes its annual report in April of each year. Thus far this year, PPFA has not made this information public.  The bigger question is why is it taking so long now that they have so many friends in Washington, D.C.

We at FRC always strive to make sure our information is as accurate as current data allow us to be.  We are grateful to the constituent who contacted FRC about this matter.

At the same time, it is our hope that PPFA will be forthcoming and fully accurate about its financial status.  The taxpayers of our country, who subsidize PPFA to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars annually, deserve no less.

Tags: Planned Parenthood

Family Research Council is a 501c(3) non-profit organization. If this post has been helpful to you, please consider a gift to help us continue to advance Faith, Family, and Freedom.