26 CFR § 301.6104(a)-5 - Withholding of certain information from public inspection.
(a) Tax exempt organizations—(1) Trade secrets, patents, processes, styles of work, or apparatus. An organization whose application for tax exemption is open to public inspection under section 6104(a)(1)(A) and § 301.6104(a)–1 may in writing request the withholding of information contained in the application or supporting documents which relates to any trade secret, patent, process, style of work, or apparatus of the organization. The information will be withheld from public inspection if the Commissioner determines that the disclosure of such information would adversely affect the organization. Requests for withholding information from public inspection should be filed with the office with which the organization files the documents containing the information. The request must clearly identify the material desired to be withheld (the document, page, paragraph, and line) and must state why the information should not be open to public inspection. The organization will be notified of the Commissioner's determination as to whether the information will be withheld from public inspection. If the Commissioner determines that the information will be disclosed, the organization will be given 15 days after notification of the Commissioner's decision to contest that decision before the document is disclosed.
(2) National defense material. The Internal Revenue Service will withhold from public inspection any information which is submitted by an organization whose application for tax exemption is open to inspection under section 6104(a)(1)(A) and § 301.6104(a)–1, if the Commissioner determines that public disclosure would adversely affect the national defense.
(b) Pension and other plans—(1) Applicant's exclusion of certain information. Except as provided in subparagraph (2) of this paragraph, information that, in the opinion of the applicant, is of the type described in section 6104(a)(1) (C) or (D) should not be included in an application for a determination letter, supporting documents, or any other document open to inspection under section 6104(a)(1)(B). Accordingly, an applicant should not include in an application for a determination letter or supporting documents confidential compensation information as described in subparagraph (4) of this paragraph. Neither should an applicant include information relating to any trade secret, patent, process, style of work or apparatus, the disclosure of which would be adverse to the applicant.
(2) Exception for separate document. The rule that an applicant should exclude from an application for a determination letter or other documents information of the type in section 6104(a)(1) (C) or (D) does not apply—
(i) In the case of the separate schedule to certain applications for a determination letter which is provided for the purpose of setting forth confidential compensation information (as described in subparagraph (4) of this paragraph) which must be submitted by the applicant.
(ii) If the applicant determines that it is impossible to provide the Internal Revenue Service with sufficient information to support an application for a determination letter without submitting what is believed to be information of the type described in section 6104(a)(1) (C) or (D), or
(iii) If the Internal Revenue Service requests that the applicant submit information of the type described in section 6104(a)(1) (C) and (D).
(3) National defense material. The Internal Revenue Service will withhold from public inspection (including inspection by a plan participant or authorized representative) any information which is included in an application for a determination letter or supporting documents if the Commissioner determines that public disclosure would adversely affect the national defense. The information will be withheld whether or not submitted on a separate document pursuant to subparagraph (2) of this paragraph.
(4) Confidential compensation information. If an application for a determination letter, supporting document, or related letter or document referred to in section 6104(a)(1)(B) and §§ 301.6104(a)–2 and 301.6104(a)–3 contains information (including aggregate figures) from which an individual's compensation (including deferred compensation) may be ascertained, that information is not open to public inspection (including inspection by a plan participant or authorized representative). Confidential compensation information includes the amount of benefit a specific plan participant may expect to receive at normal or early retirement age and the amount of the employer's contributions under the plan that may be allocated to a specific plan participant. However, so long as a plan has more than one participant, the amount of benefit provided under the plan to plan participants, in general, at normal or early retirement age, or the amount of the employer's contributions under the plan that are allocable to plan participants, in general, does not constitute confidential compensation information. Further, a description of the numbers of individuals covered and not covered by a plan, listed by compensation range, does not constitute confidential compensation information.