Category: 2290 form

IFTA (International Fuel Tax Agreement) Information

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Santamarina Joseph - 2290 efile, 2290 form, Authorized Efile provider for form 2290, express truck tax, Expresstrucktax.com, File Fuel Tax IFTA, Fuel Tax, IFTA, IFTA online filing, Internal Revenue Service Form 2290

Owners of qualified heavy highway motor vehicles that operate in at least 2 out of the 58 total jurisdictions must file IFTA on a quarterly basis. The abbreviation: “IFTA” is short for International Fuel Tax Agreement, which represents a tax collection agreement among the 48 contiguous United States and its 10 bordering Canadian Provinces.

Qualifying Highway Motor Vehicles

Any vehicle is considered to be a qualified motor vehicle if it is used, designed, or maintained for the purpose of transportation of persons or property and has a registered gross vehicle weight of more than 26,000 pounds. Also, any vehicle with 3 axles or more is considered to be a qualified motor vehicle regardless of weight. Finally, if the combined weight of all of its parts is greater than 26,000 pounds, it is also considered to be a qualified motor vehicle.

IFTA Process

Each state or province has a different rate and those rates can change each quarter. The state or province in which the vehicle is registered is considered to be its Base Jurisdiction. IFTA must be filed with the vehicle’s respective jurisdiction each quarter. Every driver must keep a trip log of how many miles are traveled in each state or province, as well as how much fuel was purchased in each state or province. This information can be kept on what are commonly referred to as trip sheets, or trip logs.

Reasons for IFTA

IFTA’s official purpose according to the International Fuel Tax Agreement, is “to promote and encourage the fullest and most efficient possible use of the highway system by making uniform the administration of motor fuels use taxation laws with respect to qualified member vehicles operated in multiple member jurisdictions.” When an IFTA form is filed with the appropriate jurisdiction, The Fuel Tax Report is then used to determine the tax amount due as well as the refund due. It is also used for redistributing collections from the jurisdictions that received IFTA payments, and the jurisdictions that deserved some. One of the reasons for the Fuel Tax is to ensure that a vehicle pays taxes to all deserving jurisdictions. For Example: if a vehicle travels through a state, but buys no gas while in that state, then there was no fuel tax paid to that state through the purchase of gasoline. Part of their tax would then be redistributed to the state that received no fuel tax through the purchase of gasoline.

Get IFTA Organized

Since the data required to file IFTA is so incredibly detailed, many people receive Audits of their IFTA information. The sadness of this is that this can be prevented by better record keeping. Express Truck Tax, along with providing a terrific service for other Truck Tax needs, will perform an internal audit of your IFTA information for you. In this internal audit performed by Express Truck Tax, it will check for basic mistakes and discrepancies, as well as perform a state adjacency check and an abnormal MPG audit. They also provide online trip sheets for drivers to keep accurate records that can be accessed from any computer, anywhere! If you can prevent an audit due to simple mistakes on an IFTA return, it makes no sense not to let Express Truck Tax help you get it right the first time.

Don’t Forget about IRS Form 2290 e-filing This Year!

Posted on October 7, 2011 by Santamarina Joseph - 2290 efile, 2290 form, E-file IRS Form 2290, efile 2290, efile IRS form 2290, Federal HVUT, Form 2290, form2290.net, HVUT, HVUT efiling, HVUT online, IRS tax 2290, Truck tax 2011

Due to the odd nature of this tax year, it could be easy to forget about the deadline for filing IRS Form 2290 for Heavy Vehicle Use Taxes. So, as a reminder to those who need to file, the Tax Season for filing Heavy Vehicle Use Taxes is from November 1 – November 30. Although the typical tax season for this tax is from July – August, the season was delayed because the legislation that enforces the tax nearly expired and Congress enacted an extension of the current legislation so that the Transportation program in America could continue to exist. HVUT is a major source of funding for highway departments.

It has been a wild ride for those waiting to file Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax with IRS Form 2290 this year. Although the typical filing season begins in July, this year was different because the tax was set to expire this year. Although it took several passionate speeches from President Barack Obama concerning the loss of jobs and the negative effects that a shutdown would have on the economy to convince Democrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives and the Senate to act together, they did finally come together and agree to extend the current legislation. Although many industry experts agree that a more permanent piece of new legislation is needed to effectively regulate the industry, this was widely believed to be a step in the right direction.

As of right now, the Filing Season for the current Tax Period will officially begin November 1st, and all Heavy Vehicle Use Taxes will need to be filed by November 30th. This delay threw a lot of people for a loop when they tried to register their heavy vehicle. Since a Stamped Schedule 1 is required to register a vehicle with the DMV, no one was able to provide that over the past few months because the IRS did not accept Form 2290’s and thus did not give out any Stamped Schedule 1’s because that is a part of the 2290 form.

For those who need to file the IRS Form 2290 and receive a Stamped Schedule 1, it is possible to E-File this form online. This way you will receive a stamped Schedule 1 within minutes of filing. This process is much quicker and much more efficient than the old paper filing process. This is especially favorable because there is a shorter amount of time in which to file (Nov 1-30).

To e-file this tax from your home or office, all you need to do is go to the website for the IRS-Approved E-File Provider, Express Truck Tax: www.expresstrucktax.com. The filing process could not be simpler! Most users agree that it is even easier than paper-filing! Even if you have questions, Express Truck Tax has a US-based customer service team of Truck Tax Experts that are standing by to take any calls, emails, or online chats that you may have.

The Internal Revenue Service Will Not Mail Form 2290

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Santamarina Joseph - 2290 form, Form 2290, Heavy vehicle use tax 2290, HVUT

Earlier in the year, The Internal Revenue Service announced that they will not be mailing Form 2290 to taxpayers this year. This step was taken due to the increase in electronic filing. Although the IRS Requires Trucking Companies with 25 or more Heavy Vehicles to e-file, the IRS actively encourages everyone needing to file the Form 2290 to e-file. The IRS has legitimate reason to do this because filing electronically is the quickest, easiest, and safest way to file tax returns.

Fortunately, it has become incredibly simple to file Form 2290 or other Tax forms associated with the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) such as Form 8849. All you have to do is go to www.ExpressTruckTax.com and start filing. You can file your Schedule 1 for Form 2290, Form 8849, A VIN Correction, and Fuel Tax (IFTA).

The easy-to-use system created by the Express Truck Tax team allows the user to walk through the process at their own speed and asks questions in plain English, not confusing tax jargon. There are even special deals for Owner-Operators who need to file for multiple vehicles. Tax Professionals may also benefit from special pricing for multiple filings.

What is IRS Form 2290?

The IRS Form 2290 exists as a way to pay Heavy Vehicle Use Taxes, or HVUT, which must be filed with the IRS for any highway motor vehicle that exceeds a gross weight of 55,000 pounds. IRS Form 2290 also includes what is known as a Schedule 1, which is used to report all vehicles for which you are reporting tax (including an increase in taxable gross weight) and those that you are reporting suspension of the tax by category and vehicle identification number (VIN). The Schedule 1 may also be used as proof of payment to register your vehicle in any state. Use the stamped Schedule 1 that was returned to you by the IRS for this purpose.

Who Must File?

You must file a Form 2290 and Schedule 1 for the tax period beginning on July 1st, and ending on June 30th, if a highway motor vehicle is registered, or required to be registered, in your name under state, District of Columbia, Canadian, or Mexican law at the time of its first use during the period and the vehicle has a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more. Any type of business entity may file a Form 2290 with the IRS.

How much is the Tax?

There are three different categories for HVUT rates for these vehicles. Vehicles Below 55,000 pounds do not have HVUT because they do not qualify as a heavy vehicle. Vehicles between 55,000 and 75,000 pounds owe $100, plus $22 per 1,000 pounds over 55,000 pounds. Finally, for vehicles that are over 75,000 pounds the maximum HVUT is $550 per year.

The gross taxable weight is calculated by adding the following:

Unloaded weight of vehicle, fully equipped for service.

Unloaded weight of any trailers equipped for service and customarily used in combination with the vehicle

Weight of the maximum load customarily carried on the vehicle and on any trailers customarily used in combination with the vehicle.

Who is Exempt?

Although it is rare, some Vehicles that fit the above description may be exempt from the HVUT and Filing requirements of Form 2290. To officially be exempt from filing Form 2290, the vehicle must be owned and operated by the following:

The Federal Government

The District of Columbia

state or local government

American National Red Cross

Non-Profit Volunteer Fire Department, Ambulance Association, or Rescue Squad

Indian Tribe Government (Only if the Vehicle is Used for essential Tribe or Government Function)

Mass Transportation Authority (Only if granted certain powers normally exercised by the state)

Qualified Blood Collector Vehicles

Mobile Machinery that meets specifications for a chassis

As mentioned earlier, the ideal e-file provider for this service is www.ExpressTruckTax.com. They provide a very excellent service for all Truck Tax Needs. And since the current tax year has been delayed due to slow congressional action, the filing period for this tax will be November 1 – November 30. Due to this shorter filing season, it is even more beneficial to file online in order to be sure that your return is accepted before the deadline.

Choosing an IRS-Authorized e-file Provider for Form 2290 (HVUT)

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Santamarina Joseph - 2290 form, 2290 Schedule 1, efile form 2290, Form 2290, Heavy vehicle use tax 2290, Hvut 2290, irs 2290

In order to file HVUT, or Heavy Vehicle Use Taxes, you must file IRS Form 2290. If you have been in the Transportation industry for many years, then you are likely more familiar with the process for filing this form with the IRS. However, there have been some huge technology advances in the past few years and the IRS now accepts and encourages taxpayers to E-File their 2290 Form.

To take advantage of this new simpler process, you will need to use an online service provider for the IRS Form 2290. Our need to select the one that is right for you! In making these decisions, there are a few things that you should consider. When you select a provider, make sure that they are an authorized IRS E-File Provider. You should also make sure that they can handle all of your truck tax needs. Some e-filing services can only handle the Form 2290 and nothing else. A third item to consider is a provider that is entirely web-based.

As for the Authorized E-File Providers, you should look on their website for a statement that they are indeed authorized by the IRS to E-File. You can also refer to the IRS Website to see a complete list of Authorized E-File Providers.

If you are filing Truck Taxes for more than just the Form 2290, such as IFTA, or Form 8849 then it would be beneficial to have them all filed from the same place. Some service providers are exclusively for Form 2290, or Form 8849, etc. It would be most economical and convenient to get them all filed in the same place.

In this day and age, it is silly to not use an e-file provider that is not completely web-based. If the system is not web based, then there is less reason to use them. The IRS actually recommends E-Filing because of its speed and security. If you are required to download lots of files and store information on your computer, the system is not completely web based. The benefits of a web-based system are obviously the speed of transfer to the IRS when you are finished, but also the security of storing your information online instead of on your computer.

ExpressTruckTax.com is one such provider. Their system is entirely web-based, they are a one-stop-shop for truck tax needs, and they are authorized by the IRS as an official E-File provider. They are also terrific when it comes to customer support! You can contact their wonderful team of Truck Tax experts anytime! They offer live chat & phone support Mon-Fri, as well as email support 24/7. This way you can get a stamped schedule 1 in about 10 minutes. The file is electronically submitted to the IRS, and within minutes the file is processed by the IRS and sent back to the person filing. The form will then contain a watermark from the IRS as proof that it has been processed.

Filing Federal HVUT Form 2290 in 2011

Posted on October 2, 2011 by Santamarina Joseph - 2011 form 2290, 2290, 2290 form, efile 2290, efile form 2290 for 2011, express truck tax, federal form 2290, filing form 2290 for 2011, Form 2290, Form 2290 2011, Form2290, HVUT

It has been a wild ride for those waiting to file Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax with IRS Form 2290 this year. Although the typical filing season begins in July, this year was different because the tax was set to expire this year. The lack of Congressional action to extend the tax legislation poised the threat of a shutdown of government supported transportation jobs. Although it took several passionate speeches from President Barack Obama concerning the loss of jobs and the negative effects that a shutdown would have on the economy to convince Democrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives and the Senate to act together, they did finally come together and agree to extend the current legislation. Although many industry experts agree that a more permanent piece of new legislation is needed to effectively regulate the industry, this was widely believed to be a step in the right direction.

All About IRS Form 2290 (Truck Taxes)

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Santamarina Joseph - 2290 e-file, 2290 form, 2290 tax, e-file 2290, E-file IRS Form 2290, express form 2290, express truck tax, Form 2290, Form 2290 E-file, form 2290 IRS, irs 2290, IRS form 2290, Tax 2290, Truck Tax

What Is IRS Form 2290?
IRS Form 2290 exists as a way to pay Heavy Vehicle Use Taxes, or HVUT, which must be filed with the IRS for any highway motor vehicle that exceeds a gross weight of 55,000 pounds. IRS Form 2290 also includes what is known as a Schedule 1, which is used to report all vehicles for which you are reporting tax (including an increase in taxable gross weight) and those that you are reporting suspension of the tax by category and vehicle identification number (VIN). The Schedule 1 may also be used as proof of payment to register your vehicle in any state. Use the stamped Schedule 1 that was returned to you by the IRS for this purpose.

Who Must File?
You must file a Form 2290 and Schedule 1 for the tax period beginning on July 1st, and ending on June 30th, if a highway motor vehicle is registered, or required to be registered, in your name under state, District of Columbia, Canadian, or Mexican law at the time of its first use during the period and the vehicle has a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more. Any type of business entity may file a Form 2290 with the IRS.

How much is the Tax?
There are three different categories for HVUT rates for these vehicles. Vehicles Below 55,000 pounds do not have HVUT because they do not qualify as a heavy vehicle. Vehicles between 55,000 and 75,000 pounds owe $100, plus $22 per 1,000 pounds over 55,000 pounds. Finally, for vehicles that are over 75,000 pounds the maximum HVUT is $550 per year.

The gross taxable weight is calculated by adding the following:

Unloaded weight of vehicle, fully equipped for service.

Unloaded weight of any trailers equipped for service and customarily used in combination with the vehicle
Weight of the maximum load customarily carried on the vehicle and on any trailers customarily used in combination with the vehicle.

Who is Exempt?
Although it is rare, some Vehicles that fit the above description may be exempt from the HVUT and Filing requirements of Form 2290. To officially be exempt from filing Form 2290, the vehicle must be owned and operated by the following:

The Federal Government

The District of Columbia
state or local government
American National Red Cross
Non-Profit Volunteer Fire Department, Ambulance Association, or Rescue Squad
Indian Tribe Government (Only if the Vehicle is Used for essential Tribe or Government Function)
Mass Transportation Authority (Only if granted certain powers normally exercised by the state)
Qualified Blood Collector Vehicles
Mobile Machinery that meets specifications for a chassis

There are several providers of services that can help you E-File Form 2290 with the IRS, one such provider is www.expresstrucktax.com. They provide a very excellent service for all Truck Tax Needs.

Truck Tax (form 2290) Legislation Has Been Passed!

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Santamarina Joseph - 2290, 2290 form, 2290 tax, 2290 tax form, efile 2290, express truck tax, Form 2290, form 2290 due date, irs 2290, Tax 2290, Truck Tax

The U.S. Senate approved a piece of legislation that will extend the funding of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as well as for federal highway programs. The funding for these programs would have ceased, had this extension not been passed.

This Transportation bill has been extended several times already, and it is fairly widely agreed upon that a more permanent piece of legislation is needed to regulate this industry. However, this extension will keep up to a million highway workers at work. A simple extension is better than letting the bill expiring, which would furlough thousands of workers as soon as the legislation expired.

This basically serves as a stop-gap measure that will also provide the government with the ability to collect taxes on airline ticket sales through the FAA. Earlier this week, the FAA incurred a partial shutdown for two weeks, which cost the government $400 Million in taxes associated with airline ticket sales.

The Senate was able to pass the pill with a large margin of 92-6. This was largely due to some last minute negotiations by Sen. Barbara Boxer. Sen. Boxer is the chairman of the Senate Public Works Committee, which oversees the highway programs. Boxer negotiated an agreement between Republican senators Rand Paul and Tom Coburn due to their concerns of wasteful spending. This aided to avoiding a last-minute obstacle to the passage, because the FAA funding is set to expire this Friday (September 16).

John Crawley, a reporter for Reuters, had the following to say regarding the current state of Capital Hill:

“It remains unclear ahead of an election year whether the House of Representatives, which approved the extensions earlier this week, and the Senate can come together on the bigger bills before the next renewals are due.

The charged political climate in Washington is largely fuelled by partisan divisions over spending, taxes and budget deficits. The transportation bills would require several hundred billion dollars in funding over several years.”

Although it may be difficult to foresee how our elected officials will work together in the future, it is nice to see a healthy negotiation to pass a bill that the American people need.

This is a positive step for the Trucking and Transportation Industry. Although it is not yet possible to file Heavy Vehicle Use Taxes with Form 2290, the folks at Express Truck Tax will be available to answer any questions and help drivers file those taxes. For more information, visit the Express Truck Tax website or call our Truck Tax experts at 704-234-6005. You can also chat online, or email any questions to support@ExpressTruckTax.com.

Senate Approves Highway Funding Extensions

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Santamarina Joseph - 2290 efile, 2290 form, efile 2290, express truck tax, Form 2290, form 2290 download, form 2290 efile, heavy vehicle use tax, HVUT, Tax 2290, Truck Tax

On Thursday, September 15th, the U.S. Senate approved a piece of legislation that will extend the funding of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as well as for federal highway programs. The funding for these programs would have been cancelled without this extension.

The Transportation bill has been extended many times already, and a more permanent piece of legislation is needed. However, this extension will keep up to a million highway workers at work. A simple extension is better than letting the bill expiring, which would furlough thousands of workers as soon as the funding expired.

This stop-gap measure will also provide the government with the ability to collect taxes on airline ticket sales through the FAA. The FAA incurred a partial shutdown for two weeks earlier this year which cost the government $400 Million in taxes associated with airline ticket sales.

The Senate was able to pass the pill with a large margin of 92-6. This was largely due to some last minute negotiations by Sen. Barbara Boxer. Sen. Boxer is the chairman of the Senate Public Works Committee, which oversees the highway programs. Boxer negotiated an agreement between Republican senators Rand Paul and Tom Coburn due to their concerns of wasteful spending. This aided to avoiding a last-minute obstacle to the passage, because the FAA funding is set to expire this Friday (September 16).

John Crawley, a reporter for Reuters, had the following to say regarding the current state of Capital Hill:

Although it may be difficult to foresee how our elected officials will work together in the future, it is nice to see a healthy negotiation to pass a bill that the American people need.

This is a positive step for the Trucking and Transportation Industry. Although it is not yet possible to file Heavy Vehicle Use Taxes with Form 2290, the folks at Express Truck Tax will be available to answer any questions and help drivers file those taxes. For more information, visit the Express Truck Tax website or call our Truck Tax experts at 704-234-6005. You can also chat online, or email any questions to support@ExpressTruckTax.com.

House of Representatives Approves Extension of Transportation Bill

Posted on September 16, 2011 by Santamarina Joseph - 2290 efile, 2290 form, efile 2290, efile form 2290, express 2290, express truck tax, Form 2290, IRS form 2290, Tax 2290, Truck Tax

On Tuesday, September 13, 2011, the House of Representatives approved the extension of the Transportation Bill as well as continue programs for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). With both parties focused on jobs and the economy, this bill has been viewed as a no-brainer by many. However, it has been hard to predict what Congress will do as of late.

This legislation, H.R. 2887 was introduced to the House of Representatives by the Transportation Committee chairman, John Mica (R-FL), as well as other influential members of that sub-committee. The response by the House was unanimous in support of the extension.

The current Transportation Bill has already been extended several times, and a new piece of legislation is needed, but this extension will help continue funding for this nations highways and keep up to a million people at work. Rep. Mica understands this and made the following statement regarding a more permanent solution: “Unfortunately, this bill is the 22nd FAA extension and the 8th surface transportation extension. Congress has delayed passing a long-term FAA bill for over four years, and a surface transportation bill for two years. This action represents a last chance to roll up our sleeves and get transportation projects in America moving again.”

For a Senator’s perspective, when asked to comment on the decision, Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey stated: “The American people didn’t send us here to make unemployment worse and allow our roads to crumble—and that’s why we must act swiftly to extend this law,” he continued. “Instead of putting up roadblocks to this extension, I hope our colleagues will work with us to fix the economy, help Americans get back to work and keeps our country moving forward. Once we have passed this short-term fix, we need to complete work on a long-term bill that strengthens investment in our national transportation network to create jobs, maintain our roads and bridges, and invest in rail and transit to ease commutes.”

This is a positive step for the Trucking and Transportation Industry. Although it is still not possible to file Heavy Vehicle Use Taxes with Form 2290, the folks at Express Truck Tax will be available to answer any questions and help drivers file those taxes. For more information, visit the Express Truck Tax website or call our Truck Tax experts at 704-234-6005. You can also chat online, or email any questions to support@ExpressTruckTax.com.

Filing HVUT with Form 2290 in 2011

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Santamarina Joseph - 2290 Amendments, 2290 form, 2290 tax, e-file 2290, efile tax 2290, Express2290, expresstrucktax, file form 2290, file tax 2290, Form 2290, Tax 2290, tax 2290 efile

As anyone in the Transportation Industry will already know, the filing process for Heavy Vehicle Use Taxes (HVUT) will be a little bit different than normal this year. The Schedule 1 of the Federal Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT), which is part of the IRS Form 2290, has been extended to November 30 of 2011. It is also not possible to receive a receipt for the Form 2290 until after November 1st. This means that the majority of those filing this tax will not do so until November.

Since a stamped Schedule 1 is required to register a vehicle with the Department of Motor Vehicles, they will be accepting the HVUT proof of payment for the previous tax year of July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011, to make things go as smoothly as possible this year. The IRS has informed taxpayers of the Form 2290 delay and the available options for payment once the form is available.

The following items may be accepted by the DMV as proof of HVUT payment until November 30, 2011:

Original or copy of a Stamped Schedule 1 from the Form 2290 (electronically watermarked or manually stamped) for the previous tax year of July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011.

A copy of the IRS Form 2290 from the previous tax year, filed with the IRS as well as a copy of the front and back of the check to the IRS for the entire HVUT payment.
Original or copy of an IRS Form 2290 (electronically watermarked or manually stamped), listing the vehicle as a “Credit Vehicle” for the previous tax year.

Once the IRS begins issuing the Form 2290 again, the process will revert to the normal procedures. The proof of HVUT payment will then be able to be sent to the DMV for any applications requiring HVUT verification.

This tax that the IRS collects is an annual tax on commercial motor vehicles that weigh
55,000 pounds or more. This is referred to as the taxable gross weight of a vehicle. Congress is in the process of extending the tax, and the previously mentioned due date exists as a temporary regulation that postpones the due date until November 30, 2011.

Although it is still not possible to file Heavy Vehicle Use Taxes with Form 2290 yet, the Truck Tax experts at Express Truck Tax will be available to answer any questions as well as help drivers and trucking companies file those taxes. For more information, visit the Express Truck Tax website or give the Truck Tax experts a phone call at 704-234-6005. You can also email any questions to support@ExpressTruckTax.com.