Category: IFTA return

Today Is The 3rd Quarter IFTA Deadline

Posted on October 31, 2017 by - 3rd qaurter IFTA deadline, Fuel Tax, IFTA, ifta deadline, ifta report, IFTA return, IFTA totals, Quarterly IFTA Report

ExpressTruckTax promotes IFTA reporting with ExpressIFTA

Hey trucking nation, we are here with an important reminder! Your 3rd quarter IFTA return is due today, October 31st, by midnight. If you fail to file by the deadline then you will have some expensive IFTA penalties to deal with.

However, you don’t need to scramble around looking for a way to generate your IFTA report or spend hours working on your calculations, because ExpressIFTA is here to help. ExpressIFTA is a proud sister product of ExpressTruckTax and offers the market-leading IFTA reporting solution online to take the hassle out of generating your quarterly report. Check out how easy it is!

IFTA Reporting With ExpressIFTA

All you have to do is log in to ExpressIFTA with your ExpressTruckTax account for free. If you don’t have an ExpressTruckTax account then you can create your free ExpressIFTA account with your email address and personal password.

Next you will enter your business information, including the name, address, and EIN (Employer Identification Number). You will also enter your base jurisdiction, which is the state where your vehicle is registered and your vehicle information, including the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number).

After that you will enter your fuel and mileage records at your own pace for the current quarter. You can enter your totals per trip to keep extremely detailed information or enter your information per trip with the quick entry feature.

Or you can even upload all your information at once with an Excel or CSV file by using the bulk upload feature. You can even upload all of your distance records directly from your GPS.

Best of all, ExpressIFTA allows you to report your totals according to your personal preferences. For example, you can enter your distance information by miles traveled or odometer readings.

 

ExpressIFTA and ExpressTruckTax make truck taxes easy

Also, you don’t have to worry about handling any complicated calculations yourself, because ExpressIFTA automatically does all of it for you. All of your IFTA totals will be calculated with 100% accuracy based on the information you enter. This way you will always know how much fuel tax you owe, and you’ll never over or underpay the amount.

When you’re done entering all of your information for the quarter ExpressIFTA an internal audit check will be performed to catch any basic errors. For example, if you stated that you traveled between two nonadjacent states.

Then you can pay and generate your quarterly IFTA report. This report is easy to read and will clearly display all of your IFTA calculations. You can print it, email it, and use it to instantly complete your return.

Also, because ExpressIFTA knows that you need to store your IFTA information for four years for auditing purposes, all of your information will be stored in your account per quarter. It can be accessed at any time.

Contact A Truck Tax Expert

If you need any assistance the outstanding, US-based ExpressTruckTax support team is here to help. Give us a call Monday – Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM EST at 704.234.6005. You can also reach us via live chat and take advantage of our 24/7 email support at support@ExpressTruckTax.com.

Do You Have An IFTA Waiver?

Posted on October 25, 2017 by - 3rd quarter IFTA deadline, Fuel Tax, IFTA, IFTA liscense, IFTA Miles, ifta report, IFTA return, IRP

ExpressTruckTax goes over IFTA pnelaties

Time really flies, doesn’t it? It seems like just yesterday it was a hot summer day and your 2nd quarter IFTA return was due. Well, now it’s a cold autumn day and the 3rd quarter IFTA deadline is almost here. You have less than a week to file by the October 31st deadline.

Because a lot has happened this IFTA quarter with hurricane Harvey and Irma you may have a few IFTA questions regarding the waivers. That’s why we’re here to help by going over them and answering other common IFTA questions that you may have, so you can quickly and easily file. 

Your IFTA Questions Answered

1. Will A Waiver Affect My Return?

Hurricane disaster relief efforts for hurricane Harvey and Irma depended on truckers to bring in crucial supplies, as a result regulations like hours of service were lifted and IFTA waivers were issued in some states. To qualify for these lifted regulations you needed to be transporting hurricane disaster supplies to affected areas.

States that issued IFTA waivers include Iowa, Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee, Alabama, Colorado, West Virginia, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Florida, and more.

Each waiver was different depending on the state, but generally, they suspended IFTA requirements for 30 days. Meaning you didn’t need your IFTA license or decals to travel through those states during the time of the waiver.

Delaware actually issued a temporary IFTA and IRP waiver from September 13th for the duration of the emergency or until October 6th, depending on which was less. Illinois’s waiver was from July 14 to August 14th.

These waivers do not have an impact on the IFTA deadline. Your return is still due on October 31. However, the best way to find out information about waivers and the deadline for your base jurisdiction is to contact a local DMV office.

2. What Are The Late Filing penalties?

It’s best to go ahead and file to avoid facing the steep late filing penalties. For example, if your return is late you will face a penalty of $50 or 10% of the amount you owe, depending on which amount is greater.

Also, if you fail to pay the amount you owe by the deadline you will be charged .4167% of the total tax you owe. This amount will accrue on a monthly basis until you pay the total amount you owe.

 

Learn what's required to complete your IFTA return with ExpressTruckTax

Also, your base jurisdiction reserves the right to suspend or revoke your IFTA license if you file late. However, don’t worry, this usually isn’t the case for first-time offenders.

3. What Do I Need To Complete My IFTA Return?

In order to complete your return, you need your:

  1. Total miles, taxable and nontaxable, traveled per jurisdiction, including IFTA and non-IFTA miles, and trip permit miles. 
  2. Total gallons of fuel consumed per jurisdiction included taxable and nontaxable, and IFTA and non-IFTA. 
  3. Tax-paid gallons of fuel purchased per Jurisdiction. 
  4. And the current tax rate per jurisdiction. 

4. How Do I Prepare To File?
Use your ExpressTruckTax account information to log into ExpressIFTA where you can easily report everything you need for your IFTA return online. Enter your mileage and fuel records at your own pace and ExpressIFTA will do the complicated work for you.

For example, ExpressIFTA will accurately calculate the amount of fuel tax you owe for you. Plus, all of your information will be generated into an IFTA report that can be printed, emailed, and used to instantly complete your return.

ExpressIFTA is brought to you by the same team that created ExpressTruckTax and we are here to help. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact our US-based, dedicated team of truck tax experts.

Give us a call at 704.234.6005 Monday – Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM EST. You can also reach us via live chat or through our 24/7 email support at support@ExpressTruckTax.com.

The IFTA Deadline is Here

Posted on May 1, 2017 by - 1st Quarter IFTA Deadline, Express IFTA, IFTA, IFTA fuel Tax filing, IFTA Information, IFTA Records, IFTA return, IFTA Tax Calculator App

Uh oh! Time is up. Today is the first quarter IFTA deadline! We hope you’re ready to file by midnight so you won’t have to deal with penalties from the IRS. Also, we hope that you aren’t freaking out while trying to get all of your calculations together. Simply take a deep breath and head to ExpressTruckTax to generate your IFTA totals in a matter of minutes.

IFTA

Just in case you need a refresher, IFTA is the International Fuel Tax Agreement that includes the 48 contiguous United States and Canadian provinces. It’s designed to simplify the fuel use reporting for motor carriers that operate in more than one state. Before IFTA each state had their own regulations for fuel tax reporting and the process wasn’t fun.

You have to file a quarterly IFTA report to get your IFTA license and two decals if you have a qualifying motor vehicle that operates between two or more jurisdictions (states). Now a qualifying motor vehicle is a motor vehicle or combination of vehicles designed, used, or maintained for the transportation of persons or property with:

– Two axles and a gross weight exceeding 26,000 pounds
– Two axles with a registered weight exceeding 26,000 pounds
– Three or more axles, regardless of weight
– Or a combination weight of over 26,000 pounds.

Remember, recreational vehicles are exempt from IFTA and you file your report in your base jurisdiction. Your base jurisdiction is the state where your qualifying vehicles are registered, records of your vehicle are kept and can be made available in the event of an audit, and some mileage is accrued by your qualified motor vehicles within the fleet traveling in that jurisdiction.

So, what exactly do you need on your IFTA report?

– You need total miles traveled by your qualifying motor vehicles per jurisdiction including taxable and nontaxable, IFTA and non-IFTA, and trip permit miles.

– The total gallons of fuel consumed by your qualifying vehicles per jurisdiction including taxable and nontaxable, IFTA and non-IFTA.

– The total miles traveled per jurisdiction.

– The total taxable gallons of fuel consumed and purchased per jurisdiction.

– And the current tax rate per jurisdiction.

That may seem like a lot, but it’s actually pretty easy and ExpressTruckTax can help. Simply use the fuel tax calculator to quickly figure out how much you owe, use the quick entry screen to enter your odometer readings, get your miles  from your trip sheets automatically, and more.

Or use ExpressIFTA, the ExpressTruckTax IFTA program to enter your business details, base jurisdiction, vehicle details, and mile and fuel records to instantly have an IFTA report generated. This report will have your IFTA totals calculated so you can quickly use it to complete your IFTA return. This report can be email or printed to quickly be passed on to anyone who needs your totals too! Best of all, the step-by-step process only takes a few minutes to complete!

Why Not Handle Your HVUT Today Too?

Aren’t you tired of constantly dealing with taxes? First, your business taxes were due, then your personal taxes, now IFTA, and soon your HVUT is due! Head to our sister company, TSNAmerica to pre-file your HVUT to go ahead and knock it out.

All you have to do is call them at 803.386.0320 and they will file your HVUT for you. There has never been an easier way to handle your 2290.

Once you call them they will email you consent forms so you can give them permission to file your 2290 for you, and they will handle the rest. Your 2290 will be submitted on July 1st unless you would like for it to be transmitted on a later date. Plus, you’ll receive your Schedule 1 as soon as it’s stamped by the IRS. 

We’re Here To Help

If you have any questions about anything truck tax related please don’t hesitate to contact the dedicated ExpressTruckTax support team. We’re available over the phone at 704.234.6005 from 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM EST Monday – Friday. You can also reach us via live chat and take advantage of our 24/7 email support at support@expresstrucktax.com.

You Asked, We Answered: 6 Popular IFTA Questions

Posted on April 19, 2017 by - File Fuel Tax IFTA, IFTA, ifta deadline, IFTA fuel Tax filing, IFTA Information, ifta report, IFTA return, International Fuel Tax Agreement, Truck Tax, truckers, trucking

Any time when taxes are involved things can get confusing. You have to when deadlines are, what materials are required to file, how to file, and more. With the 3rd quarter IFTA deadline quickly approaching on October 31st, we, the truck tax experts at ExpressTruckTax, decided to take it upon ourselves to be your resource guide, by answering common IFTA questions.

Popular IFTA Questions

When is IFTA Due?

IFTA is actually due four times a year, which is why your IFTA report is commonly referred to as your ‘quarterly IFTA report’. The IFTA deadlines are as follows:

1st Quarter – April 30th
2nd Quarter – July 31st
3rd Quarter – October 31st
4th Quarter – January 31st

It just so happens that this year the 1st quarter IFTA deadline falls on a weekend, Sunday, April 30th,  and when IFTA deadlines are on a weekend or federal holiday they’re pushed back to the next business day.

2. What exactly is IFTA?

IFTA is the International Fuel Tax Agreement and it is an agreement with the 48 contiguous states in the US and 10 Canadian provinces that’s designed to simplify the fuel use reporting for qualifying motor carriers that operate in more than one jurisdiction (state).

Now you may be wondering what a qualifying motor vehicle is, so we will clear that up. A qualify motor vehicle is vehicle or combination of vehicles that are designed, used, or maintained for the transportation of property of people that have two axles and a gross vehicle weight over 26,000 pounds, two axles and a registered weight exceeding 26,000 pounds, three or more axles regardless of weight, or a combination weight exceeding 26,000 pounds.

3. I rarely travel outside of my jurisdiction, do I need an IFTA license?

You don’t necessarily need an IFTA permit, but you will need a temporary fuel permit, which allows qualifying vehicles without IFTA credentials to temporarily travel in their intended state. To get your temporary permit contact a DMV in the state you will be traveling in. You will need to provide them with information such as your VIN, vehicle model, and more.

Each state has their own temporary trip permit regulations. Some offer temporary permits with varying prices and lengths of time, so you may purchase the one the best suits your travel needs.

4. How do I prove that I Filed my IFTA Report?

You will receive a copy of your IFTA license on an annual basis as long as you file your quarterly reports. Keep a copy of your license in your office and in your qualifying vehicles at all times.

Also, you will have two IFTA decals to display on your truck. It’s best to keep them clearly displayed under the window on your driver door.

When you travel without your IFTA license or decals, you will be subject to receiving a fine and you may have to purchase a temporary permit, or both.

5. What Happens if my IFTA Return is Late?

If your IFTA Return is late, or you fail to file, your base jurisdiction may give you a penalty of $50 or 10% of the taxes owed, depending on which is greater. Also, your base jurisdiction reserves the right to impose additional penalties based on their laws.

Plus, your base jurisdiction will assess the amount of unpaid taxes you owe to each jurisdiction and interest will accrue on that amount at a rate of 1% per month.

6. What do I Need to Complete my IFTA Report?

You will need the following information to complete your IFTA return:

The total miles taxable and nontaxable, traveled by all the licensee’s qualified motor vehicles per jurisdiction. This includes IFTA and non-IFTA miles, and trip permit miles.

The total gallons of fuel consumed by the licensee’s qualified motor vehicles per jurisdiction, including taxable and nontaxable, IFTA, and non-IFTA.

The taxable gallons used and purchased per jurisdiction.

And the current tax rate per jurisdiction.

Do You Have More Questions?

Well then ask us! We’re IFTA experts, and we’re here to help. Feel free to contact our dedicated support team with any questions that you may have. We’re available Monday – Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM EST at 704.234.6005. We’re also available via live chat and offer 24/7 email support at support@expresstrucktax.com

Don’t Let IFTA Sneak Up On You

Posted on March 29, 2017 by - 1st Quarter IFTA Deadline, Fuel Tax IFTA, IFTA Information, ifta late penalties, IFTA online filing, IFTA Records, ifta report, IFTA return, IFTA Tax Calculator App

Doesn’t it seem like you just did your IFTA report yesterday? Well, oh how the time flies because the next IFTA deadline is right around the corner! Your first quarter IFTA report is due by April 30th,  which is a Sunday, so the deadline actually falls on Monday, May 1st. That day will be here before you know it, so don’t let it sneak up on you. It’s never too early to start working on your report. Use ExpressTruckTax to calculate your IFTA totals and learn all about IFTA here.

All About IFTA

IFTA or the International Fuel Tax Agreement is an agreement that simplifies the reporting of fuel in the lower 48 states. The purpose of IFTA reports are to simplify the reporting of fuel use by motor carriers that operate in more than one jurisdiction so states can equally distribute per jurisdiction.

The taxes are then used to repair the public highways that truckers frequent, by repaving roads and reinforcing bridges the routes become safer and smoother. Also, better roads mean less wear and tear on your vehicle.

Now only qualify vehicles that travel between multiple jurisdictions are subject to IFTA. You must have your IFTA license and two IFTA decals on your vehicle that are provided by their base jurisdiction.

Your base jurisdiction is where your qualified vehicles are based for registration. It’s where operational control and operational records of the licensee’s qualified motor vehicles are maintained and in the case of an audit can be made available. It’s also where some mileage is gained by qualified motor vehicles traveling through that jurisdiction within the fleet.

If you don’t live in a base jurisdiction you can apply for an IFTA license from any of the jurisdictions you regularly travel in.

Qualifying vehicles are ones that are motor vehicles that are used, designed, or maintained for the transportation of persons or property having two axles and a gross vehicle weight exceeding 26,000 pounds, two axles and a registered weight exceeding 26,000 pounds, three or more axles regardless of weight, and a combination weight exceeding 26,000 pounds.

You need to provide the following information to correctly complete your IFTA return:

– Total miles, both taxable and nontaxable, traveled by each of the licensee’s qualified motor vehicles for all jurisdictions, including trip permit miles. This includes both IFTA and non-IFTA jurisdictions.
– Total gallons of fuel consumed by the qualified motor vehicles, both taxable and nontaxable per jurisdiction, IFTA and non-IFTA.
– The total amount of tax-paid gallons of fuel purchased in each jurisdiction.
– The current tax rate per jurisdiction.

If you don’t travel outside of your base jurisdiction a lot you don’t have to necessarily apply for an IFTA license. You can apply for a local trip permit with the local DMV of the jurisdiction you’ll be traveling in.

It’s important to have your IFTA license with you and permits properly display under your truck door windows at all time are you could be subject to getting a citation and having to buy a temporary permit.

Failure to file your IFTA reports by the deadline or to file at all will result in hefty penalties. You’ll be fined $50 or 10% of the delinquent taxes, whichever is greater. On top of that, base jurisdictions reserve the right to impose additional penalties based on the laws of the jurisdiction.

Also, base jurisdictions will assess interest on all of the unpaid taxes due for each jurisdiction except for the taxes collected directly by other jurisdictions. For US jurisdictions interest will build up at a rate of 1% per month. Interest will build at a rate equal to the Canadian Federal Treasury Bill rate, plus 2% for Canadian jurisdictions, plus the rate is adjusted every quarter.

Remember you have to complete your IFTA report 4 times a year. The quarterly IFTA deadlines are:

1st Quarter: January 1st – March 31st. Due date: April 30th.

2nd Quarter: April 1st – June 30th. Due date: July 31st.

3rd Quarter: July 1st – September 30th. Due Date: October 31st.

4th Quarter: October 1st – December 31st. Due Date: January 31st.

Note: If the deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday then the deadline is moved to the next business day.

ExpressTruckTax is Here To Help

Don’t let IFTA stress you out. Head to ExpressTruckTax.com to quickly and easily calculate your IFTA totals with their quick entry odometer entry screen, fuel tax calculator, and more. Our dedicated support team is full of IFTA experts who are ready to help. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any truck tax questions that you may have via live chat, phone, or email.

Your 4th Quarter IFTA Report Is Due Today

Posted on January 31, 2017 by - 4th Quarter IFTA, IFTA, ifta deadline, ifta fuel tax, IFTA online filing, ifta report, IFTA return, IFTA Tax Calculator App

Don’t hit the breaks, but tax season is here! Most likely IFTA is on your mind since you have to file an IFTA report four times a year. However, these deadlines can definitely sneak up on you, so here is your official reminder that your 4th quarter IFTA tax return is due by January 31st! Also, we don’t want IFTA to be in the back of your mind, so we’re gonna tell you all about it to make you an IFTA pro!

All About IFTA

IFTA stands for the International Fuel Tax Agreement and it is the agreement between the 48 connected states of the USA, states of Mexico, and the Canadian provinces to report on the fuel used by motor carriers or large vehicles operating in more than one jurisdiction (state).

Under IFTA carriers file quarterly fuel tax reports to figure out precisely the net tax or refund due to redistribute taxes from collecting jurisdictions that are due.

If you were to find yourself operating in Hawaii, Alaska, or the Canadian territories then you wouldn’t have to worry about IFTA.

Qualifying vehicles for IFTA include vehicles that are designed to transport people or property that has three or more axles, has a gross weight of 26,000 pounds or is used in a combination registered gross vehicles of 26,00 pounds or more. Basically, it refers to big heavy vehicles that frequent the interstate systems.

Fun fact, recreational vehicles are actually not subject to IFTA.

Every year you’ll need to renew your IFTA decals and licenses by December 31st. You’ll receive two decals that should be clearly displayed under your window on your driver’s side door. If you file your IFTA reports quarterly then the permits will stay up to date. They also help prove that you have complied with IFTA.

Well heck, what if you don’t usually travel outside of your state? Do you still have to deal with all this IFTA stuff? A little bit. You can get temporary IFTA permits from that state’s DMV office. Each state has their own temporary IFTA regulations. 

Before IFTA was put into place each state had their own fuel tax system and their own tax permits. This made carriers that frequently traveled through different jurisdictions suffer a lot of headaches. Trust us, IFTA is a much easier way to handle fuel taxes!

Now when it comes to filing your IFTA report you need a record of a few different things:

– Your total miles include the taxable and nontaxable ones for all of your jurisdictions traveled.
– Your total gallons of fuel consumed per jurisdiction.
– Your total amount of fuel taxes paid per jurisdiction.
– And the current tax rate per jurisdiction.

Now don’t let all this information and record keeping intimidate you. ExpressTruckTax is here to help. 

Calculating IFTA With ExpressTruckTax

ExpressTruckTax as an accurate fuel tax calculator to help you quickly calculate your fuel tax per jurisdiction, as well as a quick entry screen for all of your odometer readings. You can quickly update this sheet as you go, or all at once depending on your preferred method.

Also, ExpressTruckTax makes it easy to maintain your trip sheets and fuel records, and will automatically calculate your IFTA return from your trips sheets. This way you won’t have the hassle of calculating these numbers yourself.

With ExpressTruckTax’s error diagnostic report your return will be scanned for errors, so you can be aware of any corrections that need to be made before your file your IFTA return. This will help you and your company avoid being audited.

Plus, we are here to help every step of the way. Please don’t hesitate to contact the ExpressTruckTax support team via phone, email, or live chat with any questions that you may have!

How to Add Sold/Destroyed/Stolen Credit Vehicles

Posted on September 24, 2015 by - credit vehicle, expresstrucktax, IFTA return, tax return, taxable vehicles, trucking nation

Hello, truckers! Do you have any taxable vehicles that were sold, destroyed, or stolen before June 1 of the current tax year? If you do, and they were not used for the remainder of the tax period, you’re able to claim a prorated credit or refund for some of the taxes paid. We’re here to tell you how!

To get started, follow the steps below:

1. Once you click Start New Return on your ExpressTruckTax dashboard, a pop-up will appear with three options to create a new tax return. Select Form 2290. (If you wish to receive a check from the IRS instead of credit, you can select Form 8849 Schedule 6.)

2. To reach the Sold/Destroyed section, fill out required information in the steps leading up to it:

  • Select which month your vehicle was first used.
  • Enter any taxable or suspended vehicles that you are filing for.
  • Add a suspended vehicle of the prior year if applicable. 
  • Once you’re there, select Add Credit Vehicle. 

Note: If you sold a truck and are adding a new truck, the credit amount from the truck sold will be applied to the tax amount owed on the new truck. In addition, if you are filing for a credit for a sold vehicle, there is a new regulation that requires you to enter in the name and address of the person who purchased the truck.

3. Provide the required vehicle details in the fields below, including your VIN number, taxable gross weight, and loss event, then click Save. 

We hope these instructions are beneficial to you, but if you need further assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us! You can call our support team at 704.234.6005 or email them at support@expresstrucktax.com.

Remember, Trucking Nation, we’re here for you!