Category: IFTA Tax Calculator App

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.

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!

1st Q. IFTA Filing Period Now Open: Estimate Your Tax with Our New App!

Posted on April 13, 2015 by - 1st Quarter IFTA Deadline, Express IFTA, Expresstrucktax.com, IFTA, IFTA Tax Calculator App, tablet app, trucking news

Brace yourselves. The IFTA Deadline is coming!

April 30th will be here before you know it. Are you prepared, Trucking Nation?!

Previously, we had a quick look at our companion program, ExpressIFTA, and how it can help you file on time by calculating your fuel tax and completing a ready-to-mail, state-specific IFTA return for you. 
With zero calculations and minimal data entry required, ExpressIFTA is the simplest way to make it to the filing finish line in record time.
But we’ve got more tricks than that up our sleeves…like our brand new app!

If you’d like to know how much fuel tax you’ll owe, fast & with zero commitment, then our new IFTA App is for you! It’s free, so there’s no risk, and you don’t need to create an account or enter business or vehicle details.

You get right to the important stuff with a super simple, two-step process.
Head over to the Google Play store to download it for your Android tablet, or zip over to the App Store for iPad.

Then….

Step 1

Select your base jurisdiction, the IFTA quarter, and the fuel type from the drop-down menus.

Then enter the mileage and fuel use per jurisdiction. The states can be selected from another drop-down menu, it’s just up to you to key in the miles and fuel.

To delete a line, simply press the red Trash Can button at the end of that line. Or to add more lines, select the green +Add More Rows button on the bottom left.

Once all of your trip data for the quarter has been entered, select the orange Calculate IFTA Tax button, and you’re done!

Step 2

You now have a nice, neat breakdown of your total miles, gallons, and MPG for the quarter, along with the amount of tax due.

Enter your email address and click send to get a report with this data! You can then use it to complete your return, or use a program ExpressIFTA to create a return for you.

If something seems off, you can hit the orange back arrow at the top left corner, and it will redirect you to the previous screen where you can review and edit your info. If you make any changes, just hit “Calculate” again, and watch the magic happen.


How easy is that? With a click here and a swipe there, it only takes two simple steps to get a summary of your most vital IFTA details.

Download it now and get ready just in time for the deadline! As always if you hit a roadblock, the ExpressTruckTax support team is standing by, eager to offer IFTA-ssistance. (See what I did there?)

You can reach them at 704.234.6005, send them a live chat message, or email them at support@expressifta.com. 

To continue your transformation from IFTA Slacker to IFTA Master, have a look at our previous blog: Get Ready for April 30th with ExpressIFTA!

1st Q. IFTA Filing Period Now Open: Get Ready with ExpressIFTA!

Posted on April 7, 2015 by - 1st Quarter IFTA Deadline, Express IFTA, Expresstrucktax.com, IFTA, IFTA Tax Calculator App, tablet app, trucking news

The 1st Quarter filing period for IFTA is officially open!

You know what that means, Trucking Nation! Time to start organizing any trip sheets that fell through the cracks, and get ready for the filing deadline: Thursday, April 30th!

Good thing ExpressTruckTax is here to help you prepare. We’ve got everything you need! Not only do we have a program that will complete your IFTA return for you (ExpressIFTA), but we also just released a simple free app to help you calculate how much tax you’ll owe, without doing any calculating yourself!
You can use one or both–whatever suits you best. We have solutions for IFTA Slackers and IFTA Masters!

Today, we’ll have a look at ExpressIFTA. Stay tuned for the grand reveal of our new app later this week!

ExpressIFTA

ExpressIFTA is the fastest and easiest way to calculate your IFTA fuel tax and prepare your state-specific return. Why? Because ExpressIFTA calculates the tax for you, eliminating the risk of errors and the the risk of losing your sanity!

  • Pro Tip: If you’re an ExpressTruckTax user, login with the same username and password, and your account information will be automatically transferred. If not, simply create an account and enter your business and vehicle information. It won’t take long!

Once you’re set up, enter your trip logs with taxable and non-taxable miles, as well as your fuel use, and our site will calculate the fuel tax and complete the IFTA form for your state. Just print and mail it! 

To save even more time, you can import your mileage directly from your GPS. If your GPS model is not supported by our site, you can email the GPS report to support@expressifta.com, and we’ll key in the info for you! Now that’s service.
For a quick overview of how to use ExpressIFTA, just check out this video!

Don’t wait until the 29th to start thinking about IFTA. Head over to ExpressIFTA now and try it out!
Have a question? Just call our support team at 704.234.6005 or email us at support@expresstrucktax.com.

Ready for More IFTA Solutions? Check out Part 2 featuring our new IFTA Tax Calculator App! Packed with more solutions for IFTA Slackers and IFTA Masters!