Category: 2015-16 Tax Year

Set up Your ExpressTruckTax Account & Start Pre-filing Today!

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Marcela De Vivo - 2015-16 Tax Year, account setup, Expresstrucktax.com, Form 2290, Pre-filing, sign in with Google or facebook account

With pre-filing season in full swing, hopefully you’re already thinking about e-filing your heavy vehicle use taxes with ExpressTruckTax.

But before you begin your e-filing journey, the first step, if you have never filed with us before, is to create a new account. Now, the idea of creating any sort of account that centers around tax software probably sounds a little scary, but with us, the whole process is truly simple!

The Pre-Game

Before you begin creating your account, there are a few things you need in order to get started:

A computer, tablet, or smartphone
An internet connection
Your business name and address
Employer Identification Number
Vehicle Identification Number
Your Gross Vehicle Weight

Then, once you have the necessary documentation and equipment, you’re ready to get started. So head on over to the New User section on ExpressTruckTax and create your free account!

Creating Your Account

Enter your name, phone number, email address, and a password of your choosing. Then select whether you would like to see the site in English or Spanish.

Pro Tip #1: If you would like to make account creation even faster, simply choose to login with your Facebook or Google+ account. To do this, just click on the corresponding Facebook or Google+ icon at the top of the login page and choose to allow ExpressTruckTax to have access to your account.

After you register, you will be prompted to watch a quick orientation video (or if you’re just too eager to get started, you can skip it–it’s up to you). All you have to do is click the green “Begin” button, and your journey is underway!

Entering Your Business Details

But you’re not done yet! Now you need to enter your business details into your account. That’s where all the pre-game information comes in!

The first thing you need to do to get started is choose your business type from the dropdown menu. Select from LLC, corporation, sole proprietorship, etc.

Then enter your legal business name exactly as the IRS has it stored on record. If the business name doesn’t match the EIN on record then the IRS will reject your return.

Next enter your “doing business as” name or DBA. This only needs to be entered if the name you’re doing business as is different than the name the IRS has on file for your business.

Now, here’s the big one! The EIN. The Employer Identification Number is required by the IRS in order to file your heavy vehicle use tax. You EIN takes at least 10 business days to become active. So if you have a new EIN, it is imperative that you wait at least 10 business days from the date it was issued before filing your excise tax or your return will be rejected.

Pro Tip #2: If you don’t have an EIN, you need to register for one as soon as possible! To register for your EIN, you can use the IRS website or call the IRS hotline at 1.800.829.4933. Or you can call our friends at ExpressTruckTax Plus and have someone file for you.

After the EIN, all that’s left is to enter your business address and the information of the signing authority. The signing authority is the name of the person filing for your business. Whether it’s your CEO, bookkeeper, spouse, or a CPA, you must enter the individual’s name and title there.

Then that’s it! You’ve created your account, successfully ending your account creation journey. Now you’re ready to start e-filing (or pre-filing)! And that process is easy too.

If you need any help setting up your account, or e-filing (and pre-filing) with us, we’ve got a whole team of dedicated e-filing experts ready to assist you 24/7 from our headquarters in Rock Hill, SC! So give them a call at 704.234.6005 or email them at support@expresstrucktax.com for support in English and Spanish!

And don’t forget! Everyone who pre-files with us during the month of June is entered into our Swag Bag Give-Away. You could win all sorts of ExpressTruckTax goodies AND a $50 Gift Card!

How to Pre-file Form 2290 with ExpressTruckTax

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Marcela De Vivo - 2015-16 Tax Year, Expresstrucktax.com, extended customer support hours, Form 2290, how to e-file form 2290, Pre-filing

Have you heard the great news, Trucking Nation!?

ExpressTruckTax is offering pre-filing for the 2015-16 tax year during the month of June! That’s right, all month long you can pre-file your HVUT renewal at no additional cost.

In fact, it actually costs less if you use promo code PREFILE. Plus, you’ll be entered to win our Swag Bag with a $50 gift card! All you need to do is pre-file to enter!

And best of all, pre-filing with us is the same as e-filing for any other tax year, and just as easy! You’ll just follow the same three easy steps to e-filing success!

Let’s have a look!

Step 1: Account Setup

The first thing you need to do is login to your account, or if you’ve never registered with us before, create a new account by simply entering your email address and a password of your choosing. Once you’ve done that, you need to enter your business details and your EIN number.

The next part is where it gets a little different. After you’ve entered your details and have chosen to begin a new Form 2290, you will be prompted on the next screen to select advance filing or to file for the current tax year.

To pre-file, select “Choose Advance Filing” and continue onto the next screen. Here, choose to file for the new tax year and select the first use month of your vehicle.

Then, just hit next and it’s on to step two!

Step 2: Enter Vehicle Details

The next step is adding all of your heavy vehicle information. If you’re a returning user, just select the trucks you’d like to file for from Truck Zone! All of your information is stored there and ready to be added to your return.

If you’re a new user, you can input the vehicle details one-by-one (which still doesn’t take long), or you can upload your VIN and more from a CSV file, which is the fastest way to do it if you have multiple trucks.

Also remember that there are three different types of vehicles you can add. Just be sure to enter them on the appropriate screen.

Taxable VehiclesThese are vehicles that have exceeded the 5,000 mile limit (or 7,500 miles for agricultural vehicles) for the tax year. You owe taxes on these vehicles for the year. Also remember that if you drive a logging vehicle (a vehicle used to transport foresting materials) you are eligible for a tax discount!

Low Mileage or Suspended VehiclesThese are vehicles that have not exceeded the mileage limit for the tax year. These vehicles do not cost you in taxes, but still need to be filed for in order to get the Stamped Schedule 1.

Sold, Lost, or Destroyed Credit VehiclesThese are vehicles that you no longer have, but you are still required to file for them if they were used for any part of the tax year.

You can also enter vehicles that you have previously filed as suspended, and you can enter low mileage credits at the end of this step.

Step 3: Select Payment Method & Securely Transmit Your Return

The last step to pre-filing is selecting your payment method and securely transmitting your return to the IRS. This step is slightly different than when you e-file for the regular tax year since we will transmit the return for you when the IRS begins accepting them on July 1st.

In order to pay your taxes due, you can select one of three payment methods. The payment method you choose, determines when the IRS will accept your payment and take money out of your account.

When you select direct debit, the taxes you owe will come out of your account one or two days after the IRS processes your return on July 1. If you elect to pay by other means, like EFTPS or with a check or money order, you can schedule your payment for as late as August 31, the renewal due date.

Once you’ve decided what payment method to use, you will be taken to your account summary page. Here you can correct any errors you see or continue to submit your return. Plus, our Instant Audit feature will even check it for you to minimize the risk of your return being rejected by the IRS due to missing information.

Then all you need to do is select transmit to the IRS and voila! You’ve successfully pre-filed your Form 2290!

If you need any help throughout the e-filing process, we’re here for you! We have a dedicated, trained support team year round for that very reason. If you find yourself having some trouble, give us a call at 704.234.6005 or shoot us an email at support@expresstrucktax.com for 24/hour support in English or Spanish!

Pre-filing for All: E-filing for 2015-16 Tax Year Now Available!

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Marcela De Vivo - 2015-16 Tax Year, Advance Form 2290 E-Filing Option, Advanced Filing, Expresstrucktax.com, Form 2290, HVUT, Pre-filing, trucking news

Looks like the cat is out of the bag, Trucking Nation! And we’re happy to announce that we are offering pre-filing for everyone this HVUT renewal season!

Beginning right now, this very second, we are offering pre-filing for everyone who wants to get ahead of the game. Pre-filing now means you have an extra month to get your taxes done and get back to your life!

The Advantages are Endless

Now, you may be wondering what the benefits of pre-filing are, or how pre-filing affects you. Well, just like when you e-file with us normally, the benefits of pre-filing are endless!

Here’s what pre-filing can do for you:

Pre-filing gives you more time (a month’s worth!) to amend your return if it gets rejected or if you make a tiny mistake.
Even though you’re pre-filing, it doesn’t mean you have to pre-pay! And there’s no extra cost to pre-file with us either—still the best value in the industry.
You can still use the same 3 payment methods you’re used to: Direct Debit, EFTPS, and Check or Money Order. BUT if you schedule an EFTPS payment for the deadline on August 31st, or elect to pay by check or money order, then you won’t have to pay your taxes until the deadline day. That’s three whole months to save up your tax!
Your return will be at the very top of the stack when the IRS begins processing returns on July 1. This means you’ll get your Stamped Schedule 1 before anyone else too!
Then you can get back to your life! After you pre-file you don’t have to worry at all because we’ll take it from there. We will securely transmit your return to the IRS for you and then email you your Schedule 1.

And so much more! Pre-filing is a way for you to get your Form 2290 out of the way, fast. No muss, no fuss, just getting on with your life. Don’t believe me? Just have a look at Marvin & Larry!

1 Promocode, 2 Awesome Benefits

Here’s the next best thing about pre-filing. During the month of June we’re offering 10% off the filing fee when you use the promocode PREFILE at checkout!

And to top it all off, everyone who pre-files with us in the month of June is entered to win a Swag Bag, complete with a $50 gift card and a bunch of ExpressTruckTax goodies, or swag, as the kids are calling it these days!

If you find yourself with questions, we’re here for you! So give us a call at 704.234.6005, shoot us an email at support@expresstrucktax.com, or find us on chat on our website. We’ll provide you with all the help you need, day or night in English and in Spanish! Don’t be a Larry, pre-file with us today!

6 Tips for E-filing Success This Renewal Season

Posted on June 2, 2015 by Marcela De Vivo - 2015-16 Tax Year, Expresstrucktax.com, Form 2290, HVUT, renewal season, tablet app, Truck Tax, trucking news

Tax season will be here before you know it. And as the HVUT renewal season approaches, you’ve probably found yourself with more and more questions about what to do and how to even file in the first place. And that’s what we’re here for!

So here are 6 tips to help you successfully e-file your Form 2290 during this renewal season:

1. Get Your EIN Early

Getting your EIN is important! It takes 10 business days for the IRS to activate it, and you need it in order to e-file.

After your EIN has been processed, you will need to know the exact business name associated with the EIN account in order to use it. If you have forgotten the name associated with the EIN, you can call the IRS EIN hotline at 1.800.829.4933 to verify, and then keep it safe because it is imperative to your tax-filing success!

2. Know Your Vehicles

Next on the path to tax success is knowing your vehicles. And I’m not talking about just knowing the weight of your vehicle or the first use date—even though you definitely need to know that as well—I’m also talking about knowing your type of vehicle. There are four different types of vehicles you can file a Form 2290 for, and knowing which category your vehicle falls under can make a huge difference on your bank account!

Heavy Vehicles: A heavy vehicle is any other vehicle, weighing 55,000 lbs or more, that has driven over the 5,000 mile limit. For these vehicles you file your Form 2290 as normal and pay your heavy vehicle use tax.

Suspended: Suspended vehicles are any heavy vehicle or agricultural vehicle that have been driven under their mileage limit for the tax year. For heavy vehicles this limit is 5,000 and for agricultural vehicles this limit is 7,500. Having a suspended vehicle means after you file your heavy vehicle use tax, you are eligible for a refund!

Agriculture: Agricultural vehicles are any vehicles used for farming or agriculture. These vehicles can be driven 7,500 miles on public highways until they are no longer considered suspended, at which time, HVUT is due.

Logging: Logging vehicles are any vehicles that are used to transport forest materials within or from a foresting site, or a vehicle that moves forested materials from one site to another. With logging vehicles, companies and drivers alike are eligible to pay less taxes for the tax year. So if you drive a logging truck, make sure you specify when you’re e-filing!

3. Keep Accurate Records

Besides your EIN and knowing your types of vehicles, keeping accurate records is the most important part of e-filing.

It is your responsibility to keep accurate trip logs, especially if you are an agricultural vehicle or a suspended vehicle. You will need to prove to the IRS that you went under 7,500 and 5,000 miles, respectively, during the tax year. If you find yourself in need of some help keeping your truck records updated,why not try a business management program designed for transportation businesses?

4. Make Your Business Management Software Work for You

In addition to keeping good records, you also need to have good business management software. You need a place to securely keep track of all your trucks, taxes due, important industry dates, and so on.

A good business management solution should be able to keep track of everything so you don’t have to! You should be able to search records and get reminders of important dates without constant frustration and involvement.

And not only that! Your business management solution should be able to:

Keep track of orders and invoices
Help create a better line of communication between truckers and management
Schedule maintenance by truck (and just once!)
Enter paychecks and driver settlements
Provide trucker-centric GPS to get from place to place
Keep track of customers, brokers, carriers, and vendors
Make running a business a little (or a lot!) less stressful

5. Rely on Great Support

Filing your taxes isn’t always easy, but it can be when you have the right tools! When it comes down to it, we understand that you probably have a lot of questions about how HVUT regulations. This is where the support legends come in!

At ExpressTruckTax we have the best support team in the industry. And they’re available all year long in order to make your tax experience that much easier.

So if you find yourself with a question in the “off” season, rest assured that our support team will be here for you. Because we understand that tax questions never take a break, so neither should we!

6. Know Your Industry Deadlines & Important Dates

The last thing you need to know in order to e-file for success are industry deadlines and important industry dates. Now, this may sound like a lot of work, but we have a free app that does all of that for you! It’s called RigMinders, and it’s available for both Android and iPhone users.

With Rigminders, you can keep track of everything in the industry, in your trucking business, and in your life! Know when to file your HVUT, IFTA, IRP, UCR and much more. All industry filing deadlines come preloaded to save you time. And you can use the personal reminders to schedule truck maintenance. There’s nothing better than staying ahead of the game and keeping on top of these deadlines!

Continue to stay ahead of the game with ExpressTruckTax! If you find yourself with questions, comments, or concerns, we’re here for you with 24/7 support in English & Spanish! So give us a call between 8AM-6PM EST at 704.234.6005, or send us an email at support@expresstrucktax.com anytime, day or night!

Happy E-filing, Trucking Nation!

Category: 2015-16 Tax Year