Category: efile form 2290

Current Truck Tax Regulations scheduled to expire on September 30, 2011

Although passing bills in a timely fashion is not what this current congress is known for, there is another significant piece of legislation that has yet to be voted on. The delay of this legislation being enacted has thrown many people in the trucking industry for a loop.  

The transportation law known as SAFETEA-LU – the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users – expired in 2009, but it allowed the taxes associated with the Highway Trust Fund to be collected for an additional two years. When SAFETEA-LU became law in 2005, lawmakers built in what they believed to be enough time to get the next multi-year transportation authorization bill in place.

Those two years have gone by too rapidly and without a new Highway Bill to replace it. House and Senate committees are now drafting preliminary versions of the legislation and continue to debate its details.

Under normal circumstances, tax provisions related to the Highway Trust Fund would be extended as part of the authorization. Unfortunately, no one can accurately predict what will happen in the future, especially with the extreme volatility between parties these days. One thing that is predictable, however, is that ExpressTruckTax.com will keep updating their website and blog with the latest news affecting the Trucking Industry.  Once there is more information available about the HVUT filing process, we will let you know.

Filing a Form 2290 with the IRS

The Heavy Vehicle Use Tax, or HVUT, must be filed with the IRS for any highway motor vehicle that exceeds a gross weight of 55,000 pounds.  IRS Form 2290 Schedule 1 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 1, 2010, and ending on June 30, 2011, 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.

What Vehicles are Taxable?
The IRS considers taxable Highway Motor Vehicles to be any self-propelled vehicle that is designed to carry a load over public highways.  Examples of such vehicles include trucks, truck tractors, and buses.  The IRS typically does not consider vehicles such as vans, pickup trucks, panel trucks, or similar vehicles because they do not typically weigh 55,000 pounds or more.  A vehicle may consist of a chassis, or a chassis and a body, but does not include the load of 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


When to File?
A Form 2290 must be filed annually, for each taxable vehicle that is used on public highways during the current period.  The Current Period is from July 1, 2010 and ends on June 30, 2011.  A Form 2290 must also be filed once a vehicle is placed in service.  The due date for each month is the last day of the following month.  For example: if a vehicle is placed in service on October 3rd, the Form 2290 will be due on November 30th.  

How to File?
Although it is possible to paper file, E-Filing is required for each return containing at least 25 vehicles.  The IRS does encourage everyone to file electronically due to its security and speed.  This is highly recommended for Form 2290 in particular because the filing due dates are always only one month away.  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. 

Don’t Be Scammed by Fake IRS Communications

The Information Below comes From The Official IRS Website at http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=202394,00.html
Don’t be Scammed by Fake IRS Communications

The IRS receives thousands of reports each year from taxpayers who receive suspicious emails, phone calls, faxes or notices claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service. Many of these scams fraudulently use the Internal Revenue Service name or logo as a lure to make the communication more authentic and enticing. The goal of these scams – known as phishing – is to trick you into revealing personal and financial information. The scammers can then use that information – like your Social Security number, bank account or credit card numbers – to commit identity theft or steal your money.

Here are five things the IRS wants you to know about phishing scams:
1. The IRS doesn’t ask for detailed personal and financial information like PIN numbers, passwords or similar secret access information for credit card, bank or other financial accounts.
2. The IRS does not initiate taxpayer communications through e-mail and won’t send a message about your tax account. If you receive an e-mail from someone claiming to be the IRS or directing you to an IRS site:
·  Do not reply to the message.
·  Do not open any attachments. Attachments may contain malicious code that will infect your computer.
·  Do not click on any links. If you clicked on links in a suspicious e-mail or phishing website and entered confidential information, visit the IRS website and enter the search term ‘identity theft’ for more information and resources to help.
3. The address of the official IRS website is http://www.irs.gov. Do not be confused or misled by sites claiming to be the IRS but ending in .com, .net, .org or other designations instead of .gov. If you discover a website that claims to be the IRS but you suspect it is bogus, do not provide any personal information on the suspicious site and report it to the IRS.
4. If you receive a phone call, fax or letter in the mail from an individual claiming to be from the IRS but you suspect they are not an IRS employee, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to determine if the IRS has a legitimate need to contact you. Report any bogus correspondence.
5. You can help shut down these schemes and prevent others from being victimized. Details on how to report specific types of scams and what to do if you’ve been victimized are available at http://www.irs.gov, keyword “phishing.”

We at Express Truck Tax care about the security of your information deeply.  Please be wary of suspicious emails, faxes, or letters that claim to be from the IRS.   We take the utmost care of your information and work directly with the IRS to guarantee the most secure transfer of information.