We have talked about this day for months, and it is finally here! The 2021-22 Form 2290 deadline is TODAY!
If you have already filed, Congratulations! You’re all done with your Form 2290, but don’t forget to make your HVUT payment depending on which option you chose while filing!
If you haven’t filed yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!? The deadline to file is today and to avoid hefty penalties, you need to file sooner rather than later!
How Should You File?
To avoid long delays in the processing of your Form 2290, it’s best to file online. The IRS has claimed that this year if a tax return is filed by mail, it may take weeks for you to receive your stamped Schedule 1.
But when you file online with ExpressTruckTax, you will receive your stamped Schedule 1 within minutes. You need your stamped Schedule 1 to stay up to date on many licenses to keep your vehicle from being grounded.
What Should You Look For In An E-file Provider?
When filing online, it’s important to use an IRS-Authorized E-file Provider to be sure that your information is safe. To be IRS-Authorized, the provider must pass a rigorous security test to ensure the safety of your private information.
If you don’t have time to file, ExpressTruckTax’s sister product, ExpressTruckTax Plus, can file your return for you!
All you have to do is give ExpressTruckTax Plus a call, give them all of the required information for the Form 2290, and they will do the rest for you! This helps reduce the stress when filing the return and gives you the peace of mind that it is done correctly.
When using ExpressTruckTax Plus, you will still receive your stamped Schedule 1 within minutes after the Form 2290 is submitted to the IRS.
To call ExpressTruckTax Plus and begin the full-service filing process with them, give them a call at 877.520.8640 right now!
You Need To FILE TODAY!
Today is the last day to file before the deadline! If it is not filed by the end of the day today, August 31st, then it will be considered late and you will be issued penalties by the IRS.
No one wants that, so file now! To begin e-filing with ExpressTruckTax, click here or call our live customer support team at 704.234.6005 for any additional questions you may have!
ExpressTruckTax has become the first Form 2290 e-file provider to guarantee 2290 acceptance or your money back!
Having e-filed over 1.5 million 2290 returns and developed our software into the most trusted, most used e-filing solution for the trucking industry, we feel it is time to offer our ExpressGuarantee!
Our clients already have the option to retransmit their return to the IRS at no additional cost until it is accepted. Now, because of our new “ExpressGuarantee”, clients who do not wish to resubmit can receive a refund on their filing fee instead.
How does the ExpressGuarantee work?
With over ten years of Form 2290 e-filing experience, we are confident we can get your return accepted!
If your return is rejected, it is because something on the return does not match with the IRS database. Occasionally, it may take a few tries to get the return accepted.
We will help you resolve IRS errors step-by-step and will never charge you for retransmitting the return. If for any reason your return is still not accepted, we will refund your filing – no questions asked!
File Form 2290 today!
When you choose ExpressTruckTax, you can expect a simplified interview-style process that walks you through the Form 2290 step-by-step. Simply answer our questions, review your information, and transmit to the IRS. Plus, our US-based customer support comes at no additional cost.
You get all that starting at only $9.90 a single truck! And if your return is not accepted, you can get your money back!
EFW is just your standard bank account transfer. You’ll need to provide your bank account number and routing number to the IRS. Typically they will withdraw your payment within one or two business days.
Electronic Federal Tax Payment Service (EFTPS)
EFTPS is a service offered by the IRS to simplify tax payments. It is a highly secure solution that allows you to schedule out payments in advance
If you choose EFTPS to pay your IRS 2290 payment, you’ll need to create an account by enrolling in the program here.
Check or Money Order
If you choose to make your 2290 payment by check or money order, you’ll need to remember to mail it to them. The responsibility to be on time is entirely on you.
Mail your check or money order to:
Internal Revenue Service,
P.O. Box 804525,
Cincinnati, OH 45280-4525
3. Choose the right 2290 E-file provider
Many e-file providers have confusing processes for filing out HVUT returns. In most cases, the structure makes it hard to know how much you will need to pay them and how you can pay the IRS.
However, with ExpressTruckTax, everything is upfront. Our pricing is transparent. Our interview-style e-filing process makes filing easy. And we make sure you know how and when you need to pay the IRS.
Plus, if you have any questions you can always call our US-based customer support team!
Last week, the FMCSA temporarily suspended HOS rules for truckers hauling essential supplies and providing direct assistance to relief efforts for the Coronavirus.
Now, as more and more people are working from home in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, many government offices like the DMV are shutting down.
So many states have no way of verifying or keeping track of trucking registration like IFTA and IRP and truckers have no way of renewing their licenses.
To ease this tension in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, many states are waiving or suspending some or all of the registration requirements for IFTA and IRP.
This does not mean that all regulations are null and void, however. Most states have also asked that you carry a copy of a waiver (most of which are linked below) with you while you travel in their borders.
*It is your responsibility to read the full explanation provided by state governments before you attempt any travel.*
Below is a full breakdown of every exemption, extension, and suspension we could find.
IRP registrants with fleets expiring in March are extended until May 15, 2020.
90-day IFTA extension can be applied for by completing a waiver if you or a relative you are caring for is sick with COVID-19. Waiver available at: CDTFA.ca.gov
IRP registration enforcement suspended until April, 18.
90-day IFTA extension can be applied for by completing a waiver if you or a relative you are caring for is sick with COVID-19. Waiver available at: Colorado.gov/tax.
IRP registration deadlines are delayed in Iowa for all commercial vehicles until April 16, 2020.
IRP and IFTA requirements for any commercial vehicles traveling through the state of Iowa to provide direct COVID-19 assistance are waived until April 30, 2020.
IRP trip permit requirements for trucks traveling through Kansas have been suspended for trucks operating in association with disaster assistance until further notice.
Registration requirements for Kansas IRP vehicles providing disaster relief is extended until May 15, 2020.
IRP and IFTA registrations expiring March through May 2020 are extended until May 31, 2020. Temporary IRP and IFTA requirements are waived for vehicles traveling through New Jersey for relief efforts.
IRP registration enforcement suspended for expiration dates on after March 20, 2020. IRP and IFTA enforcement also suspended for trucks traveling through the state as a part of emergency relief.
The Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program is run by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). It is designed to hold motorists, including owner-operators, accountable for their role in road safety. The FMCSA groups carriers with those who have a similar number of safety events and assigns each carrier a percentile risk. The safety data is held online in the FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System (SMS) and is updated monthly with new data from roadside inspections. The SMS data is organized into seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs).
What Goes Into a CSA Score?
CSA scores are calculated with roadside inspection and crash report data from the SMS from the last 24 months. The calculations consider factors like crash severity, how long ago the event occurred, and annual vehicle miles traveled. Carriers receive a CSA score for each of the seven BASICs:
Unsafe Driving BASIC – Operating a commercial vehicle in a dangerous manner, such as speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, or improper lane changing.
Crash Indicator BASIC – Based on state-reported crash data, this BASIC contains historical patterns of frequency and severity of crash involvement.
HOS Compliance BASIC – Operating a commercial vehicle when sick or fatigued and not maintaining records of duty status for six months.
Vehicle Maintenance BASIC – Failing to properly maintain the commercial vehicle, such as improper load securement or faulty brakes or lights.
Handling hazardous materials in an unsafe manner, such as having leaking containers and failing to label hazardous materials as such.
Driver Fitness BASIC – Operating a commercial vehicle by an unfit driver, such as lack of a valid CDL, and failing to maintain driver qualification files.
Do Drivers Have CSA Scores?
Drivers do not have their own CSA scores. CSA scores are assigned to carriers based on their DOT number. If a driver receives a violation, it is assigned to the carrier and not the driver. Drivers do have unique Pre-employment Screening Program (PSP) records with the FMCSA. A good practice for maintaining CSA scores is to check driver PSP records prior to hiring them and to only hire drivers who are honest about their driving records and have a track record of low-risk and responsible driving.
Where Can Carriers Check Their CSA Scores?
CSA scores for trucking companies can be checked online at https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/. All that is needed is a DOT number. Scores are between 0 and 100, the lower the better – each violation adds points to your score. Some violations are a cut and dry point system, while others are calculated by the severity of or volume of the violation. After two years, violations are removed from you record.
To view additional data, including data not available to the public such as the Crash Indicator and Hazardous Materials Compliance BASICs, a carrier will need to login with their FMCSA-provided PIN. If you don’t have it, then you can request it at – https://cms8.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/request-pin-number.
How Does a CSA Score Affect Your Business?
There are several ways that your CSA score can positively and negatively affect your business. Here are a few of the main ones:
Investigation and Intervention Risk – A poor CSA score may put you at a higher risk for FMCSA intervention and investigations. In extreme cases, this can result in an out-of-service order for your business.
Revenue – Shippers often look at the available data to help choose safe, reliable carriers. Poor scores can prevent a carrier from getting the most profitable loads.
Insurance – Insurance companies use BASIC scores in their evaluation of a carrier’s risk profile. Often, higher CSA scores lead to higher premiums and deductibles.
How to Improve the CSA Score?
If compliance, safety, and accountability are a genuine concern, then your trucking company will already have a system in place for checks and balances. This includes initial training, recurrent training, scheduled in-house inspections, preventative maintenance, checklists, and consequences for violations. The best way to improve your CSA score is to implement and maintain a system of checks and balances and use your current score as one of the ways in which you update your internal operations. Track which violations are most common – or which ones are on the rise. This will help you to determine the areas in which you need to improve, so that you can adjust your training accordingly. Once you understand how to answer the question – “What is the CSA Program?” you can begin to work on improving yours.
More useful tips to improve the CSA score –
Use PSP Reports in your hiring. By using these reports, you can make intelligent hiring decisions and lower your crash rate by 8% and driver out-of-service rates by 17%, according to FMCSA data.
Implement dual-facing dashcam solutions. Dashcams have a proven impact on accident reduction. They may prevent about 15% of accidents involving heavy duty trucks each year according to a recent study.
Get proactive about vehicle maintenance. By using a pre and post-trip inspection tool that’s mobile, you can significantly improve the effectiveness of your inspections.
Challenge incorrect violations. It is possible that incorrect or incomplete violations will be added to a CSA score at some point, so if this happens then challenge it.
Use a weigh station bypass solution. Fewer weigh station pull ins means fewer inspections, and potentially fewer violations.
Choose the right ELD solution. Many of the most common and costly violations are Hours of Service related. Choose ELDs that are easy to use, reliable and include document management.
Additional information regarding CSA Score Frequently Asked Questions can be found on the following sources:
By organizing the voices of small trucking operations, they have been able to effectively lobby for positive change at a state and federal level.
They have gone fought against proposed regulations that have threatened small trucking operations and won.
With over 160,000 members, they have a proven track record of influencing legitimate, positive reform.
OOIDA Success Stories
1979
At OOIDA’s prompting, Congress investigated the problems small trucking operations were having. This led to the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) creating Truth-in-Leasing regulations.
“These regulations, commonly known as the truth-in-leasing regulations, required, among other things, that the authorized motor carrier fully disclose in the lease all deductions from owner-operator compensation and established requirements governing escrow funds deposited with the motor carrier to guarantee performance or cover expenses initially paid by the carrier but ultimately borne by the owner-operator.”
1985
A 1984 OOIDA suit against Oklahoma’s ICC registration fees prompted the state of Oklahoma to lower registration fees.
1989
OOIDA established it’s own Political Action Committee (PAC) so it could readily oppose legislation that would harm truckers.
1992
In a lawsuit against Tennessee PSC commissioner Keith Bissell, U.S. District Judge Robert Echols sided with OOIDA. According to The JOC Group, “a number of witnesses have testified that safety violations filed by roadside inspectors would be dropped for trucking companies that made political contributions.” Ultimately, an injunction was ordered.
1996
OOIDA stopped an attempt to lower speed limits for commercial motor vehicles.
2004
Under influence from OODIA, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ruled that drivers can see previous records when looking at new employers.
Modern Issues
But OOIDA hasn’t stopped fighting for you. Their recent work for better legislation includes:
ELDs
HOS
Speed Limiters
Compensation
In 2018, OOIDA acted on a number of these issues by:
Filing ELD exemption request for small trucking companies that have a proven track record of safety.
A lawsuit against Pennsylvania’s proposed tolls.
Publicly calling out Indiana’s truck-only toll plan.
Support OOIDA by signing up for a membership!
Add your name to the 160,000 other truckers who trust OOIDA to fight for them!
Use Express Truck Tax to file your 2290.
Express Truck Tax is recommended by OOIDA to all its members for HVUT tax filing.
Alright trucking nation, the Form W-2 deadline is only a few days away on January 31. This means that not only do you need to file by the deadline, but you need to correctly file. In order to correctly file it’s important to include correct information as well as all of the information needed to complete your form.
If you find out that something is incorrect or missing from your W 2 Form then it’s up to you to correct it by the deadline! Luckily ExpressTruckTax’s sister product, TaxBandits, makes it easy to file Form W-2 and make W-2 corrections in a matter of minutes!
How to handle Missing or Incorrect W-2 Information?
First of all Form, W-2 is the annual statement you are required to file with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to report all of the compensation and wages offered to your trucking business employees that had social security, Medicare, and income taxes withheld.
You are also required to issue a copy of Form W-2 to each of your employees, as they need this information to complete their personal income tax returns. You must file for each employee who you offered wages of $600 or more to during the tax period.
TaxBandits makes it easy to file W-2 Online in a matter of minutes. Once you create your free account follow the interview style e-filing process that will help you complete your form and instantly transmit it to the SSA.
With TaxBandits innovative, time-saving e-filing features the entire process is extremely convenient. You can use the bulk upload feature to upload all of your data at once, and you can use the postal mailing feature to have them print and mail copies of your Form W-2 to each of your employees.
Form W-2c
If you see a mistake or that something is missing from your W-2 Form then you can easily correct it. The correction process is just as easy as e-filing your W-2 form. All you have to do is log in to your account and select correction Form W-2c.
In order to complete Form W-2c you will need to provide the following information:
Your employer details, including the name, EIN, address, employer coder, and employee type.
Your employee details, such as their name, SSN, address, and contact information.
And the corrected wage and tax amounts.
You will also need to issue copies of your corrected form to each of your trucking employees, but this task can be easily completed with our postal mailing feature.
The IFTA Deadline Is Almost Here
Don’t forget about your 4th quarter IFTA return, which is due on January 31! Luckily, ExpressTruckTax’s other sister, ExpressIFTA will easily help you track all of the IFTA totals needed to complete your return. It’s incredibly fast and easy to import all of your IFTA information, because ExpressIFTA even accepts ELD data.
ExpressIFTA takes the time and hassle out of IFTA reporting by calculating all of your IFTA totals with 100% accuracy based on the information you enter. All of the totals will be listed in an easy to read IFTA report that can be downloaded, printed, emailed, and used to correctly complete your return.
It can seem like your taxes never end. From your HVUT Form 2290 to filing IFTA four times a year, your IRP return, and more. There’s always a deadline to prepare for, and missing it could result in major penalties.
Then on top of your truck taxes, you have to file for your trucking business employees by the January 31 deadline! You need to file Form W-2 or Form 1099-MISC and issue copies to each of your recipients by this deadline. Luckily, this can all be quickly accomplished with the help of our sister product, TaxBandits
File Wage Returns For Your Drivers
Form 1099-MISC
Form 1099-MISC is used to report payments or miscellaneous income made by trucking businesses for services performed by people such as independent contractors or contract workers, who are not treated as employees.
You must file Form 1099-MISC for your independent contractors if you paid them $600 or more in wages during the tax year. It reports the amount they were paid and how much of their income had taxes withheld, so they need this form to complete their personal income tax returns.
Form W-2
File Form W-2 electronically with the Social Security Administration and issue copies to each of your employees on an annual basis for all of your workers who you paid $600 or more to in wages during the tax year.
This form is basically a report that lists all of the compensations and income that you offered your employees during the year with income, Medicare, and social security taxes withheld. Your employees need this information to complete their personal income tax returns.
E-Filing With TaxBandits
TaxBandits is the market leading e-filing solution for business owners and accountants. By streamlining the e-filing process online they make it incredibly quick and easy to complete your returns in a matter of minutes.
Simply create your account to get started and follow the step-by-step e-filing guide that explains exactly where to enter the information that’s required to complete your form and transmit it directly to the IRS. This fast, cost-effective process will save you tons of time and money.
Plus, TaxBandits even offers multiple, innovative e-filing features that make the entire process incredibly convenient. For example, use the bulk upload feature to save time by uploading all of your employee information at once.
Also, forget the hassle of having to go to the post office. Just use our postal mailing feature to have us print hard copies of your returns and mail them to your recipients for you.
IFTA Is Coming
Your 4th Quarter IFTA return is also due on January 31, and you don’t want to miss that deadline! Be sure to check out ExpressTruckTax’s other sister, ExpressIFTA to quickly import all of your IFTA data to record it in one location online. ExpressIFTA even accepts ELD data to make the reporting process even easier.
All of your IFTA calculations will automatically be calculated in an easy to read IFTA report that contains all of the totals needed to complete your return. Your IFTA report can be downloaded, printed, and emailed to go wherever it needs to.
As a trucker, we know you have a lot of taxes to deal with. From your Heavy Vehicle Use Tax Form 2290 to your IRP return, quarterly IFTA return, and more. That’s why we aim to make things easier by providing you with a quick and easy way to instantly file your Form 2290 online.
However, then we thought, why stop at Form 2290? You have more tax returns to file and they should all be fast and simple to complete online, especially if you run a trucking business. That’s why we are proud to announce our new tax solution, TaxBandits.
We Launched TaxBandits
TaxBandits is our newest program that was specifically designed to help small businesses steal back their time by providing them with a quick and easy e-filing solution for multiple returns.
All you have to do is follow our interview style e-filing process that’s full of instructions and helpful tips along the way. We’ve also gotten rid of unnecessary steps to make filing your forms and transmitting them directly to the IRS even faster.
TaxBandits currently offers W-2 Forms, the Form 990 Series (Form 990-N, 990-EZ, 990, 990-PF), the Form 94x Series, ACA Forms, the Form 1099 Series, and Extension Forms, so you can file for your small business or nonprofit, and even get more time to file if needed.
Plus, TaxBandits has a number of outstanding e-filing features to make the entire process super convenient. For example, you can use the bulk upload feature to instantly upload all of your information at once!
Also, you can use our postal mailing feature to have us mail hard copies of your forms to each of your recipients.
Check out the free “Vendor Payments & How to Stay Compliant” Webinar today, Tuesday, December 12th at 2 PM EST to learn more about Form 1099-MISC. Register here!
Contact TaxBandits
If you need any assistance, the amazing, US-based TaxBandits support team is here to help. Give us a call Monday – Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM EST at 704.684.4751. We also offer live chat and 24/7 email support at support@TaxBandits.com.
Should your drivers receive a 1099 or a W-2 form? That’s the question for a lot of truckers and fleets this time of year. And while we tend to focus on 2290s around here, understanding the personal taxes of a trucker can make a huge difference for both companies and drivers.
Fleets: Do Truckers Need 1099s or W-2s?
Well, let’s get right down to it here – there are a lot of mixed emotions out there over what tax classification drivers belong to. I mean, misclassification continues to be a subject of contention for both companies and drivers.
So how should your fleet approach classification?
When you bring on a new driver, you should determine if they’re a full-time employee or an independent contractor from the start. Depending on their status, you’ll either need to send your drivers a W-2 or 1099 come tax time. Now we’ve heard stories from some drivers where companies won’t discuss employee status until tax forms are due, but we suggest clear and open communication with your drivers from day one. Sure, some fleets might be tempted to put the burden of taxes on a company driver and send them 1099, but that route can only be traveled with specific conditions geared towards independent contractors.
Basically, treating a full-time employee as an independent contractor will just lead the IRS to your doorstep. And let’s face it, the IRS will come for their money one way or another! Might as well keep your filing legitimate and make things easy on your crew.
Truckers: Independent Contractor or Company Driver?
When you get right down to it, your status as an employee needs to be determined before you’re hired. There are specific guidelines from the IRS on contractors who receive 1099s, and you owe it to yourself to know your status.
It all comes down to how you work – if you’re an independent contractor, you will have to cover your end of government expenses, but you also have more choice in how you haul. Now, if you are an independent contractor (like a co-driver), you are probably used to the 1099 routine. We know it can take a while to get your returns straightened out, so we suggest e-filing a tax extension.
Okay, But How Can I file W-2s and 1099s?
With employee status already established, all you have to do is file for the proper tax form. Now if you’ve used ExpressTruckTax before, you know we like our tax software fast and easy-to-use. That’s why we suggest you check out ExpressIRSForms for filing your 1099s and W2 forms. Designed by the makers of ExpressTruckTax, ExpressIRSForms is perfect for any sized company in need of W2 and 1099 forms. With postal mailing, bulk upload, and multiple users, your fleet’s IRS forms will be filed in no time. Not only that, but if you need to get a trucker’s EIN for 1099, they even offer free e-signing for Form W-9! You can also enjoy the same level of customer support you’ve come to expect from ExpressTruckTax.
Speaking of tax forms, larger fleets with over 50 full-time employees count as Applicable Large Employers, which means they need to file for Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) compliance. The good thing about ExpressIRSForms is that they also offer e-filing for Forms 1094 & 1095. You could say they’re kind of a one-stop shop for all your IRS tax forms!
If you have questions about 2290s and tax forms, contact our US-based support team by phone at 704.234.6005, email at support@expresstrucktax.com, and live chat at our website.
