Look out! We’re down to just five days to file Form 2290 (also known as the Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax Return). The IRS is expecting a fleet of 800,000 tax returns to be submitted during the filing season, which runs from July 1 to August 31, 2018.
This is an annual tax on heavy highway vehicles paid by truck owners and operators. It applies to vehicles with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more. Generally, this includes buses, truck tractors, and large trucks.
There are many special rules that apply, so if this is your first time filing a Form 2290 you may want to enlist the services of an Enrolled Agent (EA).
An EA has special tax training and expertise and is the only Federally authorized tax professional who can represent you before all levels of the IRS.
Do I Need to File?
For all vehicles that have been on the road in July 2018, returns must be filed and tax payments made by the deadline.
Trucks that get 5,000 miles a year or less, as well as farm trucks that see 7,500 miles or less, do not pay the tax… but (and this is important) they must still file Form 2290.
Please note that this includes vehicles that were first put into use on public highways during the reporting period.
Some truck owners don’t realize that it’s not about the date you registered the vehicle… it’s based on when vehicle’s wheels hit the road that matters.
If you put a new (or new-to-you) vehicle to use after July, you will have a prorated filing season. You will need to file Form 2290 by the last day of the month that follows the month you first put the vehicle to use on a public highway.
The returns for the rest of your fleet already in use?
Those need to be filed as normal by August 31.
Now – not to further complicate matters – if you’ve bought a vehicle secondhand you need to determine if the seller has already paid the tax for the taxable period. If that’s the case, there will change your tax calculation.
How Do I File?
All filers must have an employer identification number (EIN) established with the IRS in order to file your Form 2290. All filers are also encouraged to e-file, however, if you have 25 or more taxed vehicles, you are required to.
The good news? You can pay with a debit or credit card, on your mobile device or the internet or phone.
More good news… you may be able to claim a refund for vehicles that you have sold or were stolen or destroyed during the tax period.
After filing, you’ll receive your IRS-stamped Schedule 1 to provide to your state’s department of motor vehicles
The Last Word
We’ve only scratched the surface here… there are a lot of special rules and circumstances that can affect your tax situation.
Again, an EA can navigate through those and ensure you pay the least amount of tax possible, or maximize your refund, under the (somewhat complex) law.
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Jeffrey Schneider, EA, CTRS, NTPI Fellow has the knowledge and expertise to help you reach a favorable outcome with the IRS. He is the head honcho at SFS Tax & Accounting as well as an Enrolled Agent and a Certified Tax Resolution Specialist.
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Now What? I Got A Tax Notice From The IRS. Help! Defining and deconstructing the scary and confusing letters that land in your mailbox. Jeff defines and deconstructs the scary and confusing letters in a fashion that mixes attention to detail with humor and an intricate clarification of what is what in the world of the IRS.
The book is available in paperback and ebook on https://Amazon.com
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For more on SFS Tax Problem Solutions, visit: http://sfstaxproblemsolutions.com/
For more on SFS Tax & Accounting Services, visit https://sfstaxacct.com/
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738 Colorado Avenue Stuart, FL 34994
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Phone: 772-337-1040
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