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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Today is Deadline to File 4th Quarter IFTA


The deadline to file 4th Quarter IFTA Return is today!! You must file a return even if you did not run during the quarter.  You would just file a “zero” report.

Failure to file a return, filing a late return, or failure to remit any or all tax due will result in a penalty of $50.00 or 10% of the net tax due to all member jurisdictions, whichever is greater.  Interest is computed on all delinquent taxes dues each jurisdiction at a rate of 1% per month.  Even if you have a net refund, interest still applies to each jurisdiction for any underpayment of fuels use tax to that jurisdiction and is calculated beginning the day after the due date of the return for each month, or fraction of a month, until paid. So the longer you are late, the more you will owe.

The deadline for 4th quarter IFTA returns is today, January 31st, so if you have not yet filed your return, you will want to file it now to avoid penalties and interest.
Today is also the deadline to file 4th Quarter KYU, NY HUT, Oregon Weight-Mile Tax and New Mexico Weight Distance Tax Returns. At Truck Services of North America, we make it simple by preparing and filing your quarterly returns for you. TSNA takes the paperwork out of your way.  Contact us at TSNAmerica.com or call 803.386.0320.
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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Tomorrow is the Deadline For 4th Quarter Returns & Form 2290


Tomorrow, Thursday, January 31, 2013 is the deadline for 4th Quarter IFTA, KYU, NY HUT, Oregon Weight-Mile or New Mexico Weight Distance returns as well as Form 2290 for Heavy Vehicle Use Taxes on vehicles first placed on public highways during the month of December.  

On the road and unable to file on your own?  No problem, just give us a call and we’ll take care of it for you.  We take all your information over the phone and submit it to the IRS on your behalf!  All we need is your information and a signed Form 8453, giving us the authorization to file for you.  We can fax you the form, you sign it a fax it back and we take care of the rest. We can even send your employer proof that you filed your Form 2290 for you.  So don’t risk IRS penalties by missing tomorrow’s deadline.

Truck Services of North America can handle it for you.  TSNA takes the paperwork out of your way!  Contact our US Based Customer Service at 803.386.0320 to get your Form 2290 and 4th Quarter Returns returned filed today!  Check out all our services at TSNAmerica.com.
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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

What Are Non-Taxable or Exempt IFTA Miles?

At Truck Services of North America, we get many questions about what IFTA miles are non-taxable and/or exempt?  Here’s some guidance:
  • Fuel trip permit miles are not taxable miles in any jurisdiction. Include fuel permit miles in the total miles section on the return but do not include them in the taxable miles for the jurisdiction that issued the permit. Toll miles are taxable miles; toll fees are not fuel taxes. They are fees in exchange for the opportunity to use a toll road.
  • Exempted Miles will be shown while you are filing for your company's IFTA, but it will not be shows in the actual IFTA form that you will submit for your tax purpose.

On the IFTA Return; you will see the total miles and the total taxable miles which will include the calculation of the exempted miles.
It is your responsibility to contact jurisdictions, individually, to determine exempt miles. It is also your responsibility to maintain records of exemptions for future review.

As a premier processing agency, Truck Services of North America can assist with your your IFTA Taxes.  TSNA takes the paperwork out of your way. For more details contact us at TSNAmerica.com or call 803.386.0320.
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Monday, January 28, 2013

How To Avoid Paying Quarterly IFTA Taxes

Ever wonder you could to do avoid paying Quarterly IFTA taxes at the end of the quarter. While we hear many ideas and suggestions, the simple answer is to purchase your fuel where you run your miles.


The way IFTA works is as a "pay now or pay later" system. At the end of the quarter, the licensee completes their fuel tax report, listing all miles traveled in all participating jurisdictions and lists all gallons purchased, then the average fuel mileage is applied to the miles traveled to determine the tax liability to each jurisdiction.  When the majority of the fuel is purchased in states where the fuel tax rates are lower, it will cause the tax due at the end of the quarter will be higher. When you purchase the fuel in the states where you run the miles your tax due at the end of the quarter will be lower; hence the pay now or pay later system.

As a premier processing agency, Truck Services of North America can assist with your your IFTA Taxes.  TSNA takes the paperwork out of your way. For more details contact us at TSNAmerica.com or call 803.386.0320.
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Friday, January 25, 2013

Need a Temporary Fuel or Trip Permit?


Temporary Trip Permits are required when traveling into a state in which a vehicle is not authorized to operate due to IRP registration limitations or intrastate authority. The trip permit is a temporary permit issued in lieu of IRP credentials for properly registered vehicles.

Temporary Fuel Permits are required when traveling into or through a state in which a carrier is not permitted to operate due to lack of IFTA decals and licenses. Carriers must secure a temporary fuel permit prior to entering a jurisdiction for which they are not properly permitted.

As a premier processing agency, Truck Services of North America can assist with your obtaining the necessary temporary permits.  TSNA takes the paperwork out of your way. For more details contact us at TSNAmerica.com or call 803.386.0320.
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Thursday, January 24, 2013

4th Quarter IFTA Returns Due Next Week


Reminder that all 4th Quarter IFTA Returns are due next Thursday, January 31, 2013. The International Fuel Tax Agreement (or IFTA) is an agreement between the lower 48 states of the United States and the Canadian provinces (except Northwestern Territories, Nunavut and Yukon), to simplify the reporting of fuel use by motor carriers that operate in more than one jurisdiction. This simplifies the process of reporting quarterly fuel tax returns.

This tax is required for motor vehicles used, designed, or maintained for transportation of persons or property and:
  • Having two axles and a gross vehicle weight rating or registered gross vehicle weight in excess of 26,000 pounds, and/or
  • Having three or more axles regardless of weight, and/or
  • Is used in combination, when the weight of such combination exceeds 26,000 pounds gross vehicle or registered gross vehicle weight.  
Exceptions exist for Recreational Vehicles (such as motor homes, pickup trucks with attached campers, and buses when used exclusively for personal pleasure by an individual). Some states have their own exemptions that may apply to farm vehicles or government vehicles, so check your state for their specific exemptions.

The IFTA license offers several benefits to the interstate/inter-jurisdictional motor carrier. These benefits include one license, one set of decals per vehicle, one quarterly fuel tax report for all vehicles that reflects the net tax or refund due. Tax returns are required even if no operations were conducted or no taxable fuel was used during the reporting period. Returns that are not filed or not paid in full are considered late and will be assessed penalty and interest.

When filing a tax return, a licensee may apply the fuel overpayment generated in one jurisdiction to the taxes owed for another jurisdiction. These advantages result in cost and time savings for the carrier and the member jurisdictions.

Under IFTA, you are able to file one return in your base jurisdiction and that jurisdiction will allocate the money appropriately.  This agreement definitely simplified what used to be a very long and time-consuming process. So don’t delay in filing your 4th Quarter IFTA return by the January 31st deadline.  At Truck Services of North America, we make it even simpler by preparing and filing your quarterly returns for you. TSNA takes the paperwork out of your way.  Contact us at TSNAmerica.com or call 803.386.0320.
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Wednesday, January 23, 2013

4th Quarter NY HUT, KYU, New Mexico & Oregon Weight Distance Deadline


Reminder that all 4th Quarter NY HUT, KYU, New Mexico and Oregon Weight Distance Tax Returns are due next Thursday, January 31, 2013.


New York Highway Use Tax (NYHUT) 
  • Carriers operating certain commercial motor vehicles that weigh 18,000 lbs or greater in New York are required to register and obtain NYHUT tax credentials. Once a NYHUT account has been established, carriers must file and pay mileage tax on a quarterly basis.
Kentucky Use Tax (KYU Number) 
  • All commercial motor vehicles (except buses) with a gross weight of 60,000 lbs and over traveling into or through Kentucky must be registered with the state. Carriers with an active KYU Number are then required to file a quarterly return and pay mileage taxes to Kentucky. New qualifying vehicles must be listed with Kentucky prior to the vehicle entering the state. Temporary permits are also available.
New Mexico Weight Distance Tax 
  • All commercial motor vehicles with a gross weight in excess of 26,000 lbs. must be registered with the state before traveling into or through New Mexico. Entrance can be paid at the port if not registered; however, it is not cost effective to pay at the port unless you travel through New Mexico only once or twice per year. Once a Weight Distance Tax account in New Mexico is established quarterly reports must be filed and mileage tax paid.
Oregon Weight-Mile Tax 
  • All commercial carriers with a gross vehicle weight in excess of 26,001 lbs. must obtain a temporary or annual permit to travel into or through Oregon. Oregon does not belong to the International Fuel Tax Agreement; however, a proper tax permit must be obtained before entering this state. Heavy fines are imposed on carriers entering into Oregon without the proper credentials.
  • Oregon requires all new entrants to become bonded before permanent credentials are issued. Bonds may be placed by a Surety Company or posted with cash. The size of your fleet will determine the amount of the bond required.
As a premier processing agency, Truck Services of North America can assist with your NY HUT, KYU, New Mexico and Oregon Weight Distance Taxes.  TSNA takes the paperwork out of your way. For more details contact us at TSNAmerica.com or call 803.386.0320.
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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

International Registration Plan

What is IRP?
IRP is the International Registration Plan that is an agreement for the registration of commercial motor vehicles involved in interjurisdictional travel throughout the 48 contiguous United States and 10 provinces in Canada.


Benefits of IRP?
IRP facilitates the collection and distribution of registration fees you pay between member jurisdictions while reducing the requirement of multiple license plates, cab cards or registration trip permits The fees are based on percentage of total distance the registered fleet of vehicles operated in each jurisdiction.

What are the IRP fees used for?
The fees are used to support highway infrastructure and safety related programs providing safer, more efficient highways.

Jurisdiction Responsibilities
  •  Register apportioned vehicles
  • Calculate, collect and distribute fees
  • Audit carriers
  • Provide required information to carriers
  • Enforce requirements
Registrant Responsibilities
  • Applying for IRP registration
  • Provide proper documentation
  • Pay IRP registration fees
  • Display registration credentials
  • Maintain accurate distance records
  • Make records available for review   
Importance of maintaining accurate records
Clear and accurate record keeping is critical to the fair assesment and distribution of IRP registration fees. Records must be maintained for 3 years after the close of the registration period. If requested for an audit, they must be made available.  

The renewal period and process varies from state to state.  You will want to check with your base jurisdiction to determine when your IRP expires and what the process is in order to get it renewed. For more information on IRP, check out www.irponline.org  or contact your base jurisdiction.  

As a premier processing agency, Truck Services of North America can help you obtain your IRP.  TSNA takes the paperwork out of your way. For more details contact us at TSNAmerica.com or call 803.386.0320.
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