January 31st Deadline is Here: HVUT, IFTA, KYU & More State Taxes Due

The first major deadline of the year is upon us! Saturday, January 31st marks a whole host of tax-filing deadlines for transportation businesses. If you’re strapped for time, TSNAmerica has services that can help you file efficiently and keep your focus where it belongs, on the road.

• Heavy Vehicle Use Tax: If you have a heavy vehicle that was first purchased or put in use anytime during December 2014, then 01/31 is the deadline for you to file your HVUT Form 2290. After filing your 2290, you will receive the stamped Schedule 1, which is required for renewing your tags, IRP registration, and more. To file on-time, you can use an online E-filing service like ExpressTruckTax, or you can have TSNAmerica file over the phone! We can complete your 2290 same day with just a short phone call to gather your info. 

• 4th Quarter IFTA Returns: Saturday is the filing deadline to report your operations from October through December of 2014. This means you’ll need all completed trip sheets with your mileage per jurisdiction, fuel purchases & fuel use per jurisdiction, as well as original fuel receipts. Personal and unloaded miles must be reported. And even if you didn’t operate this quarter, you must still file a Zero Return if you hold an IFTA license. Don’t forget that after you file, you must still retain all original documents and receipts in your base jurisdiction for at least 12 more quarters. TSNAmerica can prepare your return based on your trip sheets, but we file on a first come, first served basis, so don’t wait another second to give us a call!

• Additional State Use Taxes: 4th Quarter Tax reportings for several state use taxes are also due this week. If you operate in Kentucky, New Mexico, or New York, then more than likely, you will need to file these state use taxes by the 31st. You will also need to obtain a tax license before filing this tax, such as the KYU Number for Kentucky or the NM Tax Permit for New Mexico. But that’s not all! Oregon Weight-Mile filings are due for those on a quarterly mileage fee basis. Your fee basis is determined by your vehicle’s weight and load contents. If you’re unsure of yours, check with the ODOT. And remember, a weight receipt must be obtained before you can operate and file the Oregon Weight-Mile tax, and this receipt must be renewed annually. 

If you need to file one or more of these taxes before the deadline, contact TSNAmerica to find out how we can help. Or visit tsnamerica.com.

We have a wide array of services to meet all of your business’s filing needs. Our mission is to take the paperwork out of your way and make running your business as stress-free as possible. To start saving time and saving your sanity, simply call us at 803.386.0320, and one our happy helpers will get you started today.

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4th Quarter Deadlines Rapidly Approaching: IFTA & State Use Taxes Due Jan. 31st

There’s just 1 week left to prepare and submit your 4th Quarter IFTA and State Use Tax Returns.

Before you frantically start trying to complete your returns, check out these last minute filing tips. It’s everything you need to know to get it done fast and right–the first time.

IFTA

• Zero Returns: IFTA license holders must file a quarterly return even if they didn’t operate or make any taxable fuel purchases this quarter. If this is the case, then you must file what’s called a “Zero Return.” This means you’ll enter “0” when filing. For questions or advice on completing your Zero Return, just call TSNAmerica.
• Documents you’ll need to file: Completed Trip Sheets from October-December of 2014. These trip sheets should include fuel use and purchase information, along with your mileage per jurisdiction. Be sure to keep all original documentation, like fuel receipts, for at least 3 years after the return is submitted.
• Red Flags: There are several common filing mistakes that trigger IFTA audits. One such mistake occurs when your end of day location doesn’t match your location at the beginning of the next day. This is known as a Gap in Mileage, and this errors most often occurs when drivers forget to record their personal mileage at the end of the day. For more tips on avoiding IFTA audits, check out this blog or ask your friends at TSNAmerica for help.
• Filing Options: 1.) DIY: Calculate the tax owed and complete the form yourself. 2.) Use a program like ExpressIFTA to complete your return. It performs the calculations for you, reducing the risk of errors and making the process quicker. 3.) Have Truck Services of North America prepare your return. We not only check for errors and red flags for auditors, we submit the return directly to your state department. Simply send us your completed trip sheets, and we’ll take it from there!
• Penalties: The penalty for late filing or late payment of fuel taxes is $50 or .4167% of the net tax owed, whichever is greater. Interest also accrues on the tax owed at a rate of 1% per month. If you file late, it’s best to submit your return as soon after the deadline as possible!
• Grace Period Ending: Don’t forget that the grace period for displaying your 2015 IFTA credentials expires at the end of February. If you still haven’t filed your IFTA registration renewal, TSNAmerica can help get your account back in good standing faster. 

State Use Taxes

For these state use taxes, the reporting quarters and deadlines are the same as IFTA.

• KYU: The Kentucky Use Tax applies to all vehicles traveling through Kentucky that have a combined gross weight or licensed weight over 59,999 pounds. Before a vehicle of this weight can enter the state (farm vehicles and buses excluded), it must register with the state and obtain a KYU Number. Once you have your KYU Number, you must file quarterly reports and pay tax based on your mileage in the state. Whether you need a KYU License Number or to file a return, rest assured that we can get it done.
• New Mexico Weight-Distance: Vehicles traversing NM roads with a gross weight exceeding 26,000 lbs must file this quarterly tax, which is based on the weight of the vehicle and the number of miles driven. Similar to KYU, a NM Tax Permit must first be acquired before you can file this tax, and this permit must be renewed annually.
• NY HUT: The New York Highway Use Tax is applicable to commercial carriers that travel on NY Highways (toll roads excluded) with a combined gross weight over 18,000 lbs. This tax also applies to unloaded trucks weighing over 8,000 lbs or unloaded tractors weighing over 4,000 lbs. Before you can operate in this state, you must register and obtain decals to display in your cab. The registration fee is $15, and the decal fee is $4. 

If you have questions about filing your return, or would like for us to handle it for you, give us a call at 803.386.0320 or send us an email at support@tsnamerica.com. We’re multi-talented, so we can file all of the above for you, and then some.

To see our array of services, check out tsnamerica.com, then send us a Service Request Form and let us know which services you’re interested in. Don’t see a service you’re interested in? Let us know, and we’ll see if we can accommodate you. It’s our goal to make your life easier.

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USDOT & MC Numbers: Details on Biennial Updates & Maintaining Your Operating Authority

We’ve been getting quite a few questions here at TSNAmerica, questions regarding DOT & MC

numbers.

Do you need one– the other– or both? And what are they used for?

Well today, we’ll make some sense of the FMCSA’s requirements for DOT & MC numbers, and we’ll cover the part that people most often forget: required biennial updates.

USDOT #

• The USDOT Number serves as your vehicle’s identification during inspections, compliance reviews, and more.
• The FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) requires most interstate vehicles that haul cargo or passengers to obtain a DOT#.
• Are you required to have a DOT#? Here are the specific requirements for interstate vehicles: 1. Your vehicle has a gross or combined weight of 10,001 lbs or more. 2. Your vehicle transports 8 or more passengers for compensation. 3. Your vehicle transports 15 or more passengers not for compensation. 4. You transport hazardous materials.
• If you travel intrastate only, you will still be required to obtain a DOT# if you transport hazardous materials or if you are based in one of the 33 states that requires DOT#’s for all commercial carriers. Here’s a list of the states that currently require DOT#’s:
  
  
  Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
• When you first obtain your DOT#, you will be issued a PIN. Keep this information safe as you will need it to update your information with the FMCSA.
• If you lose your PIN, TSNAmerica can retrieve it for you. The fastest way for us to retrieve it is via the email you have on file with the FMCSA. Postal mail retrieval will take 7-10 business days, so it’s important to provide the FMCSA with an email address you will have long-term access to for situations like these. Either way, we can get the job done and get you back on track.

Biennial Updates

• All DOT#’s must be updated with the FMCSA biennially (every 2 years) in order to remain active. 
• Even if your business or vehicle information has not changed, you are still required to update.
• If you fail to update your DOT# information, the FMCSA may deactivate your DOT# or may even levy steep penalties against you. 
• The deadline for you to update is determined by the last digit in your DOT#. Each digit corresponds to the month in which you should update. For example, DOT#’s ending in 9 must be updated in September every other year. 
• For information about when your update is due, or for help filing your update, just call TSNAmerica!

MC #

• Now for the tricky part! So you have a DOT#...but do you also need an MC#?
• The MC#, also issued through the FMCSA, grants you your interstate operating authority. The type of authority you must obtain is determined by your business operations and the kind of cargo you carry. Some businesses may need more than one. In this case, the MC# is the type of authority required for for-hire carriers. 
• TSNAmerica can help you determine which kinds of authority you need to obtain in addition to your DOT#. 
• Private carriers are not required to obtain an MC#.

But Wait, There's More...

• To be issued an MC#, you will need to have a BOC-3 processing agent on file with the FMCSA. The BOC-3 agent is the designated person or office that will receive legal documents on your behalf in each state.
• Now there’s good news, and there’s bad news. The bad news is this: if you choose to do complete the BOC-3 on your own, you will need to seek out a processing agent for every single state you operate in. That’s a lot of work! Here’s the good news: you don’t have to do it!
• TSNAmerica is an FMCSA-registered Blanket Agent, meaning we already have the contacts in every state that you need. We can file your BOC-3 for you, same day! No waiting, no third party involvement. Just immediate results. 
• Just one last thing! Once you receive your MC#, it will not be active until you provide the FMCSA with your insurance information. To activate your MC#, have your insurance company E-file for the correct amount of coverage that is required for your operation. Then you’re ready to roll!

Knowledge is the first step. As a business owner, it’s important to understand the requirements specific to your business.

Truck Services of North America is the second step. We don’t only know the requirements, we also know how to meet them in a timely fashion.

That’s why we have service packages to cover all of the above and more! No matter what your business needs, we can file it for you fast. From obtaining your operating authority, to BOC-3, and even quarterly IFTA filings or HVUT, Truck Services of North America can handle it for you and give you peace of mind that it was done right the first time.

Head over to tsnamerica.com and view our time-saving services. Then send us a Service Request form, call us at 803.386.0320, or email us at support@tsnamerica.com. One of our happy helpers at our headquarters in Rock Hill, SC, is ready to help make your life easier!

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4th Quarter Filing Period Opens: Time for IFTA, KYU, NY HUT & More

It’s hard to believe it’s already 2015! Around the TSNAmerica office, 2014 went by in a flash. And things don’t seem to be slowing down either.

As quickly as January arrived, it will disappear–especially when there are several quarterly tax filings due on January 31st!

As they say, time flies when you have taxes to file! Which means time will be speeding up for truckers everywhere. After all, New Year is a time for endings and beginnings. And in this case, the Renewal Season is ending, and the 4th Quarter Tax Filings are just around the bend!

As many of you know, 4th Quarter IFTA filings are due January 31st for all interstate truckers–but what about the states with additional highway use taxes, namely Kentucky, New Mexico, and New York. Do you need to file these state taxes along with IFTA? Let’s find out!

KYU: Kentucky Use Tax

This state use tax is required for all vehicles traveling through Kentucky that have a combined gross weight or licensed weight over 59,999 pounds. Farm-licensed vehicles are an exception.

A KYU license number must be obtained before you can file the quarterly tax. And don’t forget to keep accurate fuel and distance records as this tax is determined by your mileage.

New Mexico Weight-Distance Tax

The New Mexico Weight-Distance Tax is levied on heavy vehicles with a gross weight exceeding 26,000 lbs. Filed quarterly, this tax is graduated based on both the weight of the vehicle and the number of miles traveled on New Mexico roads.

In order to file, a new Tax Permit must be acquired from the NM MVD each year. If you still haven’t applied for your new permit, let us know and we can get it for you fast.

NY HUT: New York Highway Use Tax

This tax applies to all vehicles traveling on New York highways with a combined gross weight over 18,000 lbs. Use tax is also applied to unloaded trucks weighing over 8,000 lbs and unloaded tractors weighing over 4,000 lbs.

While the tax is based on the weight of the vehicle and the miles traveled on NY highways, miles accrued on toll-paid portions of the New York State Thruway are not taxable. If you only plan to travel in New York a few times this year, you may obtain trip permits instead of registering with NY HUT. Call TSNAmerica and find out what the best option for you business is.

IFTA

License holders with the International Fuel Tax Agreement must submit mileage and fuel use reports to their base jurisdiction every quarter. Any unpaid fuel taxes are due at the time of filing. Also, remember that the IFTA renewal grace period extends through January and February of 2015. This grace period applies to the display of current credentials only. Once the grace period runs out, you must have your new 2015 credentials displayed in your truck or face penalties.

If you are preparing your own IFTA return, be sure to follow these Tips for Avoiding an IFTA Audit. Or you can have TSNAmerica file for you, and we’ll ensure that you don’t make those mistakes! We’ll even submit it directly to your state department.

HVUT: Bonus Item!

For vehicles with a first-used month of December 2014, the due date to file your heavy vehicle use tax is January 31st. This means that if the vehicle was purchased or first put on the road anytime during December, you must file by the end of January. Truck Services of North America can not only file your HVUT for you, we can do it same day & over the phone!

To ensure you stay on top of quarterly filings throughout the year, mark these important dates on your calendar or set reminders on your smartphone. Remember, it’s never wise to wait until the last minute, even when you have professionals filing for you!

• 1st Quarter: January-March
  Due: April 30
• 2nd Quarter: April-June
  Due: July 31
• 3rd Quarter: July-September
  Due: October 31
• 4th Quarter:October-December
  Due: January 31

It’s not too early to start preparing your quarterly taxes! We file on a first come, first served basis, so call Truck Services of North America today to reserve your place in line. We’re available at 803.386.0320, on live chat, or by email at support@tsnamerica.com.

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