Filing Tax Form 2290: Your Heavy Vehicle Use Tax Payment Made Easy
Isn't there enough for a heavy vehicle operator or truck driver to do without having
to worry about filing paperwork? One of the biggest nuisances for a busy businessman is having to dash over to the IRS or some other government office to get current on something. Due to the new e-filing option for the Tax Form 2290, life as a trucker just go a little easier.Because now you can stay in the office where you're needed and still make sure your current on your fees. No running across town. No doing it by post and then waiting for the stamped form to arrive in the mail, leaving you without proof of payment for a period of weeks.
If you are running a fleet of twenty-five or more trucks, it is absolutely mandated that you file electronically. The IRS doesn't offer the service themselves, but there are a small handful companies that are trained and authorized by the IRS to provide the service for a minimal fee.
Anyone who has spent years in the trucking industry realizes what a relief this is compared to the old system. In the past, truckers and heavy vehicle operators had to actually go into the IRS and file the paperwork personally.
The only other option was doing it by mail, but that meant weeks of waiting for the stamped paperwork to come back. Since officials often ask to see the papers and it is essential to have them when leasing or even purchasing insurance, doing it by post just wasn't really ideal.
But what the new system offers is an efficient way to do it without taking too much out of the operator's day. And the companies are set up to provide a watermarked Schedule 1 right there on the spot. Once you've paid your bill, you just print it out, fold it up, and place it in your glove compartment.
A simple solution with no inconvenience. If a driver runs less than twenty-five heavy vehicles, they don't necessarily have to do it online. For most people, it's a no-brainer, but others just aren't too keen on the internet, even in this day and age. And that's fine.
But completely neglecting to file the tax Form 2290 can be damaging to your business. Did you know that registration can be suspended if you don't file on time, leaving you out of work?
Not to mention you will be charged late fees and if you are purposely circumventing your duty as a tax-payer, you can be subjected to criminal fines or imprisonment.
Since the maximum you can be charged for the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax is a mere $550, it just isn't worth it to pull any silly tricks on the government, and be forewarned that they are well-trained to spot all sorts of tricks.
Just pay your fee.
After all, if it wasn't for taxes like these, the government wouldn't have the money to keep up the roads and keep them safe and operational. And the fact that companies are set up to allow you to file IRS tax form 2290 online leaves no real excuse for not getting it done on time.
by: James Druman