Truck stops and Tarmacs

“Don’t reinvent the wheel, just realign it.”  Anthony J. D’Angelo, author

We’ve all heard the adage about reinventing the wheel.  Why spend a great deal of time and effort on working through something that someone has already explored?  When Women In Trucking Association was formed, we looked at other trade and professional organizations and determined what parts worked for us and what didn’t.

In fact, we took a lot of ideas from an organization called Women In Aviation International (WAI).  At the time, I was working on my private pilot’s license and joined the WAI because I wanted to meet other women who fly.  The airline industry isn’t all that different from the trucking industry, and both have a very small percentage of women behind in the cab or the cockpit.   Many of our challenges are similar, so why not cooperate on our efforts?

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Most taxpayers who requested an extension to file must file today

Today is the filing extension deadline. Most taxpayers who requested an extension of time to file their 2019 tax return must file today.

Those filing today who also owe taxes should pay as much as possible to reduce interest and penalties. The extension of time to file is not an extension to pay. Taxes must be paid on the original due date to avoid any penalty and interest charges.

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For Sale By Owner

Have you ever questioned how some terms or phrases are either outdated or don’t even make any sense?  For example, when was the last time you actually “dialed” the phone?  Except for your great aunt Edna, rotary dial phones are no longer in existence.  We don’t dial anything; we just tap it or touch it.

What about taping a video?  We don’t use tape anymore.  We’re not using VCRs to record anything, we record it with bytes, not footage. Footage implies the film is measured in feet, but there aren’t any length measurements when it comes to recording a video.

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October 15 deadline nears for taxpayers who requested tax filing extensions

Federal Taxpayers should file electronically and request direct deposit for refundseFiling is fast, easy and secured.

The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers who filed an extension that the Oct. 15 due date to file their 2019 tax return is near. Taxpayers should file their tax returns on or before the Oct. 15 deadline. For those who still owe, pay as soon as possible to reduce any penalties and interest.

Convenient electronic filing options, including IRS Free File, are still available. Taxpayers and tax professionals should continue to use electronic options to support social distancing and speed the processing of tax returns, refunds and payments.

Although October 15 is the last day for most people to file, some taxpayers may have more time.

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Business owners should visit IRS.gov for help with tax actions when closing a business

Closing a business is always a difficult decision regardless of the circumstances. With this in mind, the IRS redesigned the closing a business page of IRS.gov to help business owners navigate the federal tax steps when closing a business.

Small businesses and self-employed taxpayers will find a variety of information on the page including:

  • What forms to file
  • How to report revenue received in the final year of business
  • How to report expenses incurred before closure
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For truckers looking to vote early or absentee options for each state during election years

All states allow absentee voting, but there are many differences in their procedures and deadlines.

Forty states plus Washington, D.C., allow voters to come to their polling place in-person days or weeks before the election. There are 34 states, plus Washington, D.C., that allow any registered voter to request an absentee ballot without an excuse. Five of those states – Washington, Oregon, Utah, Colorado and Hawaii – conduct their elections with all-mail voting, while also giving voters the option to vote early in-person at the polls.

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What I learned from my “wearable”

I never thought I could be friends with a piece of technology that is exceptionally nosey.  I’m a pretty private person, and the thought of sharing my physical data makes me pretty uncomfortable.

Sharing my sleeping patterns, my eating habits, and how often my heart rate was elevated isn’t my idea of privacy.  However, we recently partnered with Rolling Strong to do a wellness competition, and I donned a Fitbit Versa for the challenge.

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IRS Notice Information & Upcoming August 31 HVUT Form 2290 Deadline

Mistakes are a part of life, we take action and we learn from them. Most mistakes made on tax returns are due to trial or human error and can be easily corrected by filing amendments. There are however few instances where certain errors might go unnoticed and the IRS will send you a notice by mail to keep you informed. The notice or letter will explain the reason for the contact and brief you with detailed instructions on how to have this resolved.

There are many reasons why the IRS may send a letter or notice. It typically is about a specific issue on your federal tax return or tax account. The IRS generally sends notices and letters based on the following grounds:

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Deadline to file and pay heavy highway vehicle use tax is Aug. 31

The deadline to file and pay heavy highway vehicle use tax is Monday, August 31. All taxpayers who file Form 2290 are encouraged to do so electronically. Those with 25 or more taxed vehicles must e-file. All the information needed to file is on the Trucking Tax Center.

Taxpayers who e-file can get a stamped Schedule 1 within minutes after the IRS accepts the form. Due to COVID-19, those who choose to file on paper can expect a significant delay in receiving their IRS stamped Schedule 1.


Tax2290 eFile with 2020

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IRS temporarily stops mailing notices to taxpayers with balances due

The IRS has suspended the mailing of three notices – the CP501, the CP503 and the CP504 – that go to taxpayers who have a balance due on their taxes. Although the IRS continues to make significant reductions in the backlog of unopened mail that developed while most IRS operations were closed due to COVID-19, this temporary adjustment to processing is intended to lessen any possible confusion that might be associated with delays in processing correspondence received from taxpayers.

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