Featured Blogger Benjamin Bellville

Freight factoring companies are sometimes a necessary evil if you own a small trucking company. If you are running an operation that needs to have the cash rolling in on a more regular basis than the industry average days to pay of 30-45 days then at some point you will do business with freight factoring companies. Before you get too tied up with one though you need to have a good understanding of some things they will never be upfront and voluntarily tell you and also know that they for the most part do not care about your success.

For any small trucking company I highly recommend hauling freight for a quality quick pay freight broker whenever possible if you are in need of constant quick money flow, but there will be times when a quality quick pay freight broker does not have freight available where your truck is, this is when you will need to do business with freight factoring companies. On average for a small trucking company business they are going to charge you 4-5% of the total invoice for pay on the same day that they receive the originals.

There are two types of factoring, recourse and non-recourse. To qualify for a recourse deal you will have to have stellar credit and/or do millions in sales as this means that if a customer fails to pay that you will owe any money previously paid out to you on that load back to the factoring company. It does not matter why the customer did not pay just know that the factoring company will take their money back in full immediately.

For non-recourse freight factoring you need to understand that each load does not stand alone as a separate business deal like it legally should in my opinion. Whenever you get paid for loads you have factored if at any time the customer on the load refuses payment on that load to the factoring company they will withhold money from completely different customers to cover those lost funds. In my experience of dealing with 3 different freight factoring companies they also will not have the class to call you and alert you to the situation.

Instead you are expecting much needed money and it simply never shows up. They also will not work with you to ensure you have funds available to operate. They take all funds that they claim you owe them as soon as it’s available. It’s all just a fancy advertising scheme to draw you into their web of lies and deceit. So tread carefully when dealing with them and have the understanding that they are out for themselves and not you, use them sparingly and protect yourself by having legal representation on retainer.

Do you know who does care about your businesses well being and success? That’s right Express2290. Be sure to visit them and see how they can make your life easier by handling all of your 2290 needs.

Using a website or online software to e-file your Excise tax? Look for these things first:
-An IRS authorized e-file provider logo
-A secure, encrypted site (indicated by https URL) to keep your information safe
-Security certification from a third party internet security company
-Updated Privacy Policy and Terms of Use documents
-A phone number and physical address

What qualifies as a “highway motor vehicle”?
The IRS says a highway motor vehicle is any self-propelled vehicle designed to carry a load over public highways, whether or not that vehicle is also designed to perform other functions. Examples include trucks, buses and truck tractors. For the most part, vans and pickup trucks are not subject to this tax because their taxable gross weight is usually less than 55,000 pounds.

What qualifies as a “public highway”?
Any rod in the United States that is not a private roadway. That includes federal, state, county and city roads.

Are there any vehicles exempt from filing Form 2290?
Yes. Vehicles operated by:
-The Federal Government
-The District of Columbia
-A state or local government
-The American National Red Cross
-A nonprofit volunteer fire department, ambulance association , or rescue squad
-An Indian tribal government but only if the vehicle’s use involves the exercise of an essential tribal government function
-A mass transportation authority created under a statute that gives it certain powers normally exercised by the state
-A qualified blood collector vehicle
-Mobile machinery that meets the specifications for a chassis

Who files when a vehicle is dual registered?
If a taxable vehicle is dual registered to an owner and another person, the owner is liable for the tax and must file Form 2290.

What is the Taxable Gross Weight?
The taxable gross weight of a vehicle (except buses) is the total of
-The actual unloaded weight of the vehicle fully equipped for service
-The actual unloaded weight of any trailers equipped for service usually used with the vehicle
-The weight of the maximum load usually carried on the vehicle and on any trailers usually used with the vehicle.

What is the Taxable Gross Weight for buses?
It’s the bus’ actual unloaded weight fully equipped for service plus 150 pounds for each seat provided for passengers and driver.

Can I pay my tax online?
Yes. If you’re filing electronically, you can pay the IRS using Electronic Funds Withdrawal, or with the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System