A Helpful Guide for Avoiding Form 2290 Penalties

Learn how to avoid penalties in terms of Form 2290.

Have you ever been fined for being late with your Form 2290 (filed for vehicles weighing 55,000 pounds or more), your Heavy Vehicle Use Tax payments, or were caught without a Stamped Schedule 1? If this has not happened to you, it is still essential to ensure that it doesn’t. In this guide, you will find helpful information for avoiding penalties from the IRS regarding Form 2290.

Know Your First Used Month

When filing Form 2290 it is important to know your vehicle’s First Used Month (FUM). The FUM of a vehicle is determined by the month it is first put on the road. When Form 2290 is filed, the First Used Month must be listed and you have until the end of that month to file Form 2290 to the IRS. You have until the end of the next month to make the tax payment, however. For example, if your First Used Month is in October, you have until the end of November to make the tax payment to the IRS. This applies to vehicles that have been on the road for less than a year. 

For vehicles that have been on the road for over a year or are first being put on the road for the first time in July, the vehicle’s First Used Month is July and the tax payment is due by August 31st. 

File Now Pay Later

The Stamped Schedule 1 is important because it allows you to get tags and the registration for a vehicle. Once Form 2290 is filed, you will get a Stamped Schedule 1 as proof of filing. This means that you can easily avoid penalties by filing Form 2290 and if you don’t have the money to pay the tax yet you can wait until the deadline to file. This way if you forget to pay the tax before the deadline, you will still have a Stamped Schedule 1 and if you get fined it will be a lot less than it would have been if you hadn’t filed at all. 

Pay When You File

Another option that can help you avoid penalties is to pay the HVUT tax at the same time you file. File your Form 2290 and pay your filing fee and tax to get them both out of the way at once. This way you not only get your Stamped Schedule 1 but you also get your tax paid and won’t forget to pay it later.

File With ExpressTruckTax 

By filing with ExpressTruckTax you have the option to pay later or to pay when you file. It is designed to be user-friendly with lots of convenient options that make your filing experience a breeze. Make sure you keep up with when the deadline to file is. When you sign up and file with ExpressTruckTax we will make sure to remind you when it is time to file so that you don’t miss the deadline. The ready return feature is also available to returning filers. You will sign in and you can use all of the information from your last filing to generate your Form 2290 and file quickly. What are you waiting for? Take advantage of these amazing features available through ExpressTruckTax and file before the August 31st deadline today!