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Despite being the primary system that all income-producing American adults must interact with, the IRS and taxes tend to be something we aren’t very good at educating ourselves about. On top of that, the system can be very convoluted, overcomplicated, and quite frankly, a bit scary. This combination can often lead to the spread of misinformation and fear-based marketing campaigns related to how the IRS operates, and what resolutions are available to taxpayers. For taxpayers who are attempting to address delinquent tax filings or set up arrangements to resolve a debt with the IRS, it is important to know the truth regarding how the IRS operates, what resolution options are available to you, and what the truth behind collection practices is. When setting yourself up for success in regards to resolving your back tax debt, it is important to debunk some heavily circulated myths surrounding the IRS. If you’re a truck driver who is behind on filing multiple years of tax returns and may owe thousands of dollars to the IRS, click here to learn more about how we can help, or give us a call at (866) 920-2827. Myth 1 - IRS Agents One hot-button issue currently is how the IRS is expanding by hiring 87,000 new agents and the myth that these agents will be armed and banging on the doors of taxpayers across the nation. It’s important to keep in mind that just because they are hiring, does not mean it will be a quick switch flipped when it comes to the level of aggression they will use in collections. First, this total number of agents is to be hired progressively over the next 10 years. More agents, however, does mean that the IRS will have greater manpower to enforce the collection of back tax as these folks are trained and assigned to field collections. Second, the IRS announced a major policy change that will end most unannounced visits to taxpayers by agency revenue officers. The change reverses a decades-long practice by IRS Revenue Officers, the unarmed agency employees whose duties include visiting households and businesses to help taxpayers resolve their account balances by collecting unpaid taxes and unfiled tax returns. Unannounced visits have ended except in a few unique circumstances and will be replaced with mailed letters to schedule meetings. So, while more IRS employees do not directly correlate to different or more aggressive collection tactics, it does mean an agent is likely to be assigned to your case sooner than in prior years. Getting on top of the back taxes before someone is assigned to your case is always a best practice and sets you up for greater success in reaching a resolution. Myth 2 - Offer in Compromise Another myth to look out for, and to be sure you are well-educated on prior to jumping into a sales pitch, is the Offer in Compromise or Fresh Start Initiative. Be sure you qualify for these programs prior to hiring anyone to negotiate on your behalf. The Offer in Compromise program allows certain taxpayers to settle their debt with the IRS for less than they owe. While this program can provide great benefits to specific taxpayers, you must meet a very strict list of guidelines. If it were easy to settle our debt with the IRS, everyone would do it! So, be wary of anyone selling you on this type of program, especially if they’ve not already talked to the IRS about your specific account and reviewed your financial situation with you. Myth 3 - Home Seizure Another myth that can be damaging, and is often used as a way to scare folks, is that the IRS will seize your home. The IRS cannot legally make you homeless. While they can ask you to attempt to borrow against the equity in your home, they cannot force you to liquidate your primary residence. With anything pertaining to the IRS, you want to be sure you are receiving reliable information from reliable sources. IRS.gov is the primary place to double-check any claims someone makes to you. Second to that, ATBS’ team of tax and tax resolution experts is here to be of assistance when it comes to any and all questions related to the IRS and your account with them. Need help figuring out what solution might be best for you? Click here to get ahold of us.

The most successful owner-operator truck drivers in the industry didn't get where they are because of sheer luck. These drivers are successful because of what they do each and every day. To improve your trucking business, start practicing these habits today! 1 - Understand Your Costs. Know how to use your knowledge of costs, especially fixed expenses, to make decisions. It’s not hard to figure out and will put lots of money in your pocket. Learn More. 2 - Build Your Brand. Whether you know it or not you have a Brand – not just your name but what you are known for. Remember, people like to do business with people they like. Learn More. 3 - Be Curious. Keep learning - from experience, from other owner-operators, from your carrier, from mechanics, and from other business people. Learn More. 4 - Have a Maintenance Reserve. Set up a separate bank account and fund it with more money than your anticipated maintenance needs. Learn More. 5 - Take Care of Yourself. That means physical, mental, and emotional health. You are the Profit Engine for your business and your business needs a strong, healthy engine. Learn More. 6 - Be Safe. Safety equals efficiency, and business owners must always be efficient. Learn More. 7 - Protect Your Credit. Credit is a way to help you manage your business – it is not a way to help your cash flow. Pay credit cards off each and every month. Learn More. 8 - Show Up for Work. You don’t get more time off for running your own business, especially in the beginning. Manage your time off wisely. Learn More. 9 - Know Your Customer. Know who your customer is – no business in America will prosper without a customer. When it comes to customer service, you build trust in drops and lose it in buckets. Learn More. 10 - Focus More on Gross Revenue. Too much focus on Rate Per Mile leads to extreme cherry-picking of loads, which hurts profits. Business profits come from gross revenue. Learn More. 11 - Choose the Right Loads. Do not refuse loads to lay overnight for another load. You can almost never make up for the loss of a layover. Knowing your costs will guide you in this. Learn More. 12 - Manage Cash. Understand all of the ways to manage cash. This begins with the revenue produced and ends with the paycheck you write to yourself each week. Learn More. 13 - Finance Wisely. Never finance something you can buy with cash. Finance charges can be excessive and completely avoidable. Remember that this is your money, not theirs. Learn More. 14 - Make Sacrifices. A successful business owner sacrifices things like extra time off and expensive purchases to protect their business. Learn More. 15 - Accept Responsibility. Don’t try to shift responsibility to someone else. In this world you make your choices and you live with them. Learn More. 16 - Understand Freight Cycles. Understanding and studying freight cycles will help you increase revenue without increasing costs. Learn More. 17 - Manage Your Week. Manage your time to make each week profitable. For instance, always deliver a load on Monday (whenever possible) to set up your week for profitable operation. Learn More. 18 - Change. Don’t fight change - instead, embrace it. Sometimes change is the only thing you can count on in trucking. Learn More. 19 - Embrace Technology. If it makes your life better – your work life or personal life – embrace it. Learn More. 20 - Be Inspired. You have a tough job. Find something to inspire you. Conan O’Brien said, “Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you’re kind, amazing things will happen.” Learn More. 21 - Pay Your Taxes! It’s wishful thinking that this can somehow be avoided. Don’t kid yourself. If you make a profit, you will pay taxes! Learn More. 22 - Work With Professional Business Partners. You don't have to go through this alone. Team up with professionals who can take some of the work off your plate and help you improve the performance of your business. Learn More. 23 - Focus on Fuel Efficiency. Unlike many of your other biggest expenses, fuel is one that you have a lot of control over. One of the easiest things you can do right away to improve fuel efficiency is to drive slower. Learn More. 24 - Update Your Numbers. Do you know your break-even point? Do you know your cost or profit per mile? Don't operate your business in the dark. Make sure you keep your numbers up to date so you know how to stay profitable. Learn More. 25 - Stay Positive. Being an owner-operator can have its ups and downs, especially when the market isn't doing well. Keep your head up, keep working hard, and know that tough times won't last forever. Learn More.

It can be scary, intimidating, overwhelming, and exhausting to address a tax debt that has gone untended for some time, or one that continues to grow year over year, seemingly without a way to stop it. Offer in Compromise “Mills” It can be enticing to latch on to promises made by marketers who claim that you can save pennies on the dollar, or pay far reduced tax amounts than what you owe. This type of hope often comes at a time when you’re desperate for a solution, and it’s important to pause, reflect, and research so that you’re not engaging in a process that may not be appropriate, or possible, for you specifically. When these marketers talk about this type of savings, they are referring to the Fresh Start Initiative and the Offer in Compromise program which allow you to settle your debt for way less than you owe. While these two things are real programs, they do not work - in reality - in the way that some advertisers say they do. It’s important to be wary of promises that sound too good to be true and to be sure that if you decide to work with a tax practitioner to help resolve your debts with IRS collections, you are provided transparency in regard to what is being submitted to the IRS on your behalf, and why. How can I protect myself against these mills? There are some things that, if you have some basic understanding of, can help you avoid falling prey to firms or practitioners who may be advertising improper, false, or malicious claims. Here are a couple of things to note in the event that you hear from these types of firms: The Fresh Start Initiative was launched by the IRS in the early 2000s to provide more leniency within the collections process to taxpayers who owe less than $50,000, or to taxpayers who will never be able to pay back the tax they owe and financial hardship can be proven. Offers in Compromise apply to a very specific group of folks – those who have no earning potential, no equity in assets, or those who have combined future net earnings and equity in assets of less than the total that they owe – at the end of this article we will include a link to a calculator which will allow you to see if you meet this set of qualifications. If settling your debt with the IRS were easy, we’d all do it! Take some time to ask questions about how and why the person you’re speaking with believes you meet the criteria of these programs – what sets you apart from the taxpayers who do not have this program as a viable option? Remember that unless someone has actually reviewed your account with the IRS and looked at your real financial condition, they don’t have a true way of providing guidance on what resolution options are a good fit for you – including whether an Offer in Compromise would be appropriate. How is ATBS different? There are many ways to manage your tax debt and every case is unique. This is why ATBS always starts every tax resolution case with an investigation. This investigation allows us to run a diagnostic of sorts for you regarding your account with the IRS. We obtain a big picture view of what you owe, what returns are missing, and what resolution options may be applicable to you. Trust us that if an Offer in Compromise seems to be a good fit for you, we will suggest it. However, we will only suggest it based on the facts of the case, rather than on hypotheticals. This sets ATBS apart from our competition who would suggest and sell you an Offer in Compromise before ever even having the authority to speak with the IRS on your behalf. We believe that you should have all of the information necessary to make an educated decision about how you can, and wish, to manage your IRS tax debt. It is your financial health that we are working to protect, and your voice in that process is equally as important as any potential strategy we can outline for you. So, while other firms will make large promises about what they can “save” you from, ATBS is only interested in providing you a transparent picture of all possible options, so that you can truly take the reigns back when it comes to your business and personal finances. Regardless of whether you have ATBS investigate your IRS account, you have a different firm represent you, or you decide to engage with the IRS directly, it’s important to remember that you are your own best advocate and you should always feel comfortable asking the questions you need answered – especially when something sounds too good to be true. To get an idea of whether an Offer in Compromise may be appropriate for you, check out this Pre-Qualifier Tool from the IRS: https://irs.treasury.gov/oic_pre_qualifier/ Need help figuring out what solution might be best for you? Click here to get ahold of us.

As an owner-operator truck driver, you may be approaching retirement age and wondering if you can collect Social Security benefits (SSB) while continuing to work. The good news is that it is possible, but there are certain rules and limitations you need to be aware of. What are the rules and limitations? If you collect Social Security benefits before reaching full retirement age (FRA), your benefits may be reduced if you earn more than a certain amount. FRA can fall anywhere between 66 and 67 years old depending on the year you were born. You can look at the chart here to determine your FRA. However, you can start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62. If you choose to collect Social Security benefits prior to FRA it may be important to understand when those benefits can be reduced. For 2023, taxpayers receiving benefits that have not yet reached FRA are entitled to earn up to $21,240 per year before any reduction in Social Security Benefits. If you earn more than this amount, your SSB will be reduced by $1 for every $2 you earn above the limit. For example, if you earn $40,000 in 2023, your SS Benefits will be reduced by $9,380 ($40,000 - $21,240 is $18,760 over the earnings limit. SSB will be reduced by $1 for every $2 over the limit meaning your benefits would be reduced by $9,380 ($18,760 / 2)). Keep in mind that each person’s SSB may vary based on their lifetime work history. Using the 2023 average SSB benefits of about $1,700/month the annual SSB would be $20,400. Remember SSB reduction would only begin if your other earnings during the year exceed $21,240. In other words, you can receive full SSB and work to obtain additional earnings of up to $21,240 without any reduction in your SSB. Below is an example of two taxpayers: Taxpayer A in the table above continued to work and earned a total amount of $62,040 from non-Social Security activities. Taxpayer A’s SSB was reduced to zero. Taxpayer B earned up to $40,000 and received a reduction of total SSB but still received $9,380. However, once you reach your FRA, you can earn as much as you want without any reduction in your Social Security benefits. As an owner-operator truck driver, this means that you can continue to work and earn income while also collecting Social Security benefits. It's important to note that SSB reductions are temporary meaning that your benefits may be reduced when you are earning more than the earnings limit. However, your SSB will be recalculated by the Social Security Administration, and your excess earnings in one year may result in larger benefits for future years when you reach your FRA. What are the tax implications? It's also worth considering the tax implications of collecting Social Security benefits while working as an owner-operator truck driver. Your overall income may affect your tax liability, and Social Security benefits may be subject to federal income taxes if your combined income (including Social Security benefits) exceeds a certain threshold. For 2023, the threshold is $25,000 for individuals and $32,000 for married couples filing jointly. If you file a federal tax return as an individual and your combined income is between $25,000 and $34,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 50 percent of your benefits. If your combined income is more than $34,000, up to 85 percent of your benefits may be taxable. If you file a joint return, and you and your spouse have a combined income that is between $32,000 and $44,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 50 percent of your benefits. If your combined income is more than $44,000, up to 85 percent of your benefits may be taxable. Keep in mind the percentage of benefits considered taxable is not a tax rate. This is an important distinction. Each January, you will receive a Social Security Benefit Statement (Form SSA-1099) showing the amount of benefits you received in the previous year. You can use this Benefit Statement when you complete your federal income tax return to find out if your benefits are subject to tax. So can you collect Social Security benefits while continuing to work? The bottom line - If you are an owner-operator truck driver approaching retirement age, it is possible to collect Social Security benefits while continuing to work. There are advantages and disadvantages to taking your benefit before your full retirement age. The advantage is that you collect benefits for a longer period of time. The disadvantage is your benefit may be reduced. Each person's situation is different, so consider speaking with ATBS or contacting the Social Security Administration for more information to ensure that you are making informed decisions about your retirement income.

For an owner-operator who wants to grow a successful business, there are benefits to forming a Limited Liability Companies (LLC). An LLC can offer liability protection for the members. By forming an LLC the members may be protected from liabilities or judgments against the LLC, but should seek legal counsel based on their state. An LLC formed with only one member will be taxed as a sole proprietorship while LLCs formed with multiple members will be taxed as a partnership. Both options will avoid the double taxation attributed to a C-Corporation if you elect Corp Status at the state level. Here is a free e-Book that goes into much more detail on the different business structures. After forming an LLC, the business will have the option to be taxed as a C-Corporation, an S-Corporation, or neither and file as a Disregarded Entity, reported on a personal return Form Schedule C. By electing to be taxed as a C-Corporation the business would be required to pay corporate income taxes and the shareholders would be required to pay individual income taxes on the wages and dividends that are distributed by the business entity. This is known as “double taxation.” A more common election for a trucking business may be for the owner(s) to elect to have the LLC taxed as an S-Corporation. The S-Corporation is considered a pass-through entity. The income is not taxed at the corporate level and the profits are distributed to the shareholders who pay the taxes at the individual level. The individuals are responsible for paying income taxes but they do not pay self-employment (social security and medicare) taxes on distributions. It’s important to note that S-Corporations are required to run regular payroll and pay themselves a W2 wage. This should be deemed a reasonable salary, which is usually 20-25% of the gross. Are you a self-employed truck driver that needs help forming your own business entity? Click here! Depending on the level of consistent income, it may be a tax advantage for an LLC to elect to be taxed as an S-Corporation. However, if that income level is not high enough, an LLC electing to be taxed as an S-Corporation may cost more than the savings received in taxes. A general rule of thumb that ATBS suggests is if the business will produce a net income of $80,000/year or more there may be some tax savings being taxed as an S-Corporation. This chart compares the taxes for an LLC taxed as a sole proprietorship and an LLC taxed as an S-Corporation: Please keep in mind that there are additional costs to set up an S-Corporation, so if you are ready to consider incorporation, please give us a call at 866-920-2827. ATBS offers owner-operators Incorporation and Business services. ATBS clients made on average $64,000 net income in the past year, which is 30%+ more than the average driver in the industry. As the number one tax and accounting firm in the industry, ATBS provides turnkey services designed to improve your work and home life.

At ATBS, we talk to many truck drivers who are several years behind on their tax filing. While it can be easy to fall behind, it’s important to know how to get caught up and why filing is so important to your future financial health. If you’re a truck driver who is behind on filing multiple years of tax returns and may owe thousands of dollars to the IRS, click here to learn more about how we can help, or give us a call at (866) 920-2827. What happens if you don’t file your taxes? For starters, when you don’t file your tax returns but your income source reports your income to the IRS, the IRS will file returns on your behalf. It can take them a few years to catch on to the non-filing, but once they do they will file returns on your behalf based on the income reported to them. As an owner-operator where most of your income is reported on a 1099, this nearly always results in higher tax balances than you should actually be liable for. The reason for this, is that the IRS does not take into account any deductions you would be eligible for such as: Fuel Per Diem Ordinary & Necessary expenses related to maintaining your truck and comfort on the road When the IRS files on your behalf, we often see balances in excess of 150% more than our clients should actually owe. You can (and should) still file your returns if the IRS has filed for you, as you can reduce the tax balance by filing your actual return. The bottom line is that filing as soon as possible – even if you can’t pay in full right away – is always in your best interest, rather than allowing the IRS the opportunity to file on your behalf. How is this procedure changing? Our tax resolution experts at ATBS spend a lot of time researching updates to IRS procedures and speaking with IRS agents regarding policy, practice, or focus changes. Building these relationships with the IRS provides us the best access to understanding the current and ever-changing environment internally at the IRS, and allows us the ability to better serve our clients. In March of 2023, our Tax Resolution Manager had an in-depth conversation with an IRS agent who outlined a change in procedure in which we will be seeing the IRS allocate greater resources toward investigating taxpayers who do not currently owe back tax, but who have not filed in the last several years. They are focusing on folks who have income reported from 1099 income sources who have not filed their returns. The IRS is assigning these cases directly to local IRS field agents who have been instructed to set strict deadlines to obtain tax returns – sometimes 6 years back in total. If those returns are not received, these agents are instructed to begin the process of filing for the taxpayer. This will result in quicker processing of Substitute Filed Returns and a fast escalation of taxes owed by folks who have not filed returns for the last several years. What should be done to avoid running into these issues? Avoiding these higher substitute balances is critical to… Maintaining the integrity of your business functions Preventing the filing of tax liens Circumventing the requirement to pay higher taxes than you should be held liable for A lot of folks are deterred from filing their back tax returns because they have either misplaced, or are unsure of, what information is needed to catch up. ATBS’ Tax & Tax Resolution Teams can assist in obtaining this information from the IRS if documents have been lost. Our Tax Team can also assist in completing your historical bookkeeping so that these original returns can be created. ATBS is invested in assuring that the truck drivers with whom we work with have the best possible road ahead of them with the IRS. The IRS can cause many roadblocks to the sustainability of your business and can cause undue stress on your already limited home time. With ATBS’ assistance, there is no reason you can’t put the IRS behind you and keep them at a manageable arms-length distance moving forward.

As a truck driver, you want to always be pulling a load. This means that after you deliver a shipment, you want to be loading up a new load quickly and bringing it back home. This is truck driving 101. You know that not all loads are created equal: a van shipment will pay less than a flatbed, and a flatbed will pay less than a reefer. But the prices vary dramatically by state. If you are able to control more precisely where you deliver to, then it is best to pay attention to the best and worst states for outbound freight. Let’s take a look at the top and bottom 10 states in flatbed, reefer, and van over the past 12 months, according to DAT. Flatbed - Top 10 (as of 4/25/23) Flatbed - Bottom 10 (as of 4/25/23) Reefer - Top 10 (as of 4/25/23) Reefer - Bottom 10 (as of 4/25/23) Van - Top 10 (as of 4/25/23) Van - Bottom 10 (as of 4/25/23) The idea here is not to boycott the low-paying states, but rather develop relationships with those who pay better than average in those states. By doing so you can guarantee that you will be hired for the job, and through patronizing those that pay better, you can encourage the industry as a whole to pay better.

As an independent contractor, it's important to file your taxes on time to avoid penalties and interest charges. However, sometimes unexpected circumstances can cause you to miss the tax deadline. If this happens, and you didn’t file an extension, there are a few steps you can take to minimize the damage. If you haven't filed or paid your 2023 taxes yet, don't worry, ATBS can help you get caught up! Click here to request more information or get started. File as Soon as Possible Even if you miss the tax deadline, it's important to file your taxes as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more penalties and interest charges you'll accrue. If you owe taxes, the IRS charges different penalties for filing and paying taxes after the deadline. The failure to file penalty is 5% of the unpaid tax for each month, with a cap of 25% at five months. The failure to pay penalty is 0.5% of the unpaid tax for each month. This penalty also caps at 25% which can take up to 50 months (4.2 years). Another thing to keep in mind is the IRS also charges interest. The interest rate the IRS applies to a balance due is determined by the IRS each quarter and may vary. Pay What You Can If you can't pay your full tax bill by the deadline, it's important to pay as much as you can as soon as you can. As mentioned earlier, the IRS charges interest on the unpaid taxes, so the quicker you pay, the less interest you'll owe in the long run. You can make a payment online, by phone, or by mail using the payment voucher that came with your tax bill. If you can't pay your full tax bill, you can consider setting up a payment plan with the IRS. This allows you to make smaller payments over time to pay off your tax bill. To set up a payment plan, you'll need to file Form 9465 with the IRS. You can choose from several different payment plans, depending on your financial situation and the amount of your tax bill. Don’t Let This Become a Habit If you have failed to file your taxes, you will eventually be sent a series of notices once a tax return is determined to be delinquent. Do not ignore these notices! The best chance of getting off this path is by working towards a solution as soon as possible and filing your taxes. Letters from the IRS will not go away, and they will increase in severity. Ignoring these letters may eventually lead to garnishment of wages or settlements. Do not let it get this far! Getting out of trouble with the IRS is a difficult thing to do. If you’re behind on your taxes, the sooner you work to file your taxes and get compliant, the better the options available will be. Then, make sure you continue to file your taxes on time in order to avoid getting in trouble again down the road. Seek Professional Help If you're unsure about how to proceed or you need help navigating the tax system, consider seeking professional help. A tax professional or accountant can advise you on the best course of action and help you file your taxes correctly and on time. At ATBS, we have an experienced team of experts in all things related to truck driver taxes and the IRS. We can work with you to get caught up on your past-due taxes and help you stay in compliance throughout the rest of your trucking career. We will help you avoid worsening any potential tax problems that you might have and get you back on the road to success. These issues are common and can happen to anyone, but that’s why we’re here. So What Should You Do if You Miss the Tax Deadline? Missing the tax deadline can be a stressful experience, but it's important to take action as soon as possible to minimize the damage. The key is to file your taxes and pay as much as you can as soon as you can. And if you're feeling overwhelmed or uncertain about what to do, seeking professional help can be a wise decision. By taking these steps, you can avoid further penalties and interest charges, and get back on track with your taxes.

ATBS President and CEO Todd Amen and Truckstop's Chief Relationship Officer Brent Hutto have a detailed discussion about how to be a successful owner-operator and business owner in 2023. In this webinar you’ll learn: What changes to the tax code in 2023 affect your business What trucking-specific deductions go frequently missed by owner-operators What things are successful owner-operators are doing differently in today's market Tips to help owner-operators succeed in an uncertain freight market What do you think 2023 Holds for owner-operators Find ATBS via the Truckstop Partner Marketplace: https://marketplace.truckstop.com/details/atbs-american-truck-business-services

The ease at which a trucker's mental health can deteriorate is alarming. Basing my assumptions and framework on the gold standard CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) I will analyze and comment on these working conditions. To begin, I will grossly oversimplify CBT. Generally, mental health can be conceptualized by three pillars: Diet Exercise Thoughts/mental diet Diet Nutrition is a cornerstone of mental health, the old adage “you are what you eat” can attest to this. With a layman's understanding of nutrition, we can look around any truckstop and see walking, talking big macs. I'm speaking of the trucks, of course. To borrow a metaphor from Ms. Minaj, some drivers have a hard time parking their big macs butts in their little garage, or driver seat. With the coercion of the Cinnabons and the convenience of the calories, is it any wonder why there’s an obesity epidemic in America, with truckers being one of the most at-risk demos? Moving on. Exercise Exercise can be challenging for the best of us, and truckers have additional obstacles. Much like people in the office, their job requires stationary/stationery. Yes, paper and pens, as well as inactivity. However, the driver's constant traveling makes a gym membership and routine a little harder. A small investment in a Fitbit of HRM (heart rate monitor) will bring awareness to your activity level. Valuable insight as to what factors may contribute to mental health. I will also include sleep in this section, because that’s vital, as well. Think of this category as the level of activity. We want to balance well rest with bursts of cardio throughout the week. Thoughts/Mental Diet Finally, the info we choose to consume. It's all too easy to watch the news and stress out. That, combined with shallow entertainment, doesn't add any real value to our life other than to ease boredom and distract from substantive issues in our personal lives and the greater world. We must raise the standards of what we permit into our minds. Consciously selecting the content, as if it were a choice piece of meat or fruit. Being mindful of what we consume mentally and physically, in order to prevent spiraling into unwanted mental states and chemical imbalances. Keep in mind these consumables have been conditioning us for years, so understand it will take slow and steady changes to alter yourself. I've recently been evaluating my environment through the perspective that actions and behaviors reflect values. With this paradigm, I can look at my own beliefs and infer conclusions. Am I acting in harmony with my chosen values? For example, one of my top values is my time. I want to live a long time with a healthy body, but do my actions reflect that? If not, what does that say about my self-care? Do I feel unworthy of my health and happiness? What would I have to do to care about myself enough to act in that way? Same thing with my financial situation - do I commit the acts of a person that deserves wealth and abundance? This goes right into the next highly held value I have: relationships. With myself, my spouse, business partners, and society. They all share the same fundamentals: communication, trust, respect, (self-respect especially), and compassion. When it comes to trucking, maintaining close relationships is very challenging. Having that support system in place can be the difference between life and death in some cases. When people act in self-destructive ways, or any behavior that contradicts their best interests, it's because part of them wanted to. They are "of two minds," but they have yet to set a coherent orientation. This touches on the unconscienced conditioning from our parents and society, but at some point, we get the opportunity to wake up. To wake up is to take responsivity for everything in your life, and it begins with healing the mind. Not all perspectives are equal, but they do deserve respect. Some beliefs reflected by our actions/behaviors are more empowering than others. A healed perspective drops limiting beliefs. An integrated mind does not self-sabotage, that's what healing is. We all deserve the love and prosperity we desire. It's time to start acting like it. Audiobook; How to Do the Work, by Dr. Nicole LePera https://youtu.be/LnfF1xUSOjo Podcast; Optimize & Control Your Brain Chemistry to Improve Health & Performance, by Dr. Andrew Huberman: https://youtu.be/T65RDBiB5Hs Audiobook; Nutrient Power, by William J. Walsh on Audible https://www.audible.com/pd/Nutrient-Power-Audiobook/B00BSH2N0O?source_code=ASSOR150021921000R

GOLDEN, COLO. – February 8, 2023 – ATBS, the nation’s largest tax, consulting, and bookkeeping firm in the transportation industry, announced a new partnership with InMotion Global, Inc., maker of AscendTMS, the world’s #1 rated and most popular TMS software. ATBS will provide AscendTMS customers with discounted pricing on services for owner-operator truck drivers. Owner-operators, drivers, and small fleets can access the ATBS RumbleStrip line of services through a secure client portal, which includes: RumbleStrip Essentials - Bookkeeping and tax services, including profit and loss statements, year-end federal and state tax returns, and unlimited access to tax questions. RumbleStrip Professional - Includes all RumbleStrip Essentials features, plus a deduction maximizer, estimated quarterly taxes, detailed business and personal budget plans, industry benchmarking, and unlimited tax and business consulting. RumbleStrip Enterprise - A complete back-office solution that includes most RumbleStrip Essentials and RumbleStrip Professional services as well as corporate tax returns, bank and credit card statement reconciliation, business incorporation, and unlimited tax, business, and payroll consulting. Payroll and entity formation services are also available to RumbleStrip Enterprise users for an additional fee. “With AscendTMS, we can now bring our comprehensive and convenient tax and accounting services to their large audience of small fleets,” said Todd Amen, President and CEO at ATBS. “We align so well together with our passion to deliver the best in class services to help small trucking companies. Our partnership will give our clients the opportunity to try the best in class TMS for free, while we are able to deliver the best trucking back office services to help their existing client base.” Tim Higham, CEO at Ascend TMS, stated; “ATBS and AscendTMS can now provide any sized carrier with the resources, skills, technology, and live business advice to help them grow, increase their profits, and reduce their costs. Many small carriers dream of becoming bigger carriers and becoming more profitable, and this partnership between two leading and proven solutions gets them there fast. Carriers love it. They get live friendly trucking business experts on the phone that can answer almost any business, tax, or bookkeeping question for them. They’ll even benchmark their rates and costs against the entire market to let them know where they stand and how they can get better. ATBS is an amazing service for any carrier looking to grow and prosper.” AscendTMS customers can find more information about the discounts by visiting www.atbs.com/ascendtms. About ATBS: American Truck Business Services (ATBS) is the largest tax, consulting, and bookkeeping firm in the transportation industry, with 25 years of experience working with owner-operators and independent contractors. Since 1998, ATBS has helped over 150,000 clients earn more money, reduce stress, and drive a richer life. For more information, visit www.ATBS.com. About InMotion: Global InMotion Global, Inc. provides the free, award-winning, patent-pending Transportation Management System, AscendTMS®, to freight shippers, freight brokers, and trucking companies. AscendTMS® is used by thousands of companies in over 30 countries, from small single-person logistics operations to multibillion-dollar international corporations and can manage any logistics operation. AscendTMS® is the world’s leading cloud software by Crowd based TMS software, and ranked as the number one TMS Reviews, Capterra, and Software Advice (a Gartner company). InMotion Global, Inc. is headquartered in Brandon, Florida. Learn more at www.TheFreeTMS.com or at www.InMotionGlobal.com.

Download our complete "Tax Resolution Guide for Owner-Operators" by clicking here! Are you worried about your past-due taxes? If so, you’re not alone! IRS non-compliance is a major problem among independent contractors in the trucking industry, as well as virtually any industry where there are independent contractors. Why is it such a common problem? For truckers, there are a few reasons: No one teaches truckers about taxes before they become business owners Bookkeeping is hard and boring, so it’s easy to fall behind on the road Because drivers fall behind on bookkeeping, they tend to fall behind on paying and filing taxes too All of that adds up to drivers falling behind with the IRS and getting saddled with back taxes, which is a big problem. So, what should you do if you are behind with the IRS? You may hear all kinds of advice out there, but the reality is that much of what you hear is either incorrect, misguided, or not appropriate for owner-operators in the trucking industry. If you’re a trucker who needs help with tax resolution, then we recommend following ATBS’ Proven Path to getting out of debt with the IRS. Let us show you how! This path is deceptively simple, but trust us: The devil is in the details! The ATBS Proven Path is as follows: Become IRS Compliant Negotiate with the IRS (if needed) Manage IRS Compliance The ATBS Proven Path works because it first gets you into a position where you are in filing compliance and eligible for a resolution and then allows you to focus on achieving a successful negotiation while learning the tools to help you stay in compliance moving forward. Now let’s discuss each of these steps in more depth. Have you fallen behind on your taxes or stressed about paying off your debt to the IRS? We are happy to announce that we are now accepting new clients into our Tax Debt Pit Crew program! Become IRS Compliant So what does it mean to be “Compliant” with the IRS? It’s actually fairly simple: You need to pay your taxes on time each quarter (four times per year). You need to file your tax return on time each year and pay any remaining balance owed. It seems simple but in reality, it’s very hard to stay compliant, especially as an Owner-Operator in the trucking industry. If you can manage your compliance, then you’ll live in a world where the IRS is no more than an afterthought. Let’s identify a few situations that cause people to be non-compliant with the IRS: Drivers can’t pay the full amount of their quarterly tax amount due Drivers wait to pay their taxes until their annual tax return, and they can’t afford to pay Drivers can’t file their annual tax return on time These are all very common problems. To stay ahead of these as best you can... Don’t underestimate your quarterly taxes (also known as QTE’s) Pay as much as possible for your QTE’s if you can’t pay the full amount due File your annual tax return even if you can’t pay the full amount If there’s no chance you’re going to be able to file on time, request an extension - remember though that the extension is only an extension of time to file and NOT an extension of time to pay. So, as you can see, there are many ways we can work to strategize to stay in compliance. While not always easy, finding a good system to stay in compliance will make managing your tax obligations much more simple. If you do run into a pitfall with your tax obligations and find yourself owing back tax, then you will want to first address getting into a groove with your current tax payments and filings. Once you have your current compliance figured out, you are eligible to negotiate a resolution on the back tax you owe. This brings us to our next topic. Negotiate with the IRS (if needed) Alright, let’s talk about what happens when you aren’t able to stay ahead of Compliance problems with the IRS. This tends to be one of the least understood topics related to taxes and the IRS: What exactly happens if I don’t pay or file my taxes? First things first - it is important to understand that the IRS will NOT work with you to set up a resolution on your back tax until you are in compliance with filing and current tax payments. Why? Because until you show the IRS that you’re willing and able to get caught up on your taxes, they have no interest in negotiating the balance due. So, the first step in the ATBS Proven Path is to Become IRS Compliant, and beyond that, also prove to the IRS that you’re willing to remain in compliance so that you do not fall behind in the future. Let’s walk through a few topics to help you Become IRS Compliant and complete the 1st of the ATBS Proven Path. You need to commit to correcting practices that have landed you in trouble with the IRS You need to get caught up on filing your taxes You need to be caught up on current year Quarterly Estimated Tax Payments That being said, we find that many clients still owe significant amounts of money to the IRS by the time they obtain compliance. If that’s the case, ATBS can move on to the 2nd step of the process - Negotiating with the IRS. How to Negotiate With the IRS First, it is important to always remember that IRS Agents are human beings.The most important thing to remember as you work on negotiating with the IRS is that the person on the other side of the phone is, in fact, a person. The worst thing you could possibly do is treat that human being like something other than a human being. Second, it is important to have an understanding of what to expect when you are negotiating with the IRS. The IRS Negotiation process is different for every single person, but in general, there are really two key things that need to be done each time: Determine the total amount you owe once in filing Compliance; Obtain a payment plan with the IRS if you cannot afford to pay the total you owe. Third, it is important to be well-prepared for the negotiation you are about to embark on. You know you are in compliance, you know what to expect when talking with the IRS and you are now ready to prepare your proposal for repayment of the debt to the IRS. It is important to have your finances clearly laid out to support the requested monthly payment you are looking to achieve. The IRS has a few different financial forms that they utilize to determine how much you should pay them monthly. Should you wish to have ATBS assist in your negotiations, our team will help in gathering this financial information from you and reviewing it with you prior to the IRS ever seeing that documentation. Once the financial form is reflecting your financial situation correctly and accurately, the information is provided to the IRS and the negotiation is completed. The goal here is to obtain a payment plan that allows you to prioritize current taxes moving forward and allow you to pay your normal living expenses without impediment from the IRS. We care more about what you can afford to pay, and NOT what the IRS wants you to pay. Fourth, it is important to effectively complete the conversation with the IRS regarding your proposal to be placed in an Installment Agreement. Getting an IRS Representative on the phone is hard and requires a ton of patience! You’d be surprised how long it often takes to get an IRS agent on a live call… sometimes it takes waiting all day on hold to get one person on the line! If you don’t have the patience to wait, sometimes it’s better to have someone do this work on your behalf. When you get an agent on the line, be sure to gather their badge number for your records. Recordkeeping is a key part of your negotiation because, more often than not, you’ll end up speaking to more than one agent during your negotiation. Always be sure to gather their info and document your call! Once you get an agent on the line, it’s time to review your financial form and propose your desired monthly payment amount. Helping the agent get a good understanding of your situation is the foundation you’ll build on during your negotiation! Lastly, you will wait for acceptance of your proposal. The IRS will send notice via US Mail of their decision. That notice will let you know if they’ve accepted your proposal and will reiterate the terms of the agreement. Once you receive that by mail, you are out of active Collections. If you do not receive that notice within the 2 weeks they have to send it to you, it is important to call them back and check the status of your account. Once the negotiation ends and a plan is in place, it’s time to move on to Step 3 in the ATBS Proven Path: Managing IRS Compliance. Managing IRS Compliance What does managing IRS compliance look like? First, you need to ensure you stay current with any Installment Agreements (payment plans) that you negotiated with the IRS. Second, you need to pay your taxes on time moving forward (each quarter). Finally, you need to file your annual taxes on time each year. It’s important to remember that any missed payments, new balance, or delinquent tax return will default any existing agreement and you will need to start back at square one. While this is pretty simple and straightforward in theory, as we discussed earlier, it can be very easy to fall behind on your IRS Compliance. ATBS’ main goal in assisting clients with tax resolution is to effectively help them navigate the IRS Collections System in a way that results in lasting relief and compliance. How Can ATBS Help With Trucker Tax Resolution? Remember, ATBS can help with each step in the process. It’s part of what makes our relationship with our clients so unique. Where most companies can help with one or two aspects of the tax process, ATBS is set up to put all of the pieces together. If you aren’t familiar with ATBS, we have been in business for over 20 years, and we’ve helped over 150,000 owner-operators stay out of trouble with the IRS. We focus on saving drivers time, we help them earn (and keep) more income, and we reduce the stress of dealing with taxes so they can focus on driving their truck while keeping the IRS from being a daily burden. . We do that via bookkeeping, accounting, tax, and business consulting services - specifically designed for owner-operators. When it comes to IRS Compliance (Step 1 and Step 3), our RumbleStrip services are what our clients use to stay out of trouble with the IRS. Not only can we help clients become compliant via our tax preparation services (Step 1), but our monthly RumbleStrip services are specifically designed to keep owner-operators compliant with the IRS (Step 3). Now, the reason why most of you are reading this is because you are looking for help negotiating with the IRS (Step 2). Great news: ATBS can help with that too! ATBS Tax Debt Pit Crew ATBS’ Tax Debt Pit Crew is our team of trucking-specific tax resolution specialists who spend their days helping truckers - especially owner-operators - navigate the IRS Collections system and reach resolutions tailor-made for their specific financial aims and needs. We have several different levels of service available to help our clients, so let’s briefly highlight each one. We start with an Inspection. There is a one-time fee associated with this service. Our team of experts contacts the IRS, obtains historical and current data on a client’s account with them and uses that information to draw a roadmap of possible resolution options. Once that inspection is concluded, the client will determine if they are all set to tackle the IRS issues on their own. If they wish for ATBS’ team to assist in implementing and negotiating the appropriate resolution strategy, then they will take advantage of one of our additional services. This service allows us to find out what is going on with the IRS and provide specific and appropriate options before ever quoting a client for full representation. This keeps things fair for our clients when it comes to making an educated decision on how they’d like to address their IRS tax debt. For clients who are starting to fall behind with the IRS, are missing a few years worth of tax returns or who owe between $10,000-$50,000 - we have our “Tax Relief Tune-Up” program. For clients who have more extensive issues to address with the IRS - greater than $50,000 in liability or more complex concerns - we recommend our “Tax Relief Overhaul” program. If you are in trouble with the IRS, or if you’re just trying to get ahead of any future problems with the IRS, our Tax Relief Pit Crew will be able to help you out! Summary We sincerely hope that this has offered you some knowledge and insight into the different ways that tax debt can be effectively prevented and managed. At ATBS, we know truckers, and we know how hard it is to overcome the feeling of hopelessness that can come with being behind with the IRS. Just remember that you are NOT alone! And, always remember that you can reach out to ATBS anytime to learn more about how we can help you put the IRS in your rearview mirror for good. Thank you for everything you do to keep America moving. We wish you all the best in your trucking business, and we’d be happy to talk with you more about ATBS and our Proven Path if you decide you’d like to learn more.