Loose leaf logs

No doubt.. $2500 would sound like a starting point to me plus a big upfront payment just to get in the door. I'm at $1000 a month out here around Harrisburg but I have some space and a garage anyway.

 

what the heck are you trying to say? I didnt see anyone say you didnt have to keep 8 log pages for loose leaf. You keep them in a binder. However, you dont have to have any more than that. Anytime i went home i'd empty my binder out except for 8 pages and my blanks...

Cool. Oh well, you think thats bad? There's an old clark station in my town, been abandoned for years. pumps and tanks have been pulled out, building needs to be torn down. Real estate man that owns it says he wants $10 a square foot for a total of $175,000 ...what the HELL? ITS IN THE GHETTO!

 

OK I'll get back on topic. And half way through this post get back off it talking about tax advice!
I keep all the pages for the month in my book. Reason: I use Drivers Daily Log to back up my log! I've NEVER gotten a bad write up from the company logs department since we went to the new rules and I tell DOT when I go in with my log book that I use DDL when they open the book they glance through it and don't scrutinize it!

They can look at all the pages they want and I've yet to have them go back more than the 8 days. They don't want the extra work and they know when you hand them the whole book you're not trying to hide anything.

Now there are still drivers that use the small books that keep all the pages in it as it's easier to keep the book for 8 years due to tax porpoises ( is that correct spelling or a large mammal that swims in the sea?) than a big envelope full of torn out pages which if you go in for an IRS audit YOU have to prove they are wrong! Not the IRS proving you are! Hence the audit in the first place! They already "know" you are. Pulling all those pages out, getting them back in chronological order and counting the days is just way to much work! And don't argue with me on this! I've been there done that freaking dance! I learned several lessons that day with my accountant! I keep them in the book in order. And with loose leaf, on the 9th of the month, the month preceding gets pulled out of the binder and goes into a large manila envelope that has written on the outside the year and then the months in a column and behind the month the number of days out so in Feb when I'm about to go to my accountant I can add those days up and put them on my tax work sheet (excel sheet) for them! That is if I didn't already do it while sitting around doing nothing at a truck stop waiting for a load to come up!

I don't l know why you guy's get so scared by a DOT cop! Pay the money for a log book program, claim it on your taxes, have no worries about your logs and even use it to plan your trip! Wow, rocket science made easy! And nothing to worry about with DOT or your logs department! That computer is made with more things to do than write in forums watch porn and play games! Besides if you buy a program made for doing your job then it and the computer is claimed on taxes! That can add up on the return!

One other not true rumor about keeping paper work related to taxes. The "rule" about keeping paperwork for only 7 years and throwing it away is not completely true. You need to keep after 7 years an approximation of your taxes after that. BUT be prepared to get grilled over missing P/W! I learned way back in the late 70's that you need to keep anything you claimed for life! I have these 2 large office storage boxes in my attic with every tax form and piece of proof used in my taxes and I've pulled down the 1st box once for an audit. When you walk into an audit with that much P/W for a "simple" audit things all of a sudden go easily!

Now you can keep everything on CD! Yep you don't need to keep all the paper any more BUT be advised that a CD will deteriorate after a few years! Every 5 to seven years you need to copy it to another CD.. OR: use one of those online backup web sites. If you live in an apartment CD's or on line is better as that knocks down the trash in the house! LOL

About using a C/D. You're asking why a c/d and what are you talking about? I did a post way back when about covering your arse! If you have a lap top or a computer in the truck get a scanner ar a combo unit scanner printer. EVERY PIECE OF PAPER that you sign your name on, pay money for, the company sends you a check for, or if it has to go on a company paper for reimbursement it needs to be scanned so you have a copy of it for when you get the old "it wasn't in your trip pak, or we didn't get your trip pak" line of bull crapola that bottom feeders will give you as they try to weasel out of paying you! BUT you will also scan in receipts that you spend money on that you can claim on your taxes. Such things as Gloves, ink pens, safety shoes, note pads,company shirts or uniforms, food if you're going to really work on tax forms (my advice, do the daily per diem!) and any other piece of paper you might need a copy of! And yes your log! Once you figure out the filing system for these files you're covered! And for owner operators this can be a complete life saver. For everyone else, when told "we didn't get it" then ask them where they want the copies E-MAILED to including the BOL they lost! I ask them about Email, because it's the year 2010 and not the 70's! FAX is so last century! Tell them you have no money for a fax! Email it from the truck on that broad band you're claiming on your taxes! I do this mainly with brokers as they think truckers are still locked in the 70's! My last company loved me emailing stuff to them when they needed it right now!

Sorry for the long post but things went hand in hand and being disabled for the time being I have lots of time on my hands! If you need advice on how to set up your filing system to find your stuff let me know and I'll maybe start a new thread in here!

Good luck
Rollover

 

Rollover, I totally dont understand why loose leaf logs would be a problem in a tax audit. Sure i put them in a big envelope, but i also paper clipped them with a HUGE paper clip month by month, in order....

 

man my folks are payin that much and they *own* a house.