What’s new for truckers: tax help built around real-world miles and margins
Owner-operators and small fleets juggle volatile fuel, repairs and slow-pay cycles—then face tax season with settlement statements and receipts that rarely line up neatly. Secure Plus Financial is targeting that pain point with a transportation-focused offering that emphasizes year-round bookkeeping, per‑load profitability analysis, and tax preparation “built around miles, fuel, repairs, and real trucking life.” The firm highlights help tracking cash in and out, staying ready for taxes, and avoiding unpleasant IRS letters by keeping clean, current books that lenders and insurers can rely on.
Why this matters in 2026
The IRS increased the standard business mileage rate to 72.5 cents per mile effective January 1, 2026—up 2.5 cents from 2025. For leased-on O/Os who track business use of a pickup or service vehicle, or for small fleets with admin cars, that change can nudge deductible expenses higher if you use the standard mileage method instead of actual costs. As always, the IRS lets taxpayers choose between standard mileage and actual expenses, but you must pick the mileage method in the first year the vehicle is placed in service and stick with it for the life of a lease.
The pitch: bookkeeping and CFO-style structure for fleets that are scaling
Secure Plus positions its team as both tax preparers and process builders. Beyond compliance, the firm says it helps clients see which lanes and loads are truly profitable, and set up “people, process, and product” frameworks so dispatch, drivers, and support roles are paid consistently and costs are assigned accurately. For growth-minded fleets, that kind of discipline can make the difference between adding trucks with confidence and adding headaches.
Practical takeaways for owner-operators
- Dial in per‑load profitability: Don’t confuse busy with profitable. Track revenue minus fuel, broker fees, tolls, factoring, lumper, IFTA, and deadhead to see true margins by lane. A trucking‑literate bookkeeper can standardize that view each week.
- Pick a vehicle deduction method and commit: With 2026’s 72.5¢ rate, the standard mileage method may beat actual expenses for lighter vehicles; tractors typically favor actual cost plus depreciation. Run both ways before filing.
- Keep records that match how you run: Retain driver settlements, fuel card reports, repair invoices, scale and toll receipts, and ELD/mileage logs. Clean inputs reduce audit risk and cut the time (and cost) of tax prep.
- Mind the 2290 clock: If your rig’s taxable gross weight is 55,000 pounds or more, Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax applies. The filing season runs July 1–June 30, with deadlines based on first use month; e‑filing speeds your Schedule 1 for registration.
What to ask any trucking-focused tax advisor
- How will you structure my chart of accounts to separate fuel, repairs, tolls, lumper, factoring fees, and driver pay so I can see profit per load and lane?
- Do you reconcile settlement data to bank activity weekly and flag chargebacks or rate‑per‑mile slippage?
- Can you advise on deduction choices (standard mileage vs. actual) for lighter service vehicles in the fleet, and on depreciation strategies for tractors and trailers?
- What’s your plan for 2290, quarterly estimates, and responding to IRS notices if they arrive?
Bottom line
For small carriers and O/Os, the combination of a higher 2026 mileage rate and ongoing pressure on operating costs makes disciplined books a competitive advantage. Secure Plus Financial’s offering leans into the workflows that matter in trucking—per‑load clarity, cash‑flow forecasting, and tax readiness—so you spend less time chasing paperwork and more time choosing the loads that build profit. If your books are messy or you’re scaling from one to several trucks, a trucking‑literate accountant can pay for themselves by tightening margins, reducing tax surprises, and keeping registrations and filings on time.
Sources Consulted: Secure Plus Financial; Internal Revenue Service — Newsroom (standard mileage rates for 2026); Internal Revenue Service — Trucking Tax Center.
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This article was prepared exclusively for truckstopinsider.com. For professional tax advice, consult a qualified professional.
