Out Of State Taxes

Just received a notice from the Missouri Department of Revenue with a request for tax return from 2019. I apparently was not aware I had to file a tax return for the state of Missouri (where Prime, Inc. cuts it's checks to employees from).

Three years is a while but I am just generally confused as this was never brought up to me at any point i can remember. Do any other Prime employees (company drivers) pay a separate Missouri tax return each year? I'm looking at $1200 with late fees and interest.

The Amtrack rule protects transportation workers (including truck drivers) from having to pay state taxes in states you don't reside in EXCEPT:

If your residence was in Missouri, even for a month or two while you were training, and you were paid during that time.

You reside in one state and work EXCLUSIVELY in another. As a Washington resident I pay no state income tax. If I drive in Oregon sometimes and drive in other states I pay no tax to Oregon BUT if I drive exclusively in Oregon I must pay Oregon income tax.

Nope. Never paid MO state tax. And I moved here last year and have to prove I don't owe MO taxes in order to register my car.

There must be some sort of error

When I attended orientation in Dec.'16, Prime's policy was to have students get their Learners permit and CDL from the Missouri DMV. Thus, we had to officially change our place of residence "on paper" to the Campus Inn in MO. It wasn't until the early weeks of TNT that I made it back to my home state to switch my CDL over to that state.

So now I'm wondering if those first few paychecks under that temporary residency made me subject to Missouri state income taxes. Could this be a possibility in your case?

I never received any similar notice from MO, at least not yet, so I wouldn't think that was the case. It doesn't seem reasonable that the volume of students passing through Prime during that time would have the same problems.

I know at some point after I started, Prime switched their policy over to one that requires students to get their permit before coming to orientation. There were a few policy changes during that period, so it got kind of confusing. You may have fell into that confusing time.

However, for the sake of discussion, let's say you were in fact unknowingly required to pay MO income tax for a short time span. That would mean you also erroneously paid state taxes for the same time span in your home state of CA. Follow what I mean?. Like if you were supposed to file MO income tax for January, but instead took your entire W-2 and filed it in CA. That means CA received more taxes than they were entitled to for that year.

Sounds like a mess to me.

I could be completely wrong here, and this could be a simple mistake, as Kearsey points out. Just throwing a possibility out there.

Everything you all say makes perfect sense. I don't believe I've ever heard anyone on this board or in person at any terminal complain about this similar situation.

I'm especially dumbfounded at the point Turtle makes about training and the temporary address at Campus inn. It's the only thing that makes any shred of sense except my training was in Salt Lake City!

I will update for the board as this goes.

For prospective students, don't read this and get too worried, as stated above this seems to be a one off specific to me.

My wife and I got those letters but it didn't say for how much. We responded that as residents of another state we didn't owe taxes to Missouri (as truck drivers operating in multiple states).

I assumed it was for the class action settlement regarding Prime underpaying drivers in training or whatever. But if they are asking for $1200 that can't be it, I think I only got like $1800 from that settlement.

This sounds really, really fishy. I am not sure of whether to make heads or tails of it. I would be curious to see tye letter because it's possible that this is an information phishing scam. The best thing to do might be to take the letter to a CPA and run down the whole story. Let a professional tell you what's what.

Update. A phone call in to the listed office got me in touch with Corey. I explained my confusion and he told me to just submit proof of paid taxes to California and the letter received to the email listed. Sounded exhausted explaining it, perhaps this is a wider issue at the moment.

Am waiting to see if another arrived for my 2020 year of employment as well.

Will update again when I get confirmation in writing that all is well and I keep that 1200 in my pocket.

I wonder how many people don't question the letter and just pay the $1200. I'm sure the state is raking in some extra cash over this.

"Nothing to see here..."

I wonder how many people don't question the letter and just pay the $1200. I'm sure the state is raking in some extra cash over this.

"Nothing to see here..."

Just send me $600 and I'll get everything squared away with the State of MO for you. Promise.