Importing and Exporting Done Right: Part 2
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A couple of months ago we outlined some helpful tips on how to import and export the right way. Today we are going to continue that conversation by giving you three more tips. Let us get started!
Having the right logistics strategy and even making changes can yield savings on tariffs. For example, Donald Hoffman who is the president of Harmony Logistics Group in Oakdale, New York, and chairman of the Long Island Import Export Association (LIIEA) once helped a company that used to move product from Morocco to France for repackaging, and then shipped it to the U.S. This logistics move helped save the company a lot of money because they took advantage of the Morocco Free Trade Agreement. This agreement allowed the company to direct-ship their product from Morocco and come in duty-free. This logistics strategy seemed like a big move at the time but ended up helping the company save a good amount of money.
In addition to this, creating a formal operation run by an expert is crucial to having success whether you are an importer or exporter. You must develop a formal program to manage functions, with written policies and processes. Ideally, a company that imports or exports significant volumes will put a staff member in charge of meeting all applicable tax and regulatory obligations, even when the company also uses a customs broker or other provider. The last thing you want is to lose money because a product was misclassified, someone failed to file a declaration, or because a product was exported to a person on the U.S. government’s denied parties list. Put someone in charge of the operation to avoid such problems.
The third thing you can do to put yourself in the best position in this industry is to understand requirements on both sides of the border. There are different regulations in terms of time frames, hours of service, and ways that you can load freight into certain types of equipment. For example, if you are exporting to Mexico, you will need a government-authorized trading partner south of the border. Not every company in Mexico can legally import cargo. Similarly, if you are exporting to Mexico from the U.S. you must be carful about where in Mexico you plan to ship. This is because big cities might have the industrial parks with sufficient infrastructure to receive all kinds of shipments. However, some less-developed areas, tractor-trailers sometimes require special permits. If you understand rules on both sides of the border you will be fine. It is just a matter of doing your homework.
Use these tips to help you nail importing and exporting. It can be a hard and daunting task to get everything in place but if you do it right you can have great success. For more information on importing and exporting stay updated here on our monthly blog.
Importing and Exporting Done Right
Duty Drawback Software | Import Export Consulting | Processing Filing | Full Service
The import and export industry is huge. There is so much to learn and understand especially if you are new. If you want to get into this booming industry but do not know where to start, you are in luck. Today we are going to give you some helpful tips on how to import and export the right way.
The first thing you need to do is get into the habit of staying updated on industry news. Monitor rule, tariff, and status changes. For example, keep an eye on overseas suppliers in case they make changes that affect your tariff obligations. Similarly, watch for tariffs themselves, in government regulations, and in the status of customers. A good example of this is what happened when the U.K. officially left the EU at the end of last year. This move changed the industry drastically. So, stay updated and keep your eye on international news because one single move could influence the entire industry.
The second thing you need to learn is how to leverage programs that reduce tariffs. Gaining a tariff advantage is not an easy task as it requires initial vetting and having appropriate controls in place with the foreign supplier. However, doing so could save you a lot of money. For example, even when a product is made in a country with good tariff opportunities, it might not qualify if the manufacturer imported some of its components. Also, a product that meets the bar for tariff advantages today might not qualify tomorrow if your supplier starts to buy materials in another country. Be careful and be proactive in leveraging programs that help you stay away from those high-tariff loopholes.
Lastly, pay attention to design. A products design can influence tariff obligations just as much as its origin. For example, whether a jacket is lined or not lined, or has zippers or stitches, could impact the tariff. Depending on the case, it could cost less in tariffs to import components and assemble them in the U.S. than to import the finished product. Think strategically when it comes to design and you could save your company loads of money.
There is so much to know about the import and export business. These three tips are only the tip of the iceberg. For more tips and information stay updated here on our monthly blog.
Duty Drawback 101
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If you are new to the import and export business then it can be hard to understand what duty drawback is. Duty drawback is similar to how you are refunded sales tax when you return an item to a store. You essentially claim a duty refund when you export an item that was previously imported. It is a refund of duties, fees and taxes paid on goods imported into the U.S. that are subsequently exported from the U.S. With that said there are three major types of drawback. Unused merchandise drawback, manufacturing drawback, and rejected merchandise drawback.
Unused merchandise duty drawback is when you import something and then export it in the same, unused condition. For example, you import 50 generators paying Customs duties of $500 or $10 per generator. You come to realize that you only need 30 generators and you want to export the remaining 20 to a foreign customer. The unused merchandise can then be exported and you will qualify for a refund for the duty you originally paid.
Manufacturing drawback is slightly different. This type of drawback applies when you import an item that is then manufactured into a different item. For example, if you imported bicycle tires and export finished bicycles, then you can get the duty you paid for the bicycle tires refunded when you export the finished product.
Rejected merchandise drawback is when imported merchandise does not conform to sample or specifications, shipped without consent, or determined to be defective at the time of import. For example, if one of those generators or a few of those bicycle tires arrive in bad condition or are simply the wrong model that you ordered then you qualify for rejected merchandise drawback. You qualify to get a duty refund on all of the defective products.
Understanding duty drawback can be challenging especially if you are new to the import and export industry. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to us here at DutyCalc.
Reinstated Tariff on Aluminum
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In March of 2018, former President Donald Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports from a variety of countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE). On his final day in office Trump lifted the aluminum tariff. However, that did not last long as on February 1, current President Joe Biden reinstated the 10 percent aluminum tariff on imports from the UAE. As predicted by experts that covered the Biden administration this reinstatement is no surprise.
The reinstatement suggests that it is unlikely that the Biden administration will remove that aluminum tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. In a statement regarding the issue Biden said, “In my view, the available evidence indicates that imports from the UAE may still displace domestic production, and thereby threaten to impair our national security.” Union workers applauded Bidens move saying that Trump’s plan to lift tariffs on imports from the UAE would undermine the effectiveness of the program and essentially exempt the vast majority of aluminum imports. That being said, not everybody is happy with Biden’s reinstatement. Sure, union workers are all for it but manufacturers across the country are left disappointed.
These tariffs have sparked an outcry from downstream American industries that use steel and aluminum to make products like cars, boats, recreational vehicles, and cans. With the new tariff in place, it will increase costs for these manufacturers and narrow their profit margins making it even more difficult for their products to compete on the global market. The reinstated tariff on aluminum is one of Biden’s first big moves as the new president of the United States. What Biden will do going forward regarding imports and exports as a whole is not particularly clear but he has indicated that things will not change all that much. For the latest updates on import and export news stay updated here on our monthly blog.
Biden and U.S. Trade Policy
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With inauguration right around the corner there are expected to be changes in the White House. Some very drastic changes, some very minor. One of the minor changes, at least for now, will be U.S. trade policy. President-elect Joe Biden is expected to take a more measured and multilateral approach to trade policy than President Trump. However, experts say that he is unlikely to make significant short-term changes to the tariffs and other restrictions imposed by President Trump. Though they seem to be each other’s worst enemy and cannot seem to agree on anything during this election season, Republicans and Democrats do agree on the need for the U.S. to take a tougher line on trade with China. President-elect Joe Biden probably will not levy any new tariffs on China but on the other hand he will likely maintain those already in place until a better solution to the problems the tariffs were designed to address become available. President-elect Joe Biden does intend to enlist the help of major trading partners to resolve longstanding trade grievances with China. With that said, the White House is likely to be much more proactive in advancing efforts to secure reforms at the WTO that will enable that body to more effectively address not only China but also various other trade issues. Another big reason why President-elect Joe Biden is not expected to make that many changes to U.S. trade policy is because he is focused on fixing this country. He is focused on domestic policy. He is focusing on his plan for economic recovery. He is focusing on alleviating the pandemic. He is focusing on how to bring America back together. Sure, the U.S. trade policy subject should not be slept on but the priority right now is his country. As mentioned before, with inauguration around the corner many things are going to change. For more information on the latest news regarding tariffs stay tuned here on our monthly blog.
Insurance Types for Your Import Export Business
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To run your import/export business successfully you need to make sure various parts of your business are insured. This includes employees, export credit risk insurance, and cargo insurance. Today we will be breaking down what each of these three types of insurances entail for your import/export business. To begin, you need to care for your employees. Most insurance plans cover illnesses or injuries that your employee might incur on the job. One thing to be aware of is that workers’ compensation insurance laws vary among states so you should check with your insurance agent for details in your area. Another thing to be aware of is that employees that work from home might have different policies. For example, if your employee gets injured in their home office, your homeowners’ insurance may refuse to pay on the grounds that it’s actually a workers’ comp case. You will also need export credit risk insurance. You can purchase several types of export credit risk insurances that are designed specifically for the new exporter and small to mid-sized enterprises. These policies protect you in the event that your foreign buyer decides not to pay you for either commercial or political reasons. Cargo insurance is the last kind of insurance that you will need. The cost of insurance usually runs about 1 percent of the insured value. With cargo insurance you will get peace of mind and, in the event of a cargo misadventure, your insurance coverage should include enough to repay you for not only lost or damaged products but for your extra time and trouble and those lost profits. Choosing to insure your employees, export credit risk, and your cargo is something that all import and export businesses should do. Your business will survive when the unthinkable happens and be able to handle any financial bumps in the road. For more information on import/export businesses stay updated here on our monthly blog.
Biden Administration & China
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With the Biden administration taking over the White House this election it is apparent that many things will be changing. One thing, however, that is not projected to change that much is the trade tension between the U.S. and China. Earlier this year Biden wrote, “The United States does need to get tough with China” in a “Foreign Affairs” article. He went on to say, “If China has its way, it will keep robbing the United States and American companies of their technology and intellectual property. It will also keep using subsidies to give its state-owned enterprises an unfair advantage – and a leg up on dominating the technologies and industries of the future.” With that said China is hopeful that because there is new blood in the White House, this new Biden administration will welcome new negotiations. China’s Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng believes that the Biden administration would “meet China halfway” according to state media. Xu Hongcai, deputy director of the Economics Policy Commission at the China Association of Policy Science believes that “Biden is reasonable” and “Biden, Obama, they understand the basics of holding a dialogue.” In Biden’s acceptance speech the ongoing trade war with China was absent. Since Biden’s acceptance speech he has still yet to bring up the issue. How Biden will actually handle the intense trade war that the Trump administration has left him, is still an unknown. What we do know is that Biden will have to prove that he can work more effectively with U.S. allies in order to win the heart and soul of the nation that is now in his hands. More news and updates will be coming up quickly as the White House transition continues. For information on the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China, please stay updated here on our monthly blog or reach out to us here at DutyCalc.
