• Get In The Queue For Your Tariff Refunds!

    By ZonSupport | Posted on March 27, 2026| Blog

    Unless you live under a rock, you are aware that the Supreme Court struck down the infamous IEEPA Trump tariffs.

    Well, I have some good news. And some bad news.

    The good news: if you are willing to do some paperwork, you “might” get a refund.

    The bad news: More Section 301 tariffs are rolling out, which will make the refunds a wash and send you back to square one. In other words, you will get a refund, but then you will end up paying the same total tariff amount or even more in 2026.

    As a brand owner, it’s critical for you to know and understand your rights under the current legal framework. It’s messy.

    For some of you, your refund will be in the millions. No, that’s not a typo.

    If you sourced from China, India, Brazil, Canada, or Mexico in early 2025, all the way up to the Supreme Court ruling, you are eligible.

    AGAIN, this is ONLY for IEEPA-related tariffs, including the dreaded reciprocal tariff and fentanyl-related duties. None of the Section 301 is covered.

    Step 1: Register for ACH Refunds

    This is the most important step. You need to register on the CBP ACE Portal. This will enable instant ACH refund payments to your bank account.

    Yes, that means no annoying paper checks… It’s important to register now because the feds have said that the first to sign up will be the first to see refunds. Act fast.

    Step 2: Audit, audit, audit!

    Sadly, this process is going to take some time, so the best course of action is to audit each and every import record from 2025. You are likely using a solid freight forwarder, so I would ask them to organize these documents for you and ask them to ONLY include the ones that have IEEPA tariffs.

    An audit will help you validate your exact refund and prevent underpayments. if you ever have to dispute a payment in the ACE portal, you will be ready with evidence.

    Step 3: Expect Headaches

    This process is going to be messy. Don’t expect the government to run lean and mean. There will be a ton of mistakes, and the process will take 6+ months. So, please, stay patient. I would assign one of your employees to track everything and give you weekly updates going forward. I doubt you will get every dollar back, but if you get 90% back, it’s a big deal and worth all the effort.

    So, it’s not so bad. I hope this helps you create a framework in your head to get as many refunds as humanly possible.

    Here’s a crazy stat I saw this week. Out of 330,000 importers, just 20,000 have registered. Honestly, I think this is because brand owners are busier than ever before. Take some time this week and make sure you sign up. Will take 10 minutes MAX.

    This blog brought to you by one of the thought leaders we follow – Jon Elder of Black Label Advisors. We strongly suggest you check them out, if only to subscribe to their blog, which is always brief and to the point. 

    As always, ask us anything. If we don’t know the answer, we’ll know someone who does!

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