Services and Products

Frequently Asked Questions
About Our Duty Recovery Services

No disruptions. Professional results.

If you don't find your concerns addressed here, please contact us.

  1. We check our customs brokers entries. Why do we need Descartes MSR Customs duty and commodity tax recovery services?
  2. Will an Descartes MSR Customs review trigger a government audit?
  3. Our corporate auditor has just been in. What's different about your services?
  4. We already have a Customs auditor. What would they say?
  5. If all my goods are duty free under NAFTA, or if we don't pay any duty, how could there be anything to recover?
  6. What sort of staffing arrangements do I need to make?
  7. How long does an initial review of my import files typically take?
  8. How long does the duty recovery process take?
  9. What records do you need to see?
  10. I don't need to pay anything unless I get a refund, right?
  11. If I am thinking about having you in, why is sooner better than later?

1. We check our customs brokers entries. Why do we need Descartes MSR Customs duty and commodity tax recovery services?

Looking for explicit errors on the entries represents only a small part of what we do. Most of our recoveries are the result of more complex issues and oversights. And most of our recommendations have to do with ensuring that you have fewer issues going forward.

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2. Will an Descartes MSR Customs review trigger a government audit?

In over 35 years our work has never triggered a government audit because it is always grounded in technical expertise, precedents, rulings, and appeals. Our reputation is immaculate and we will not do business any other way.

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3. Our corporate auditor has just been in. What's different about your services?

Given that corporate auditors usually bill for their time (hourly), most are constrained by how much time they feel they can spend on the Customs function, or how much budget you have allocated. Sometimes though, the constraint has more to do with the depth or breadth of their staff's customs expertise and their mandate.

Our professionals are experts in the very particular field of Customs duty and import-related commodity tax recovery. And since we do not bill for our time, we can allocate as much time and resource as required to see issues through to resolution.

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4. We already have a Customs auditor. What would they say?

In this field, it is normal for companies to entertain more than one auditor. There are very few instances where we have not found issues that have been overlooked, or new facts brought to bear. If your auditor has difficulties with this, consider asking why.

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5. If all my goods are duty free under NAFTA, or if we don't pay any duty, how could there be anything to recover?

It's surprising how many clients who say they pay no duty are mistaken. Sometimes by quite significant amounts. Many of these clients are actually paying duty on 10 to 20 percent of their shipments. With our recovery rates of 50 to 100 percent, this can be a tidy sum.

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6. What sort of staffing arrangements do I need to make?

There is no need to allocate staff or management resources to the review.

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7. How long does an initial review of my import files typically take?

The on-site time required for an initial review of your import files will typically take less than a day to accomplish. There is no need to allocate manpower resources. When we are at your office, all we require is access to your import files.

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8. How long does the duty recovery process take?

This varies on the complexity of the case. In some instances, it could take just a few weeks, for others it could be somewhat longer.

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9. What records do you need to see?

We only need to see your import files.

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10. I don't need to pay anything unless I get a refund, right?

Correct! We only get paid from the recoveries we generate. There are no consultancy charges and no surprise fees.

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11. If I am thinking about having you in, why is sooner better than later?

The reason you should undertake a duty recovery sooner rather than later is because you can only reclaim overpaid duties over the last four years. That is, if we find that you are entitled to a refund on a recent import into Canada, we will look for similar imports over the past four years to multiply those savings. Waiting even weeks or months can mean you miss out on potentially substantial savings.

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