How a Customs Attorney Can Help Your Business
Posted on: 13 September 2021
When you're in the business of shipping products into and out of your country, you'll be in touch with the customs system. There are various legal custom requirements that you should adhere to, such as taxes. If you don't understand the legal aspects of the business, you may experience legal problems. This can cost you a heavy fine or an expensive lawsuit. Therefore, it's wise to have a customs attorney by your side. Here's how customs lawyers can help your company.
Accounting
When exporting or importing goods, customs professionals calculate the duty of the goods based on the value of the goods. Hence, you will pay the duty fees if you're purchasing the products. You may be required to pay a large amount of money that you must protect.
Hence, you need a customs lawyer to track the calculations and ensure that the money you invest tallies with the number of goods you receive. This helps protect your business by preventing losses. If the accounts don't reconcile, your customs attorney can investigate the case and take legal action against the responsible.
Quarantine
Some goods such as foods and plants susceptible to pests and diseases should spend some time in quarantine before entering your country. That's because most biological products pose the risk of transmitting harmful infections and pests. Ideally, quarantine helps identify any pests and disease presence before the goods reach the markets.
If you don't understand quarantine laws, you can face legal problems transporting biological products before getting quarantine clearance. Fortunately, your customs attorney understands quarantine requirements and will ensure that the port clears your goods.
Trade Restrictions
Trade laws and treaties regulate the trade of goods in various countries. Countries usually classify goods into tariffs as a form of trade protection. Therefore, as a business owner, you should understand the limits of every tariff under which your goods fall. Your customs attorney understands the classifications and can advise you on whether you can legally ship your goods and at what cost. Also, your lawyer will find out the acceptable quantity of items you can ship.
Transshipment
Sometimes, you may deal with customs when your goods reach the port but need transportation to another region. In such cases, you need to provide documentation about taxes, duty payment, and shipment fees for the goods to be cleared. Your customs attorney can provide all the documents required ensuring that your goods reach the desired destination on time.
A customs attorney can help you with matters related to quarantine, transshipment, accounting, and trade restrictions. Consider hiring a customs lawyer for your business for these reasons.
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