Importing or Exporting

(Planning for goods moving across a US border)

Imports into and exports from the US typically entail a range of US tax and related considerations.

At a minimum, imports into the US entail tariff classification and valuation for Customs purposes, as well as compliance with non-tax requirements relating to security and clearance procedures, labeling, certificate of origin, etc.

If the party importing into the US has any US activities other than appointing an unrelated distributor, they will need to consider the nature of the entity that will perform these services (see Forming a US Entity?) as well as the structure for holding the US entity.

Exporters from the US can generally expect tariff classification and Customs valuation requirements when their goods enter the foreign country. It is generally possible to structure export activities tax efficiently from the US perspective, including distribution and other activities in the foreign country, which may entail forming a foreign entity (see Non-US Entity?).

If you want an answer or assistance with tax planning for importing or exporting, complete the Contact Us form.