Every Duty Paid, Recorded and Accounted For
Customs duties and tariffs are a real cost of importing — but for most businesses, they're also a poorly documented one. Brasswick brings systematic recording and monthly reconciliation to a part of your accounts that often runs on approximation.
Duty Costs That Are Tracked, Not Guessed
When goods cross a border, duties and tariffs are paid — but the accounting record of exactly what was paid, against which import, under which classification, is often thinner than it should be. Over time this creates gaps: in your cost picture, in your compliance documentation, and in your ability to pursue drawback claims on duties that may be recoverable.
This service produces a monthly reconciliation report that matches every duty payment against the corresponding import declaration. Misclassifications are identified, records are maintained in a format that supports drawback applications, and you finish each month with a complete and accurate account of what international trade has cost you at the border.
Duty payments matched against import declarations every month.
Records maintained to support duty drawback claims where applicable.
Duties recorded against correct classifications; misclassifications flagged.
Documentation structured for customs authority review and audit.
Where Duty Tracking Falls Through
Payments Without a Paper Trail
Duty payments flow through customs clearance agents and get recorded as a single cost line — if they're recorded at all. The underlying import declaration, the specific classification, the breakdown by product: all of that detail tends to get lost in the transaction.
Classification Errors That Cost Money
Goods are classified under tariff codes that determine the rate of duty applied. Misclassifications — even accidental ones — mean paying more than is owed, or potentially less, which carries its own compliance implications. Without systematic review, these errors persist month after month.
Missed Drawback Opportunities
In certain circumstances, duties paid on imported goods can be claimed back — particularly where those goods are subsequently exported or used in manufacturing. Pursuing a drawback claim requires detailed records. Without them, the opportunity simply isn't available.
These gaps aren't always obvious from inside the business. Duties get paid, shipments arrive, and operations continue — but underneath, the accounting record of what international trade is actually costing at the border is thinner than it should be. That matters when auditors arrive, when drawback claims arise, and when you're trying to understand your true margin on imported goods.
Systematic, Monthly, and Reconciled
This service creates a methodical monthly process around every customs duty and tariff payment your business makes. It's not a one-time review — it's an ongoing accounting function that keeps pace with your import activity and builds a reliable record over time.
Duty Payment Recording
Every customs duty and tariff payment is recorded individually, referenced to the specific import declaration it relates to. This gives you a clear line between payment and shipment — not a bundled cost line that obscures what was paid and when.
Classification Review
Duty payments are reviewed against the tariff classifications applied at import. Where classifications appear inconsistent or potentially incorrect, these are identified and flagged — giving you the opportunity to address errors before they compound.
Drawback Record Maintenance
Records are kept in a format that supports duty drawback applications where these may apply to your operations. If eligible circumstances arise, the documentation needed to support a claim is already in place — not something that needs to be reconstructed.
Monthly Reconciliation Report
Each month you receive a structured reconciliation report covering all duty and tariff payments made during the period. It maps payments to declarations, summarises total duty costs, and notes anything that warrants attention.
A Process That Runs Alongside Your Operations
Understanding Your Imports
We start by reviewing your current import activity — which goods, which countries, how duties are currently being tracked, and where the documentation gaps are. This shapes the monthly process we set up.
Monthly Data Sharing
Each month you provide import declarations, customs clearance documentation, and duty payment records. We guide you through exactly what's needed so the process is straightforward on your end.
Reconciliation Work
We reconcile each payment against the relevant declaration, check classifications, flag anything unusual, and compile the findings into the monthly report. The work is methodical and thorough.
Report Delivered
Your monthly reconciliation report arrives on schedule — a clear record of what was paid, against which imports, with any classification questions or drawback opportunities noted for your attention.
Straightforward Pricing, No Variables
A fixed monthly fee for the complete Customs Duty & Tariff Tracking service. The fee doesn't change with the number of shipments or declarations — it covers the ongoing monthly work in full.
This service works well on its own for businesses whose primary accounting complexity is duty-related. It can also be combined with Import & Export Trade Accounting or Foreign Currency Transaction Management if your operations span multiple layers.
What Good Duty Tracking Produces Over Time
Built on Declaration-Level Detail
The methodology here works at the level of individual import declarations — not rolled-up monthly cost lines. Each duty payment is traced back to the specific shipment, the specific goods, and the specific classification used at customs clearance.
This level of granularity matters for two reasons: it reveals classification inconsistencies that cost money, and it creates the evidential trail that drawback applications require. Summary-level recording simply doesn't support either.
What Builds in the Accounts Each Month
Month by month, a complete and accurate record of what customs duties and tariffs are costing your business — by product type, by country of origin, by period.
Ongoing classification review means errors are identified and addressed promptly rather than discovered during a customs audit when the stakes are higher.
When drawback opportunities arise, the records needed to support a claim are already in order — not something that has to be rebuilt from scratch.
Clarity Before Commitment
We start with a conversation about your import activity and current duty tracking. You'll leave that conversation with a clear sense of whether this service suits your situation — and there's no expectation to proceed until you're comfortable it's the right fit.
No-Obligation Consultation
The initial conversation costs nothing and commits you to nothing. It's simply a way to understand whether your situation and this service are a reasonable match.
Predictable Delivery
Monthly reports arrive on an agreed schedule, every month. You'll always know when to expect your reconciliation report and what it will cover.
Defined Scope
The service scope is set out in plain terms before any work begins. You'll know exactly what's covered, how data will be shared, and what the monthly output will contain.
Three Steps to Proper Duty Records
Tell Us About Your Imports
Use the contact form on our home page to share a brief description of your import activity — which goods, which countries, and how customs duties are currently being handled. A short message is all that's needed to begin.
We Assess the Fit
We'll follow up within one business day to ask a few questions and understand your current documentation. If the service is well suited to your operations, we'll explain exactly how it would work for you.
Monthly Work Begins
Once the scope is agreed, we establish the monthly data-sharing process and begin work on your first reconciliation report. From that point, the process runs consistently each month without requiring significant effort on your part.
Explore the Full Range
Import & Export Trade Accounting
Complete financial management across international transactions — currency recording, freight allocation, and consolidated monthly reports for multi-country businesses.
Foreign Currency Transaction Management
Ongoing management of foreign currency exposures — spot rate recording, period-end revaluations, and monthly currency impact reports.
Your Duty Records, Properly Maintained
If customs duties are a meaningful cost in your business and your records of them aren't as solid as they should be, this is a straightforward place to start. Send us a message and we'll follow up promptly.
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