Tariff recovery estimate readiness
A tariff recovery estimate before broker review should be conservative or not shown at all.
A business estimate can help leadership decide whether to keep going, but only when the records are concrete enough. If the data is weak, the better answer is a gap memo.
When an estimate is reasonable.
A pre-broker estimate is reasonable only when import entries are line-level, duty categories are visible, downstream records exist, match keys are documented, and an internal owner can explain the source systems. The estimate should be framed as a business materiality screen, not a legal conclusion or claim value.
When the estimate should be withheld.
- Only annual totals, screenshots, or AP summaries are available.
- Exports, destruction records, replacements, or downstream activity cannot be identified.
- AD/CVD, Section 232, ordinary duty, Section 301, MPF, or HMF cannot be separated conservatively.
- The buyer expects eligibility advice, claim filing, classification work, or a guaranteed refund.
What leadership should receive instead.
When the evidence is not ready, leadership should receive a data-readiness gap memo: missing source systems, missing fields, owner questions, stop conditions, and a plain recommendation on whether to pause or gather specific exports before spending more money.
Trade Recovery Data provides data-readiness screening only. It does not provide customs brokerage, legal advice, HTS classification, drawback eligibility opinions, claim preparation, claim filing, or refund guarantees.