Most of that money moved through distributors and supplier markups, and recovering it takes forensic invoice analysis, legal standing, and careful supplier negotiations. Our legal team handles every step. You pay nothing unless money is recovered.
The first step is a complimentary 10-minute call. No documents needed. You pay nothing unless money is recovered.
For about a year, tariffs applied to nearly everything imported into the US. If your company buys through distributors, those tariffs reached you as markups and price increases on invoices you've already paid. But the government's refund process only recognizes the importer of record. That's your supplier, not you. There is no portal, no form, and no filing that lets your company claim this money directly.
Distributors that paid tariffs at the port can claim refunds now. Nothing requires them to pass those refunds through to customers. Most haven't calculated what they collected from each account, because it's genuinely difficult work. Some never itemized the tariff at all; they simply raised prices. A voluntary make-good, if one ever came, would likely be a fraction of what the data supports.
Tariff entries expire under the trade rules continuously, entry by entry. Once a claim lapses, recovering it becomes a much heavier legal lift. This isn't a deadline you can put in next quarter's calendar; the pool is being claimed now, and the legal team's guidance is to establish your position early, while your suppliers are collecting their refunds.
The money route exists. It just doesn't run through the government portal. It runs through your suppliers, and it takes documentation and legal standing to open it.
Recovering pass-through tariffs is a documentation problem before it is a negotiation. Our legal team of international trade experts analyzes your purchasing data, invoices across the tariff period and, where needed, from before it, to establish what prices looked like without tariffs baked in. Dozens of analysts and attorneys work with software purpose-built for this analysis.
Scale is the advantage. The legal team works with many of the same national distributors across hundreds of cases. They know how each vendor invoiced, where tariff costs were embedded, and how to document them to a standard a supplier's own counsel will accept.
When the analysis is complete, your supplier receives a letter from a law firm stating a precise, documented figure, with the supporting data, and an invitation to discuss. Not a threat. A calculation.
Consider a hypothetical grocery chain with $400 million in annual revenue:
Tariffs began at 10% across the board and ran far higher on goods from certain countries for months at a time. That is how a mid-single-digit percentage of revenue in imported goods can compound into a seven-figure claim.
Run your own numbers: annual spend on imported goods through distributors, times a blended tariff rate in the 10 to 20% range, is a reasonable first estimate of what your company may be entitled to recover.
Illustrative example only, not a client result. Every business's numbers differ. No outcome is guaranteed.
A short conversation about what you import, how you buy it, and rough volumes. If the numbers look too small to be worth your time, we'll say so on that call.
You speak directly with an international trade lawyer on our legal team about your specific situation.
Confidentiality first. Then a plain engagement letter. You pay nothing to engage.
Your team shares invoices covering the tariff period, and sometimes earlier for price baselines. Share as much as you can; the analysts do the heavy lifting.
Dozens of analysts and attorneys, purpose-built software, and vendor-specific case models. Typically a week to a month depending on data volume.
Starting with your largest distributors, each receives the documented figure and supporting data from the law firm, and a professional conversation follows.
Recovered money goes directly to your company's account, sometimes in tranches as suppliers receive their own refunds. Only after money lands do you pay anything.
Businesses across the country trusted ERC Helpdesk to navigate the Employee Retention Credit. We're still servicing those clients today, through appeals, monitoring, and collections. Tariff recovery is the same discipline: documentation, persistence, and getting businesses paid what they may be entitled to.
Recovery work is performed with a legal team of international trade experts, with dozens of analysts and attorneys dedicated to tariff cases, purpose-built analysis software, and active matters involving many of the largest national distributors.
No retainers, no hourly bills, no research fees. The engagement costs nothing unless money is recovered. Your data is covered by an NDA before anything is shared.
“I received PPP and my revenue declines in 2020 weren't drastic, so I didn't think I would qualify. But ERC Helpdesk discovered I met the 2021 threshold!”
Home Care Industry, Florida
“The impact of the pandemic caused us to restructure. Our new business model was successful and we did not experience a revenue decline, but ERC Helpdesk discovered we still qualified for the ERC!”
Land Development Co., Florida
“Our sales and revenue went up during the pandemic so we didn't think we were eligible. There was no risk to see if we qualified. It turned out that we did! Thank you ERC Helpdesk!”
Staffing Company, Rhode Island
“Our CPA filed for our ERC credit. We had ERC Helpdesk re-evaluate our claim. They found an additional $70,459. ERC Helpdesk is re-filing for us.”
Retail Shoe Company, California
Client results from ERC Helpdesk's Employee Retention Credit practice, as published at erchelpdesk.com. Tariff recovery is a separate service; every claim differs and no outcome is guaranteed.
“Your money's out there, and you have no standing to file to get it. That's the problem we solve.”
Ten minutes on the phone. No documents, no commitment, no cost. Worst case, you rule this out and get back to work. Best case, your company may be entitled to recover money it has already written off.
See If Your Business QualifiesContingency basis. You pay nothing unless money is recovered.