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U.S.
Customs’ Automated Clearinghouse (ACH)
Program
Speedy Air
Cargo Inc encourages and helps clients establish an Automated
Clearing House (ACH) payment program with U.S. Customs. We highly
recommend the ACH program, as it is the most efficient means of
duty settlement available. Under this method duties will be
withdrawn directly from the importer’s bank account and paid to
Customs at the optimal time, all under the careful supervision of
our brokers.
To get
started with ACH, the importer should confirm that their bank
participates in the National Automated Clearinghouse Association
(NACHA). A checking, savings or disbursement account can be used
for ACH purposes. Customs, for security reasons, does not store
bank account information in its Automated Commercial System (ACS);
only the Customs National Finance Center (NFC) and ACH processing
bank have account information. An application to participate in the
ACH program can be obtained from Speedy’s brokerage
department.
As the
Customs broker, Speedy Air Cargo uses the importer’s ACH Payer
Number to initiate duty payment transmission to U.S. Customs on
their behalf. Each payment executed by the broker will be noted
separately on the importer’s bank statement. To facilitate the ACH
method of duty settlement, Speedy’s brokers utilize the Automated
Broker Interface (ABI) system.
U.S. Customs
requires that all duties and fees be paid no later than ten days
from the shipment clearance date. To facilitate payment at the
optimal time, Speedy prints the importer's Preliminary Statement on
eighth day after customs clearance. Our brokers then initiate
payment by keying the Customs Preliminary Statement Number and
Payer Number into ABI. Next we receive notification of payment
acceptance and watch the next day for receipt of a Final
Statement.
Speedy’s
brokers invoice and mail bills the day the file is processed so
customers know in advance when the duties/fees will be transacted
with Customs. If the importer prefers, we can fax a copy of the
Preliminary Statement in advance (i.e. the fifth day after
clearance) showing when payment will be initiated (the eighth
day).
ACH
Credit
Under the
ACH Credit system, the importer (instead of the broker) transmits
funds directly to U.S. Customs using their ACH Payer Number. In
this case the importer receives a fax of the Preliminary Statement
from Speedy’s brokerage department advising them when the eighth
day is. We recommend sending the Preliminary Statement to the
importer prior to eighth day (on the fifth as described above) to
allow plenty of time for payment notification.
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