Showing posts with label Customs Broker Exam; Valuation; Appraisement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Customs Broker Exam; Valuation; Appraisement. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

CBE Study Tip 10: Valuation

Customs Valuation (19 CFR 152) is one of the most complex parts of the regulations. This section is one of the most frequently tested on the exam, and the questions are often long and time consuming to answer. When reading Part 152, it would be wise to read each section slowly in order to understand the complex terms discussed. Pay close attention to any examples provided because they help explain and demonstrate the complicated concepts. Highlight important areas of text. Make notes and lists in the margins. Locate the valuation questions in old exams and work through the questions. Make sure to mark each section of the regulations that was used in determining the answers.

Click HERE to view an outline of the most important valuation information found in 19 CFR 152. Read and highlight these sections in your copy of the regulations. Take this outline to the exam with you for a quick reference tool.

Stay tuned to Boskage Trade News for more helpful hints on studying for the Customs Broker Exam!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

CBE Study Tip 10: Valuation


Customs Valuation (19 CFR 152) is one of the most complex parts of the regulations. This section is one of the most frequently tested on the exam, and the questions are often long and time consuming to answer. When reading Part 152, it would be wise to read each section slowly in order to understand the complex terms discussed. Pay close attention to any examples provided because they help explain and demonstrate the complicated concepts. Highlight important areas of text. Make notes and lists in the margins. Locate the valuation questions in old exams and work through the questions. Make sure to mark each section of the regulations that was used in determining the answers.

Click HERE to view an outline of the most important valuation information found in 19 CFR 152. Read and highlight these sections in your copy of the regulations. Take this outline to the exam with you for a quick reference tool.

Stay tuned to Boskage Trade News for more helpful hints on studying for the Customs Broker Exam! Please feel free to add your comments, suggestions for topics you would like to see covered and other useful information to the blog.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Valuation and the Customs Broker Exam

As we continue our series on valuation, this week we will address one of the difficult questions from the April 2009 Customs Broker Exam. Valuation questions included on the exam are usually difficult. The key to answering Question 76 on this exam is knowing what components can be deducted and in what order.

Note: This is not the official answer to Question 76, but an attempt to analyze the question and provide a starting place for discussion.

Question 76
Select the correct answer for calculating the transaction value of a shipment with details as follows:

• $1,750,000 entered amount
• CIF New York Duty Paid, MPF included
• Price includes $25,000 ocean freight, $25 marine insurance, $1500 trucking freight (New York to Baltimore, MD), $100 broker fee in Baltimore, $100,000 customs duties and fees.
• The actual duty rate is 6.5%
• The actual MPF rate is 0.21%

Potential Answers:

A. TV = entered amount minus ocean freight, marine insurance, trucking freight, and customs broker fee; add MPF and 6.5% duty.

B. TV – entered amount minus ocean freight, marine insurance, trucking freight and customs broker fee. Divide remainder by 1.0671. Multiply the remainder by .0021. Subtract $485from the entered amount minus the authorized deductions. Divide the remainder by 1.065.

C. TV = entered amount minus ocean freight, marine insurance, trucking freight, maximum MPF, and 6.5% actual duty rate.

D. Divide out the actual duty rate, and then subtract the ocean freight, marine insurance, trucking freight and customs broker fee.

E. TV = entered amount minus ocean freight, marine insurance, and trucking freight fee and divide by 1.06701, multiply by .0021 for actual MPF; subtract MPF as allowed from the entered amount minus deductions and divide by 1.065 to yield Transaction Value.

Let's determine the status of each component.
1. 25,000 freight - not dutiable [152.102(f)]
2. $2500 insurance - not dutiable [152.102(f)]
3. $1500 U.S. domestic transportation - not dutiable [152.103(i)(1)(ii)]
4. $100 broker fee - not dutiable [152.102(f) - related services]
5. Duties - not dutiable [152.103(i)(2)]
6. MPF - not dutiable [152.103(i)(2)]

Answer A is incorrect because duty and MPF are deducted, not added.
Answer C is incorrect because the brokerage fees should be deducted. This would be the second best answer.
Answer D is incorrect because duty should not be divided out on the amount that includes freight and insurance since these two items are non dutiable and their value should not be included in the amount duty is calculated on. Answer E is incorrect because the brokerage fee should be deducted before calculating the duty.
Answer B is the best answer, as explained below.

Deduct the ocean freight, insurance trucking freight and broker fee. Then divide the remainder by the duty and MPF rate. Since the maximum deduction for MPF is $485and this amount is met due to the value, only $485 should be deducted and then the duty can be deducted.

$1,750,000 - $25,000 - $2,500 - $1,500 - $100 = $1,720,900
$1,720,900/1.0671 = $1,612,689
$1,612,689 x .0021 = $3,386.61 MPF = $485 Max MPF

Go back to the value determined after deducting freight, insurance, trucking and broker fee:
$1,720,900 - $485 = $1,720,415

Calculate Duty Deduction
$1,720,415/1.065 = $1,615,413

Now that the Wizard has provided some thoughts on the potential answer to this question, we would like to hear from our readers. Is this explanation correct? Is there a better answer? We are looking forward to some great discussions on this issue, so please respond with your thoughts and answers for this question.

Monday, September 22, 2008

CBE Study Tip 10: Valuation

Customs Valuation (19 CFR 152) is one of the most complex parts of the regulations. This section is one of the most frequently tested on the exam, and the questions are often long and time consuming to answer. When reading Part 152, it would be wise to read each section slowly in order to understand the complex terms discussed. Pay close attention to any examples provided because they help explain and demonstrate the complicated concepts. Highlight important areas of text. Make notes and lists in the margins. Locate the valuation questions in old exams and work through the questions. Make sure to mark each section of the regulations that was used in determining the answers.



Click HERE to view an outline of the most important valuation information found in 19 CFR 152. Read and highlight these sections in your copy of the regulations. Take this outline to the exam with you for a quick reference tool.

Stay tuned to Boskage Trade News for more helpful hints on studying for the Customs Broker Exam! Please feel free to add your comments, suggestions for topics you would like to see covered and other useful information to the blog!