A secondary market has emerged where firms buy validated IEEPA claims for immediate, non-recourse cash — instead of you waiting on CBP's multi-year queue. Here's what that actually means, the real math behind it, and how to tell if it's the right call for your business.
We don't buy claims ourselves — we help you calculate your exposure first, and can coordinate bridge financing against an expected refund if that fits your cash-flow needs better than a sale.
Instead of waiting for CBP to process your IEEPA refund through CAPE (which can run 18–36 months for a full queue), you assign your right to that refund to a buyer in exchange for immediate cash — typically a discounted percentage of the claim's face value. The transaction is usually structured as non-recourse: once you're paid, you're done, and the buyer absorbs the risk if CBP delays, reduces, or denies the refund.
| Selling may make sense if… | Waiting may make more sense if… |
|---|---|
| You have an immediate, higher-return use for the cash | Your cost of capital is low and you can afford to wait |
| Your claim data is clean and easily validated | Your claim is large enough that even a modest discount is a meaningful dollar amount |
| You're concerned about further processing delays or appeal risk | You have flexibility on timing and no urgent cash need |
| You want to eliminate CBP queue-position risk entirely | You want to preserve 100% of your recovery |
Before evaluating any buyout offer, know what your claim is really worth — principal plus accrued statutory interest under 19 U.S.C. §1505(c). A buyout offer is only a good deal relative to a number you can verify independently.
If a lender would extend you a bridge loan at a lower effective cost than the discount a buyer is offering, that may be the better option — and it may let you keep more of your eventual recovery.
Confirm the deal is genuinely non-recourse — meaning you keep the cash even if CBP later denies or reduces the refund — before you sign an assignment agreement.
Because buyers price in their own risk and profit margin, an independent read on your claim's real value helps you negotiate from a stronger position, or decide waiting is the better move.
No. A loan is repaid regardless of outcome and typically requires collateral or personal guarantees. A non-recourse claim sale transfers ownership of the refund itself — you're paid once, and the buyer takes on all downstream risk and reward.
No sale happens at 100% of face value — the discount is the price of speed and certainty. The size of the discount depends on your claim's complexity, documentation quality, and current market conditions.
No. We help you calculate your exposure and understand your options, and can coordinate bridge financing against an expected refund if that fits your situation. For an outright claim sale, that transaction happens directly between you and a licensed buyer — we're not a party to it, but we can help you understand the offer before you sign anything.
Typically your ACE ES-003 Entry Summary Details report, which shows HTS codes, duty amounts, and liquidation status line by line. Buyers validate this before issuing a firm offer.
Get an independent read on your IEEPA exposure first — free, no obligation — so you can evaluate any buyout or financing offer from a position of strength.
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