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👀 What I'm Watching

$166 billion in tariff refunds are on their way!

This week, the government said everyone can start claiming their tariff money back after the Supreme Court said tariffs (under the IEEPA aka the International Emergency Economic Powers Act) were illegal.

The grand total refund amount? $166 billion (that's bigger than the entire GDP of Hungary).

But don't get too excited…

What's happening?

Here's the problem: Tariff refunds are only going back to whoever officially paid Customs when those tariffs were collected.

And that 'whoever' is almost never you.

Only the 'importer of record' (the business that officially paid Customs) can file a claim. That means Costco, Home Depot, Walmart, and thousands of other companies.

The individual consumer a.k.a you and me? Most likely don't qualify.

But here's where my Etsy side table randomly comes in.

Last year, I ordered a side table off Etsy. It shipped from overseas, and then Fedex hit me with an import fee.

I (begrudgingly) paid it after they threatened to send it to collections.

So in this case, FedEx was the 'importer of record.'

But there is good news for people like you and me (if you know where to look).

📝 The Breakdown

Here's how this impacts your money and wallet:

FedEx, UPS, and DHL are all filing claims right now for packages they cleared through Customs on your behalf.

The good news? All 3 have publicly said they'll pass those refunds back to customers who originally paid.

But there's a catch.

They're not going to hunt you down and mail you a check.

You have to know to ask them (thankfully you read this newsletter, right?).

One exception: UPS said customers don't need to do anything. They said they'll file on your behalf and pass the money back automatically. FedEx and DHL are less hands off, so you'll want to reach out directly there.

What about USPS? They haven't said anything. USPS handles international customs differently than the private delivery companies, and there's been no announcement about a customer refund process.

What about higher prices you paid at the store? If the tariff was just baked into the price of something you bought at Target or Amazon then you're out of luck.

That money is basically gone unless a class action forces their hand.

Companies aren't legally required to pass these refunds to consumers, and most won't.

✍️ Your Next Move

Here's what you need to do today:

1. Go find your 2025 package receipts

Search your email for international shipments from 2025 through early 2026 where FedEx, UPS, or DHL charged you a separate customs or import fee at delivery.

You're looking for a specific line item (e.g. a duty, import fee, or tariff surcharge).

2. Contact FedEx or DHL directly

Reach out with your tracking number and ask about an IEEPA tariff surcharge refund (use those exact words).

UPS customers can skip this step since UPS said they'll handle it automatically.

One thing to know: this will take a LONG time. Customers said it'll take 60-90 days just to process the carrier claims, and then the carriers need time to pass it back to you.

So realistically, you're looking at 3-5 months.

But the process just started, so now is the time to pull your tracking numbers together.

3. Sign up for class action alerts

If you were charged tariffs in the form of higher prices at the store (rather than a direct customs charge) then joining a class action lawsuit or settlement is probably the only realistic path.

In this case, be on the lookout for any class action lawsuits from your favorite stores.

🗓️ Behind The Scenes

Here's a quick recap of what I was up to this past week:

• We had a big plumbing issue this week. Somewhere in the sewer drain clogged and my backyard drain started to overflow. Thankfully, I noticed before too much water got into the basement (thank you smart water leak detector pucks). I called a bunch of plumbers and they quoted me anywhere from $600 to $250. Obviously, I got the guy on the lower end of the range. So lesson here is to always get multiple quotes cause you could be charged TWICE as much. And don't dump oil down your drain.

✅ Cool Things From This Week

• Money Tip of the Week: The rules of money changed. Most people don't know it yet.​
• ​How much do you need to retire? The number just jumped 15% in one year.​