Why cant an importer get a credit on future taxes?
Importers must pay all Federal Excise Tax to US Customs and Border Patrol (USCBP) upon release of tobacco products from Customs custody. USCBP determines the Importers tax liability and collects his tax, but does not report these collected taxes on TTB. On that same line, when TTB approves a claim for a tobacco importer, we cannot report this information to USCBP. An approved TTB credit on future Excise Tax can only be used on taxes paid to TTB.