UPS, FedEx and DHL are giving back billions in Trump tariffs to American customers — are you eligible for a fat refund?
Jing PanFri, August 21, 2026 at 3:35 PM GMT+3 6 min read
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Ever since the Supreme Court struck down Trump's sweeping tariffs earlier this year, one question has loomed large: Will American consumers get their money back?
For some of them, the answer is yes.
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Shipping giants UPS (NYSE:UPS), FedEx (NYSE:FDX) and DHL (ETR:DHL) are returning eligible tariff payments to customers as the federal government refunds duties collected under the policies overturned by the court.
That means if you bought something from overseas last year and were hit with a separate tariff charge, some of that money could now be coming back.
And there's a lot of money at stake.
UPS has applied for $500 million in refunds in the first phase of the process and said customers should generally receive their money within one to three months of the company itself being reimbursed, according to CBS News (1). UPS has also said it expects to recover roughly $5 billion in total refunds.
FedEx, meanwhile, says it's in the process of issuing $800 million in refunds to customers who were billed for the affected duties.
FedEx has already created a portal where customers can check the status of their refunds, while UPS also has its own portal outlining their refund process (2, 3).
DHL is returning eligible payments as well. The company said that once it receives refunds from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), it will "return those funds to the party that originally paid the duties" (4).
Why is all this money coming back?
The refunds trace back to a major Supreme Court decision on Feb. 20 (5).
The court ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, didn't give the president authority to impose tariffs. And the financial consequences are enormous.
More than $100 billion in IEEPA tariffs had already been refunded to businesses as of early August — roughly 60% of what the federal government owes importers, according to a court filing cited in the CBS News article.
Here's where it gets interesting for ordinary shoppers.
Generally, CBP refunds the importer of record — the business or entity that directly paid the duty — rather than sending checks straight to consumers.
"There's no way for consumers to get money from customs," logistics company FlavorCloud CEO Rathna Sharad told CBS News (1).
But in some cases, shipping companies paid the tariff when a package entered the country and then passed that exact charge along to the customer receiving it. This creates a much clearer trail showing who ultimately paid the duty.
So, if you ordered something from overseas and were separately billed an IEEPA tariff by UPS, FedEx or DHL, it may be worth digging out your tracking information to see if you're eligible for a refund.
But not everyone who paid higher prices gets money back
There's a big catch.
Millions of Americans arguably felt the effects of tariffs without ever seeing the word "tariff" appear on a shipping bill.
A retailer importing televisions, shoes or furniture, for example, may have paid the tariff itself and then raised prices across its products to offset the additional cost.
In that case, proving exactly how much of the higher shelf price came from the tariff becomes much more difficult.
Consumers generally shouldn't expect an automatic refund simply because something they bought became more expensive due to tariffs, according to trade experts cited by CBS News.
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), however, is considering refunds in limited circumstances.
Amazon CFO Brian Olsavsky said the company had identified cases where it could trace specific import charges passed directly to customers. In those situations, Amazon plans to "contact affected customers and automatically issue refunds to them" (6).
But for many households, the amount they ultimately get back may represent only a fraction of what tariffs cost them more broadly. In fact, Tax Foundation estimates suggest households paid roughly $1,000 in additional taxes in 2025 due to Trump's tariffs. For 2026, they estimate Trump's new tariffs will cost households about $840 (7).
Ultimately, a small refund may not move the needle much. But finding ways to keep more of your money — and make the cash you already have work harder — could have a much bigger impact.
Find out where your money is going
A $50 or $100 refund is nice.
Finding an extra $50 or $100 in your budget every month could be considerably more valuable.
That starts with understanding exactly where your money goes.
With prices for everyday necessities taking a bigger bite out of many household budgets, small expenses can quietly pile up — from forgotten subscriptions to restaurant spending, shopping and recurring bills.
Monarch Money puts all your finances under one roof, from your bank accounts and credit cards to investments. You can even add separate or joint accounts to your dashboard, which can be great for tracking grocery runs for couples or helping your child get used to big-picture financial planning as parents. The app is also well reviewed. Forbes ranked Monarch Money as their best budgeting app for 2025, as did the Wall Street Journal.
And the best part? Monarch Money offers a seven-day free trial so you can see if it's right for you. If you like what you see, you could then snag 50% off your first year with code WISE50.
Make your savings work harder
If you do get money back, there's another question worth asking: Where are you going to put it?
Leaving extra cash in an account earning little or no interest means inflation can steadily chip away at its purchasing power.
One option is to move it somewhere that pays a more competitive rate, without sacrificing easy access.
A high-yield account like a Wealthfront Cash Account can be a great place to grow your uninvested cash, offering both competitive interest rates and easy access to your money when you need it.
A Wealthfront Cash Account currently offers a base APY of 3.30% through program banks, and new clients can get an extra 0.75% boost during their first three months on up to $150,000 for a total variable APY of 4.05%.
That's 10 times the national deposit savings rate, according to the FDIC's July report.
Additionally, Wealthfront is offering new clients who enable direct deposit ($1,000/mo minimum) to their Cash Account and open and fund a new investment account an additional 0.25% APY increase with no expiration date or balance limit, meaning your APY could be as high as 4.30%.
With no minimum balances or account fees, as well as 24/7 withdrawals and free domestic wire transfers, your funds remain accessible at all times. Plus, you get access to up to $8M FDIC Insurance eligibility through program banks.
Put your spare change to work
One of the easiest ways to cut financial waste is by putting your spare change to work instead of letting it sit idle. That's where micro-investing apps like Acorns come in.
When you make a purchase on your credit or debit card, Acorns automatically rounds up the price to the nearest dollar and invests the difference — the coins that would wind up in your pocket if you were paying cash — into a diversified portfolio of ETFs.
Buying a coffee for $3.40? The app rounds it up to $4 and invests the extra $0.60. Over time, those small amounts can add up — especially if you're consistently spending and saving.
It's a simple, set-it-and-forget-it way to build wealth from money you might not even miss — and, if you sign up today, Acorns will add a $20 bonus to help you begin your investment journey.
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Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
CBS News (1); FedEx (2); UPS (3); DHL (4); Congressional Research Service (5); Yahoo Finance (6); Tax Foundation (7)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
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