I will be moving to Australia next year and plan to work for myself. Do you know of any books or websites that will help me get established? Are there any tax benefits when I travel to/from Australia for business? How about laws on importing and exporting alcoholic beverages. Any information will help.

If you don't have any prior knowledge of importing / exporting, it is not something you can easily jump right into. If you export your goods to Australia, we have a free trade agreement with them that would allow your goods to be entered duty free. (Usually household moving goods are allowed into most countries duty free.)As far as importing and exporting alcoholic beverages, there are strict regulations on it. If you are exporting from Australia to the U.S. you will be governed by the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms Agency). Either way you transport alcohol, most countries either require a license, a special permit from the government, or may not allow you to do it at all. (In some countries it is strictly prohibited, or they place such a high duty and tax rate on it - to prioritize their own countries alcohol).Most countries will however allow you to carry a personal amount of alcohol duty free (like 2-4 bottles) for you own consumption, but this is only if it is carried into the country on you, and not transported by a carrier.If you want to import / export goods, you should pick a product that does not have restrictions on it. Food, alcohol, firearms, technology - all have certain restrictions and guidelines that need to be followed to transport them around the world. There are also certain items that are controlled by the bureau of industry and security and need licenses.You have a lot of studying to do. Here are some helpful websites to get you started:U.S. Sites:www.cbp.govwww.bis.govwww.trade.govAustralia websites:http://web.ita.doc.gov/ticwebsite/apweb.nsf!OpenDatabase&Start=1&Count=500&Expand=2. 1http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfmGood luck!

The best routes to take are to research the process of starting a business as well as the industry you're interested in.I recommend checking out the SBA, Entrepreneur, The Start Up Journal & Nolo. All 4 are great informational resources for the new/small business owner. I posted links for you in the source box.Associations may be a good avenue to explore as well. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links. Research, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:* Building an Import/Export Business, 3rd Edition by Kenneth D. Weiss* Import/Export: How to Get Started in International Trade by Carl A. Nelson* Start Your Own Import/Export Business (Entrepreneur Magazine's Start Ups) by Entrepreneur Press* Importing Into the United States: A Guide for Commercial Importers by United States Custom ServiceThere are plenty of free informational resources out there. Check the source box for links to articles.Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!