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What is Goods and Services Tax (GST)?
Goods and Service Tax (GST) is an indirect tax levied on the supply of goods and services. GST is an Indirect Tax which has replaced many Indirect Taxes in India. The Act came into effect on 1st July 2017.
Goods and Services Tax (GST) Returns
GST return is a document containing details of supply including exempt or taxable supply nil rated or supply made to unregistered person etc. Every registered person required to file return consisting supply and GST paid by the supplier on its outward supply with the GST portal. GST return is a document that will contain all the details of your sales, purchases, tax collected on sales (output tax), and tax paid on purchases (input tax). Once you file GST returns, you will need to pay the resulting tax liability (money that you owe the government).
Types of GST Returns
1. GSTR-1
GSTR-1 is the return to be furnished for reporting details of all outward supplies of goods and services made, or in other words, sales transactions made during a tax period, and also for reporting debit and credit notes issued. Any amendments to sales invoices made, even pertaining to previous tax periods, should be reported in the GSTR-1 return.
GSTR-1 is to be filed by all normal taxpayers who are registered under GST. It is to be filed monthly, except in the case of small taxpayers with turnover up to Rs.1.5 crore in the previous financial year, who can file the same on a quarterly basis.
2. GSTR-2A
GSTR-2A is the return containing details of all inward supplies of goods and services i.e. purchases made from registered suppliers during a tax period. The data is auto-populated based on data filed by the suppliers in their GSTR-1 return. GSTR-2A is a read-only return and no action can be taken.
3. GSTR-2
GSTR-2 is the return for reporting the inward supplies of goods and services i.e. the purchases made during a tax period. The details in the GSTR-2 return are auto-populated from the GSTR-2A. Unlike GSTR-2A, the GSTR-2 return can be edited.
GSTR-2 is to be filed by all normal taxpayers registered under GST; however, the filing of the same has been suspended ever since the inception of GST.
4. GSTR-3
GSTR-3 is a monthly summary return for furnishing summarized details of all outward supplies made; inward supplies received and input tax credit claimed, along with details of the tax liability and taxes paid. This return is auto-generated on the basis of the GSTR-1 and GSTR-2 returns filed.
GSTR-3 is to be filed by all normal taxpayers registered under GST; however, the filing of the same has been suspended ever since the inception of GST.
5. GSTR-3B
GSTR-3B is a monthly self-declaration to be filed, for furnishing summarized details of all outward supplies made, input tax credit claimed, tax liability ascertained and taxes paid.
GSTR-3B is to be filed by all normal taxpayers registered under GST.
6. GSTR-4 / CMP-08
GSTR-4 is the return that was to be filed by taxpayers who have opted for the Composition Scheme under GST. CMP-08 is the return which has replaced the now erstwhile GSTR-4. The Composition Scheme is a scheme in which taxpayers with turnover up to Rs.1.5 crores can opt into and pay taxes at a fixed rate on the turnover declared.
The CMP-08 return is to be filed on a quarterly basis.
7. GSTR-5
GSTR-5 is the return to be filed by non-resident foreign taxpayers, who are registered under GST and carry out business transactions in India. The return contains details of all outward supplies made, inward supplies received, credit/debit notes, tax liability and taxes paid.
The GSTR-5 return is to be filed monthly for each month that the taxpayer is registered under GST in India.
8. GSTR-6
GSTR-6 is a monthly return to be filed by an Input Service Distributor (ISD). It will contain details of input tax credit received and distributed by the ISD. It will further contain details of all documents issued for the distribution of input credit and the manner of distribution.
9. GSTR-7
GSTR-7 is a monthly return to be filed by persons required to deduct TDS (Tax deducted at source) under GST. GSTR 7 will contain details of TDS deducted, the TDS liability payable and paid and TDS refund claimed, if any.
10. GSTR-8
GSTR-8 is a monthly return to be filed by e-commerce operators registered under the GST who are required to collect tax at source (TCS). GSTR-8 will contain details of all supplies made through the E-commerce platform, and the TCS collected on the same.
The GSTR-8 return is to be filed on a monthly basis.
11. GSTR-9
GSTR-9 is the annual return to be filed by taxpayers registered under GST. It will contain details of all outward supplies made, inward supplies received during the relevant previous year under different tax heads i.e. CGST, SGST & IGST and HSN codes, along with details of taxes payable and paid. It is a consolidation of all the monthly or quarterly returns (GSTR-1, GSTR-2A, and GSTR-3B) filed during that year.
GSTR-9 is required to be filed by all taxpayers registered under GST, except taxpayers who have opted for the Composition Scheme, Casual Taxable Persons, Input Service Distributors, Non-resident Taxable Persons and persons paying TDS under section 51 of CGST Act.
The 37th GST Council meeting took the decision to make GSTR-9 filing optional for businesses with turnover up to Rs.2 crore for FY 17-18 and FY 18-19.
12. GSTR-9A
GSTR-9A is the annual return to be filed by taxpayers who have registered under the Composition Scheme in a financial year. It is a consolidation of all the quarterly returns filed during that financial year.
GSTR-9A filing for Composition taxpayers has been waived off for FY 2017-18 and FY 2018-19 as per the decision taken in the 27th GST Council meeting.
13. GSTR-9C
GSTR-9C is the reconciliation statement to be filed by all taxpayers registered under GST whose turnover exceeds Rs.2 crore in a financial year. The registered person has to get their books of accounts audited by a Chartered/Cost Accountant. The statement of reconciliation is between these audited financial statements of the taxpayer and the annual return GSTR-9 that has been filed.
GSTR-9C is to be filed for every GSTIN, hence, one PAN can have multiple GSTR-9C forms being filed.
14. GSTR-10
GSTR-10 is to be filed by a taxable person whose registered has been cancelled or surrendered. This return is also called a final return and has to be filed within 3 months from the date of cancellation or cancellation order, whichever is earlier.
15. GSTR-11
GSTR-11 is the return to be filed by persons who have been issued a Unique Identity Number (UIN) in order to get a refund under GST for the goods and services purchased by them in India. UIN is a classification made for foreign diplomatic missions and embassies not liable to tax in India, for the purpose of getting a refund of taxes. GSTR-11 will contain details of inward supplies received and refund claimed.
Goods and Services Tax (GST) Returns Due Dates
| Return Form | Particulars | Frequency | Due Date |
| GSTR-1 | Details of outward supplies of taxable goods and/or services affected | Monthly | 11th of the next month |
| GSTR-2 | Details of inward supplies of taxable goods and/or services affected claiming the input tax credit. | Monthly | 15th of the next month |
| GSTR-3 | Monthly return on the basis of finalization of details of outward supplies and inward supplies along with the payment of tax. | Monthly | 20th of the next month |
| GSTR-3B | Simple Return in which summary of outward supplies along with Input Tax Credit is declared and payment of tax is affected by taxpayer | Monthly | 20th of the next month |
| CMP-08** | Return for a taxpayer registered under the composition levy | Quarterly | 18th of the month succeeding quarter |
| GSTR-5 | Return for a Non-Resident foreign taxable person | Monthly | 20th of the next month |
| GSTR-6 | Return for an Input Service Distributor | Monthly | 13th of the next month |
| GSTR-7 | Return for authorities deducting tax at source. | Monthly | 10th of the next month |
| GSTR-8 | Details of supplies effected through e-commerce operator and the amount of tax collected | Monthly | 10th of the next month |
| GSTR-9 | Annual Return for a Normal Taxpayer | Annually | 31st December of next financial year* |
| GSTR-9A | Annual Return a taxpayer registered under the composition levy anytime during the year | Annually | 31st December of next financial year* |
| GSTR-10 | Final Return | Once, when GST Registration is cancelled or surrendered | Within three months of the date of cancellation or date of cancellation order, whichever is later. |
| GSTR-11 | Details of inward supplies to be furnished by a person having UIN and claiming a refund | Monthly | 28th of the month following the month for which statement is filed |
*subject to any Changes made by official announcement
**CMP-08 is the return which has replaced the now erstwhile GSTR-4
