GST Considerations For New Business Owners

The Goods and Services Tax or GST is a consumption tax which isn’t charged on most goods and services sold within Canada, regardless of where your business is situated. Subject to certain exceptions, all companies are required to charge GST Registration Online in India, currently at 5%, plus applicable provincial sales tax return. A business effectively acts as an agent for Revenue Canada by collecting the required taxes and remitting them on a periodic basis. Businesses are also permitted to claim the taxes paid on expenses incurred that relate to their business activities. These are referred to as Input Tax Credits.

Does Your Business Need to Ledger?

Prior to joining any kind of business activity in Canada, all business owners need to determine how the GST and relevant provincial taxes apply to them. Essentially, all businesses that sell goods and services in Canada, for profit, should charge GST, except in the following circumstances:

Estimated sales for the business for 4 consecutive calendar quarters is expected to be able to less than $30,000. Revenue Canada views these businesses as small suppliers and are also therefore exempt.

The business activity is GST exempt. Exempt goods and services includes residential land and property, child care services, most health and medical services and a lot more.

Although a small supplier, i.e. a business with annual sales less than $30,000 is not had to have to file for GST, in some cases it is good do so. Since a business could only claim Input Breaks (GST paid on expenses) if tend to be registered, many businesses, particularly in the start up phase where expenses exceed sales, may find oftentimes able to recover a significant amount of taxes. This has to be balanced against the opportunity competitive advantage achieved from not charging the GST, this substance additional administrative costs (hassle) from in order to file returns.