Question 1

What is the process for GSTR-9C reconciliation?

Accepted Answer

The process runs in clear stages: Financials and returns intake; Turnover derivation; Tax and ITC reconciliation; Difference resolution. A senior consultant reviews your file at each stage rather than passing it to a data-entry desk, and you receive a confirmation with the filed documents once it is complete. You always know which stage your work is at — we update you on WhatsApp instead of leaving you to follow up.

Question 2

How long does GSTR-9C reconciliation take in Adyar?

Accepted Answer

7-10 working days; statutory due date 31 December. That assumes your documents are complete and there is no departmental query. We start the same day we receive your papers and tell you the realistic completion date upfront rather than an optimistic one. Where the GST portal or the officer causes delay — clarifications, physical verification or system issues — we track it daily and keep you informed on WhatsApp.

Question 3

Does GSTR-9C still need certification by a CA?

Accepted Answer

Not any more. From FY 2020-21 onwards, the requirement of certification by a Chartered Accountant or Cost Accountant was removed, and GSTR-9C is now filed on a self-certification basis by the taxpayer. However, self-certification has shifted the responsibility squarely onto the business, so professional preparation matters even more. The statement reconciles turnover, tax paid and input tax credit between the audited financials and GSTR-9, and unexplained gaps invite scrutiny. Our team prepares the working papers, drafts the reconciliation and walks you through every difference before you certify. Businesses in Adyar can call +91 - 9600 606 444 for a quote.

Question 4

What exactly does GSTR-9C reconcile?

Accepted Answer

GSTR-9C reconciles three things between your audited financial statements and your GST returns: gross and taxable turnover, tax paid, and input tax credit. Common reconciling items include unbilled revenue, advances, credit notes, stock transfers between branches, income not liable to GST such as interest, and credit claimed in books but deferred in returns. Every difference must be listed with reasons, and any additional liability discovered is payable through Form DRC-03. A well-prepared GSTR-9C is effectively a self-audit that protects you in later assessments, which is how we approach it for clients in Adyar.

Question 5

When is GSTR-9C due and can it be filed without GSTR-9?

Accepted Answer

GSTR-9C has the same due date as GSTR-9, which is 31 December following the end of the financial year. On the portal, GSTR-9C can only be filed after GSTR-9 has been submitted for the same year, so the two are prepared together in practice. Late filing attracts late fee implications, and a missing GSTR-9C for an eligible taxpayer is an easy pick for departmental notices. Since it depends on audited financials, we advise completing your statutory audit by September so the GST reconciliation has adequate time. Call +91 - 9600 606 444 to plan the timeline.

Question 6

Is GSTR-9C applicable to my business?

Accepted Answer

GSTR-9C is a reconciliation statement between your audited annual financial statements and the GSTR-9 annual return. It is mandatory for taxpayers whose aggregate turnover for the financial year exceeds Rs.5 crore. Below that threshold only GSTR-9 applies, and below Rs.2 crore even GSTR-9 is optional. Aggregate turnover is computed PAN-wide across all GSTINs, so a Chennai business with branches in other states must count all of them together. If you are near the Rs.5 crore mark, we can compute your aggregate turnover precisely and confirm applicability.

Question 7

Is ITC available on food, catering and canteen expenses for our factory staff?

Accepted Answer

Section 17(5)(b) blocks credit on food, beverages and outdoor catering, but with two useful exceptions. First, where you use catering as an input for making an outward supply of the same category, such as a caterer subcontracting another caterer, credit is allowed. Second, where providing the facility is obligatory for the employer under any law, credit is allowed; the classic case is a statutory canteen required under the Factories Act for factories employing more than 250 workers. Even then, credit is typically restricted to the cost borne by the employer, not amounts recovered from employees. Factories around Adyar should keep the statutory obligation documented in their credit file.

Question 8

Why should I reconcile GSTR-2B with my purchase books every month?

Accepted Answer

Because your input tax credit in GSTR-3B is legally restricted to invoices appearing in GSTR-2B. Under Section 16(2)(aa) and Rule 36(4), credit is available only when the supplier has reported the invoice in their GSTR-1 and it flows into your GSTR-2B. Monthly reconciliation catches suppliers who have not filed, invoices reported with wrong GSTINs, duplicate entries and rate differences, before they become mismatch notices. It also protects working capital, since missed credits sit unclaimed. A disciplined monthly reconciliation, matched invoice by invoice, is the single most effective protection against ITC disputes for businesses in Adyar.

Question 9

I make both taxable and exempt supplies. How is the Rule 42 credit reversal actually computed?

Accepted Answer

Rule 42 first removes credit exclusively for exempt supplies and non-business use, and credit exclusively for taxable supplies, leaving the common credit. From this common pool, you reverse the portion equal to exempt turnover divided by total turnover for the month, plus a flat five percent of the common credit where inputs are partly used for non-business purposes. The reversal is declared monthly in GSTR-3B, and a final recomputation for the whole year must be done, with any shortfall paid with interest, by the November return following the financial year. Traders in Adyar dealing in items like unbranded foods alongside taxable goods need this working every month.

Question 10

How many digits of the HSN code must I print on my tax invoices?

Accepted Answer

Under Notification 78/2020 Central Tax, taxpayers with aggregate turnover up to Rs.5 crore in the preceding financial year must mention a 4-digit HSN code on all B2B tax invoices, though it is optional on B2C invoices. Taxpayers with turnover above Rs.5 crore must mention 6-digit HSN codes on every invoice, including B2C. Eight digits are required for specified goods such as certain chemicals and for export documentation. Services follow the same rule using SAC codes, which begin with 99. Printing truncated or wrong codes on invoices creates mismatches later, so set the codes correctly in your billing software once.

Question 11

Can I reduce GST for discounts given after the sale, like turnover incentives?

Accepted Answer

Only if three conditions in Section 15(3)(b) are met: the discount was established under an agreement that existed before or at the time of supply, it can be linked to specific invoices, and the recipient reverses the input tax credit attributable to it. If all three hold, you issue a GST credit note and reduce your output tax. If any condition fails, which is common for year-end volume incentives negotiated later, the adjustment must go through a commercial credit note without any GST effect. Distributor incentive schemes run from Adyar should be papered before the season starts, not after.

Question 12

I returned an advance because the deal was cancelled. What document do I issue?

Accepted Answer

It depends on how far the paperwork went. If you had issued only a receipt voucher and no tax invoice, you issue a refund voucher under Rule 51 when returning the advance, and the tax paid on that advance can be adjusted. If a tax invoice had already been issued, the cancellation is handled through a credit note under Section 34 instead. The refund voucher records the original receipt voucher reference, the amount refunded and the tax involved. Event managers and contractors see cancellations regularly, and using the wrong document between these two is a common reconciliation error.

Question 13

Does compensation cess still apply on any goods?

Accepted Answer

For most goods, no. With the rate restructuring of 22 September 2025, compensation cess was discontinued on items such as cars, and the demerit burden was merged into the single 40 percent rate. The cess continues only on pan masala and specified tobacco products during the transition period while past compensation cess loan obligations are being discharged. A practical point for traders: balances of unutilised compensation cess credit cannot be cross-utilised against CGST, SGST or IGST liability, so businesses holding old cess credit should evaluate their position rather than assuming it will set off future tax.

Question 14

What is the place of supply for freight and courier charges on goods?

Accepted Answer

For transportation of goods, including by courier, Section 12(8) fixes the place of supply as the location of the recipient where the recipient is registered. Where the recipient is unregistered, it is the location where the goods are handed over for transportation. So a registered Adyar manufacturer paying a transporter for a Chennai-to-Delhi movement has Tamil Nadu as the place of supply, and the RCM liability is paid as CGST plus SGST if the transporter is also in Tamil Nadu. This rule matters chiefly for paying reverse charge on GTA freight under the correct heads, because paying IGST where CGST and SGST were due creates a refund-and-repay exercise later.

Question 15

What does a GST consultant in Adyar typically charge for refund and compliance work?

Accepted Answer

Fees vary with complexity. Simple filings such as an LUT or an excess cash ledger refund are usually fixed-fee assignments, while export and inverted duty refunds involve invoice statements, formula workings and departmental follow-up, so they may be priced as a fixed fee or a small percentage of the refund secured. Monthly reconciliation and return packages are subscription-based. ChennaiGST publishes transparent pricing starting at Rs.9,999 with no percentage cut on straightforward claims, and you pay only after the scope is agreed in writing. Call +91 - 9600 606 444 for a quote specific to your turnover and refund type.

Question 16

If I open a bulk bag and sell rice loose by weight, is that sale taxable?

Accepted Answer

No. The 5% levy on specified food items applies only when they are supplied in pre-packaged and labelled form in packs up to 25 kilograms. When a retailer opens bulk stock and weighs out loose quantities against each customer's order, the supply is not of a pre-packaged commodity, so it remains exempt. What you cannot do is sell an intact labelled retail pack and bill it as loose. Keep purchase records showing bulk procurement and maintain the loose counter separately from the packed shelf, because officers test this distinction during inspections of grocery businesses. When in doubt on a product, call +91 - 9600 606 444.

Question 17

How do I choose a good GST consultant near me in Adyar?

Accepted Answer

Look for four things: familiarity with the GST portal's actual workflows rather than just theory, responsiveness around due dates such as the 11th for GSTR-1 and the 20th for GSTR-3B, transparent fixed pricing instead of vague estimates, and the ability to handle departmental work like clarification notices, amendments and revocations, not just routine filing. Ask how they track your ARNs and deadlines, and whether they share acknowledgements after every filing. ChennaiGST serves businesses across Adyar with fixed-fee packages starting at Rs.9,999, and every filing is confirmed back to you with the portal acknowledgement. Call +91 - 9600 606 444 for a free initial consultation.

Question 18

What GST rate applies to a goods transport agency: 5 percent or 18 percent?

Accepted Answer

Both exist, depending on the option exercised. The default position is 5 percent payable by the specified recipient under reverse charge, with no input tax credit to the GTA. Alternatively, a GTA may opt to pay tax itself under forward charge, either at 5 percent without input tax credit or at the higher rate with full credit, which was revised from 12 percent to 18 percent with effect from 22 September 2025. The with-credit option suits transporters with large spends on vehicles and tyres. Once the forward charge option is exercised for a year, it applies to all consignments of that year.

Question 19

Can I get GSTR-9C reconciliation done online without visiting the office?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the entire process can be handled online. You share scanned documents on WhatsApp or email, we prepare and file everything on the GST portal, and you receive the acknowledgement and filed copies digitally. Businesses in Adyar regularly complete GSTR-9C statement with us without a single office visit. If a physical verification or personal hearing is required by the department, we guide you through it.

Question 20

Is there a GST consultant near Adyar for gstr 9c filing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We serve Adyar and the surrounding areas from our office at Porur, Chennai - 600 116, Tamil Nadu, and most GSTR-9C statement work is completed online — you send documents on WhatsApp and we handle the portal work. If you prefer in-person help, we offer doorstep document pickup across Adyar and you are welcome to visit our office. Reach us on +91 - 9600 606 444 between 9 AM and 8 PM, Monday to Saturday.

Question 21

What documents are required for GSTR-9C reconciliation in Adyar?

Accepted Answer

For GSTR-9C reconciliation you will generally need: Audited financial statements including balance sheet and profit and loss account, Filed GSTR-9 for the year, or data to prepare it, Trial balance for the financial year, All GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B filed copies, GSTIN-wise turnover split if the entity operates in multiple states. The exact list depends on your constitution — proprietorship, partnership, LLP or company — and on the specifics of your case. Send what you have on WhatsApp to +91 - 9600 606 444 and we will confirm within the same working day exactly what else is needed, so nothing is rejected later for a missing paper.

Aspect	With ChennaiGST	DIY / Unattended
Keeping up with changes	Rate changes, portal updates and new thresholds such as the Rs.5 crore e-invoice limit are tracked by us and applied to your case proactively.	Changes are discovered after the fact — often through a rejected filing, a blocked e-way bill or a departmental letter.
Supplier defaults	Suppliers who stop uploading invoices are identified within the period and pursued before their default becomes your blocked credit.	Missing supplier invoices surface only when credit is denied, by which time recovering the amount from the vendor is difficult.
Time cost	Roughly an hour a month to send data and approve drafts; the portal work, reconciliation and follow-up are ours.	Hours every month lost to portal errors, JSON files, OTP failures and reworking figures — usually on the due date itself.
Risk of notices	GSTR-1, GSTR-3B and GSTR-2B reconciled before filing, removing the mismatches that trigger most scrutiny notices.	Inconsistent figures across returns quietly build a mismatch history that surfaces later as ASMT-10 scrutiny or a demand notice.
Input tax credit	Purchase register matched against GSTR-2B each period, with defaulting suppliers chased so eligible credit is actually captured.	Credit claimed from books alone; mismatches with GSTR-2B mean lost credit or excess claims that invite departmental queries.
When a notice arrives	A professional drafts the reply in the department's format and files it within the statutory window, such as thirty days for ASMT-11.	You face departmental language alone, and a missed reply deadline can convert a simple query into a demand with penalty.

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Why Adyar Businesses Choose ChennaiGST

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Our GSTR-9C Statement Process

Financials and returns intake

Turnover derivation

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Difference resolution

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Documents Required for GSTR-9C Reconciliation

What GSTR-9C Reconciliation Costs in Adyar

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Slips Settled Before They Become Notices

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With ChennaiGST vs Doing It Yourself

Recent GST Law You Should Know — relevant to Adyar businesses

GSTR-9 Table 8A now built from GSTR-2B for FY 2023-24

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The interstate mirror of the goods rate schedule

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