Question 1

Are there any hidden charges for GSTR-9C reconciliation?

Accepted Answer

No. The fee quoted before we start is the fee you pay. Government fees, portal charges or statutory late fees, where they apply, are separate and disclosed to you in advance with the exact amount. We issue a proper GST invoice for our professional fee. If the scope of work changes — for example, an unexpected notice or additional periods — we tell you the revised fee before doing anything further.

Question 2

Which GST office handles Thirumullaivoyal businesses?

Accepted Answer

Businesses in Thirumullaivoyal (PIN 600062) generally fall under the CGST Chennai Outer Commissionerate, with state-jurisdiction cases handled by the Tamil Nadu Commercial Taxes Department. Your exact division and range can be confirmed from your GSTIN on the GST portal. We regularly appear before this jurisdiction for registrations, clarifications and hearings, so we know the local practice and documentation preferences.

Question 3

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 Thirumullaivoyal.

Question 4

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 Thirumullaivoyal can call +91 - 9600 606 444 for a quote.

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

What does a GST health check cost and what will I receive at the end?

Accepted Answer

At ChennaiGST, health check engagements start at Rs.9,999 for a single-GSTIN business, with the fee scaled to turnover, transaction volume and the number of review periods. You receive a written report listing each gap found, the tax, interest and penalty exposure quantified in rupees, the statutory provision involved, and a prioritised action plan covering return amendments, DRC-03 payments and process fixes. We also walk your accountant through the corrections. Many Thirumullaivoyal clients recover the fee multiple times over through penalty avoided and missed ITC identified. Call +91 - 9600 606 444 to book a review before the next return cycle.

Question 8

Which input tax credits are blocked under Section 17(5) even if they appear in GSTR-2B?

Accepted Answer

Section 17(5) blocks credit on specified items regardless of business use: motor vehicles for passenger transport with seating up to thirteen persons, unless used for resale, passenger transport or driver training; food and beverages and outdoor catering; club and fitness memberships; life and health insurance except where statutorily obligatory; works contract and construction services for immovable property other than plant and machinery; goods lost, stolen, destroyed, written off or given as gifts and free samples; and tax paid under composition. Reversing these while filing GSTR-3B avoids painful demands later. A blocked-credit review is part of every reconciliation ChennaiGST performs.

Question 9

My supplier filed GSTR-1 but never filed GSTR-3B. Does that affect my credit?

Accepted Answer

Yes, through Rule 37A. If your supplier reports the invoice in GSTR-1, the credit flows into your GSTR-2B and you may claim it, but if that supplier has not filed the GSTR-3B for the same period by 30 September following the end of the financial year, you must reverse the credit in a return filed on or before 30 November. Reversal done within this window carries no interest; delay beyond it attracts interest at 18 percent. The credit can be re-availed once the supplier eventually files GSTR-3B. A supplier filing-status check is therefore now part of any serious reconciliation for businesses in Thirumullaivoyal.

Question 10

What is self-invoicing under RCM and is there a time limit for it?

Accepted Answer

When you receive supplies liable to reverse charge from an unregistered supplier, Section 31(3)(f) requires you, the recipient, to issue an invoice on yourself, because the supplier cannot issue a tax invoice. You must also issue a payment voucher when paying the supplier. From 1 November 2024, Rule 47A prescribes a firm deadline: the self-invoice must be issued within thirty days of receiving the supply. This document is not a formality; the time limit for claiming the RCM credit is reckoned from the self-invoice, and its absence can cost you the credit besides inviting penalty. Maintain a monthly self-invoice series covering rent, freight, legal fees and similar unregistered-supplier heads.

Question 11

Is GST charged before or after the discount shown on my invoice?

Accepted Answer

Discounts given before or at the time of supply and recorded on the face of the invoice are excluded from the value of supply under Section 15(3)(a). You therefore charge GST on the net amount after discount. For example, a Rs.10,000 item with a 10 percent trade discount shown on the invoice is taxed on Rs.9,000. The condition is documentation: the discount must appear on the invoice itself. Informal reductions settled outside the bill do not reduce taxable value. Retail schemes such as festival discounts and trade margins should always be structured to print on the invoice.

Question 12

Which daily-use grocery items became cheaper under GST from September 2025?

Accepted Answer

The 56th GST Council's rationalisation, effective 22 September 2025, moved a large basket of daily essentials from 12% or 18% down to 5%, including butter, ghee, cheese, namkeens, sauces, pasta, chocolates, biscuits, cornflakes, hair oil, shampoo, soaps and toothpaste. UHT milk, pre-packaged paneer and all Indian breads such as roti, chapati and paratha became nil rated. Aerated and caffeinated beverages, by contrast, went to the 40% demerit rate. Grocery and supermarket billing masters needed a near-complete refresh from that date, and old stock is simply sold at the new rate applicable on the date of supply.

Question 13

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 14

Who must sign GST filings with a DSC, and who can use EVC?

Accepted Answer

Companies and limited liability partnerships must authenticate registration applications and returns with a Digital Signature Certificate of the authorised signatory; the Electronic Verification Code route is not ordinarily available to them, though the government has periodically allowed EVC for companies during specified relaxation windows. Proprietorships, partnerships, HUFs and trusts can freely use EVC, an OTP sent to the authorised signatory's registered mobile and email. The DSC must be a Class 3 signature registered on the portal against the signatory's PAN. If a company's filings fail at the signing step, an expired or unregistered DSC is the usual culprit.

Question 15

What are the current GST rate slabs after the GST 2.0 changes?

Accepted Answer

From 22 September 2025, following the 56th GST Council meeting, India moved to a simplified two-slab structure: a merit rate of 5 percent and a standard rate of 18 percent. The earlier 12 percent and 28 percent slabs were abolished. A special 40 percent rate applies to a short list of luxury and demerit goods, while the concessional rates of 3 percent on gold and silver and 0.25 percent on rough diamonds continue. Businesses in Thirumullaivoyal should re-verify the rate on every product they sell, because hundreds of items changed slabs on that date.

Question 16

What are the common types of GST notices a business can receive?

Accepted Answer

The frequent ones are: REG-03 seeking clarification on a registration application; GSTR-3A for non-filing of returns; ASMT-10 pointing out discrepancies found on scrutiny of returns; DRC-01A intimating an ascertained tax liability before formal proceedings; DRC-01, the show cause notice under Section 73 or 74; ADT-01 intimating a departmental audit; REG-17 proposing cancellation of registration; RFD-08 proposing rejection of a refund claim; and summons under Section 70. Each has its own reply form and deadline, ranging from seven working days to thirty days, so identifying the notice type correctly is the first step in responding. When in doubt, call +91 - 9600 606 444.

Question 17

Our company paid fees to a lawyer. Who pays the GST on this?

Accepted Answer

You do, as the recipient. Legal services supplied by an individual advocate, a firm of advocates or a senior advocate to a business entity are notified under Section 9(3), so the advocate does not charge GST and your business pays 18 percent under reverse charge in cash through GSTR-3B, claiming it back as ITC if otherwise eligible. Relief exists for small recipients: legal services to a business entity whose turnover is within the registration threshold are exempt. Since the advocate is usually unregistered, remember to raise a self-invoice and payment voucher for the transaction. Litigation-heavy businesses in Thirumullaivoyal should reconcile their legal expense ledger against RCM paid every quarter.

Question 18

What is the penalty for running a business without GST registration?

Accepted Answer

A taxable person who is liable to register but fails to do so faces a penalty of Rs.10,000 or the amount of tax evaded, whichever is higher, under Section 122 of the CGST Act. Beyond the penalty, the department can demand the tax for the entire unregistered period with interest at 18 percent per annum, and you cannot recover that tax from customers you billed without GST. Goods moved without registration and e-way bills, required for consignments above Rs.50,000, also risk detention. If your turnover has crossed the threshold, registering within thirty days is far cheaper than regularising later.

Question 19

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

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.

Question 20

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

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 21

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 Thirumullaivoyal 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.

Aspect	With ChennaiGST	DIY / Unattended
Refund claims	RFD-01 filed with complete statements and annexures, tracked from ARN to bank credit, with any deficiency memo answered promptly.	Incomplete claims bounce back as deficiency memos while the refund sits unclaimed for months and working capital stays blocked.
Registration and amendments	Query-resistant applications prepared correctly the first time, with supporting documents matched to what proper officers actually verify.	Repeated clarification memos and resubmissions, with weeks lost because a rent agreement or premises photograph did not meet expectations.
Portal credentials and data	Logins handled by a small engaged team under strict confidentiality, with credentials stored securely and never passed onward.	Passwords circulating on chats with freelancers and part-timers, and no accountability for who has accessed your business data.
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.
Goods in transit	E-way bills generated correctly and matched to invoices, so consignments pass roadside inspections without detention or penalty.	A defective or missing e-way bill can mean detention at a checkpoint, with penalties that dwarf the tax on the consignment.

Trusted GSTR-9C Reconciliation Support in Thirumullaivoyal

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Trade Profile and GST Jurisdiction for Thirumullaivoyal

Why Thirumullaivoyal Businesses Choose ChennaiGST

We Work with Your Existing Software

Job Work Movements Tracked Through ITC-04

Strict Data Confidentiality

Support in Tamil and English

Waiver and Amnesty Windows Applied for You

A Real Local Office You Can Walk Into

Our GSTR-9C Statement Process

Financials and returns intake

Turnover derivation

Tax and ITC reconciliation

Difference resolution

Certification and filing

Documents Required for GSTR-9C Reconciliation

What GSTR-9C Reconciliation Costs in Thirumullaivoyal

What You Get

Confidence During Officer Interactions

Time Back for Your Actual Business

Credit Notes That Actually Reduce Your Tax

Notices Answered Within the Time Limit

Lower Total Cost of Compliance

No Money Idling in the Cash Ledger

With ChennaiGST vs Doing It Yourself

The Current Law on This Service — relevant to Thirumullaivoyal businesses

Compensation cess on tobacco and pan masala reduced to nil

Reopened window to file or revise TRAN-1 and TRAN-2

Supreme Court restricts rejection of declared import value without recorded reasons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related GST Services & Nearby Areas

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