Question 1

What is the process for GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B monthly filing?

Accepted Answer

The process runs in clear stages: Monthly data collection; GSTR-1 preparation and filing; ITC reconciliation with GSTR-2B; Tax computation and confirmation. 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-1 & GSTR-3B monthly filing take in Nandambakkam?

Accepted Answer

Filed before the 11th and 20th of every month. 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

My credit notes this month exceed my sales. Can GSTR-3B show a negative figure?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Since the January 2024 tax period, the portal permits negative values in Table 3.1 of GSTR-3B where credit notes issued in a month exceed the outward supplies, a situation common in businesses with heavy sales returns. The resulting negative liability is carried forward automatically by the system and adjusted against the liability of subsequent tax periods, so you no longer need to defer reporting credit notes. Ensure the same credit notes are reported in GSTR-1, because GSTR-3B auto-populates from it and manual deviations invite the portal's variance flags. Retailers with seasonal return spikes benefit most from this facility.

Question 4

Do I have to report HSN codes in my GSTR-1?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Taxpayers with aggregate turnover up to Rs.5 crore must report a 4-digit HSN summary for B2B supplies in Table 12 of GSTR-1, while those above Rs.5 crore must report 6-digit HSN codes for all supplies. The portal now validates HSN entries against its master list, so wrong or truncated codes can block filing. Getting HSN classification right also determines your tax rate, so it is worth a one-time review of your product list. Our team in Nandambakkam maintains a verified HSN master for every client.

Question 5

Our institute charges one fee covering classes, study material and hostel. How is it taxed?

Accepted Answer

A single price for naturally bundled components is a composite supply, taxed at the rate of the principal supply. For a coaching institute, coaching is the principal supply, so the entire lump sum, including printed materials and boarding provided as part of the package, attracts 18 percent. Printing separate invoices for books at nil rate out of a bundled fee is a known audit red flag and is routinely rejected. If the institute genuinely sells optional printed books to anyone at a separate price, those standalone sales can take the book's own treatment. Structure the fee schedule deliberately, not after the demand arrives.

Question 6

What happens if I miss filing GSTR-3B this month?

Accepted Answer

A late fee of Rs.50 per day (Rs.20 per day for a nil return) accrues automatically, capped based on your turnover, and interest at 18 percent per annum applies on tax paid late. You also cannot file the next period's GSTR-1 until the pending GSTR-3B is filed, since returns must be filed sequentially. If two consecutive tax periods remain unfiled, e-way bill generation gets blocked, and continued default can lead to suspension of your GSTIN. File the pending return at the earliest; call +91 - 9600 606 444 and we can clear the backlog quickly.

Question 7

How is interest calculated if I pay GST late?

Accepted Answer

Interest is charged at 18 percent per annum under Section 50 of the CGST Act, calculated day-wise from the due date until the date of payment. Following the amendment to Section 50, interest on delayed GSTR-3B filing applies only on the portion of tax paid through the electronic cash ledger, not on the amount settled using input tax credit. For example, a cash liability of Rs.1,00,000 paid 30 days late attracts roughly Rs.1,479 as interest. We compute this precisely before filing so clients in Nandambakkam never overpay or underpay.

Question 8

Can I issue a single credit note against several invoices?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Since the amendment to Section 34 by the CGST (Amendment) Act, 2018, effective 1 February 2019, the law permits one or more credit notes to be issued against one or more tax invoices of a financial year. A distributor giving a season-end adjustment to a retailer can therefore issue one consolidated credit note covering dozens of invoices, rather than one note per bill. When reporting it in GSTR-1, the portal accepts credit notes without invoice-wise linking for this reason. Maintain a working annexed to the credit note listing the invoices covered, because in scrutiny the officer will ask you to establish the linkage and the arithmetic.

Question 9

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 Nandambakkam.

Question 10

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 Nandambakkam should keep the statutory obligation documented in their credit file.

Question 11

What is the last date to file GSTR-9 for a financial year?

Accepted Answer

GSTR-9 for a financial year is due by 31 December of the following financial year. For example, the annual return for FY 2024-25 is due by 31 December 2025, unless the government extends the date by notification. The reconciliation statement GSTR-9C, where applicable, has the same due date and is filed after GSTR-9. Since annual return preparation involves reconciling twelve months of returns with books, we recommend starting by October rather than December. Businesses in Nandambakkam can call +91 - 9600 606 444 to book an early slot with our annual returns team.

Question 12

How does GST work on lorry freight paid to a goods transport agency?

Accepted Answer

A goods transport agency, identified by its issue of a consignment note, is taxed in one of two ways. By default, specified recipients such as companies and registered persons pay 5 percent under reverse charge on the freight and can claim it as ITC. Alternatively, the GTA may opt to pay tax itself under forward charge, at 5 percent without ITC or 18 percent with ITC after the September 2025 rate rationalisation replaced the earlier 12 percent option, by filing the prescribed declaration for the financial year; the invoice should state this option. Transport by an individual lorry owner without a consignment note is not a GTA service and is exempt. Check each transporter's invoice wording before deciding who pays the tax.

Question 13

Is GST payable on hostel or paying guest accommodation in Nandambakkam?

Accepted Answer

A specific exemption effective 15 July 2024 covers accommodation services supplied at a value up to Rs.20,000 per person per month, provided the accommodation is supplied for a minimum continuous period of ninety days. Student hostels and working men's or women's PGs in Nandambakkam charging within this limit for long stays are therefore exempt. Where the monthly charge exceeds Rs.20,000, or the stay is shorter than ninety days, the supply is taxable like ordinary accommodation. Operators should maintain stay records and agreements evidencing the duration, because the ninety-day condition is what officers test first during verification.

Question 14

How do I round off tax amounts on a GST invoice?

Accepted Answer

Section 170 of the CGST Act prescribes normal rounding to the nearest rupee: where the tax contains a part of a rupee, fifty paise or more is rounded up to one rupee, and less than fifty paise is ignored. The rounding is applied to the tax amount on each invoice, separately for each tax head, so CGST and SGST are each rounded individually rather than rounding only the invoice total. Most billing software handles this automatically, but spreadsheets and manual bills often round the grand total instead, creating one-rupee mismatches that clutter reconciliations across thousands of invoices.

Question 15

What falls under the 18 percent standard rate of GST now?

Accepted Answer

The 18 percent slab is the standard rate for most services and for goods that are neither essentials nor demerit items. Notably, several products that earlier suffered 28 percent moved down to 18 percent from 22 September 2025: air conditioners, televisions of all sizes, dishwashers, cement, small cars and motorcycles up to 350cc, and most auto parts. Apparel and footwear priced above Rs.2,500 per piece also fall at 18 percent. Most professional, business support and repair services billed by professional firms continue at 18 percent with full input tax credit.

Question 16

How much time do I get to raise an invoice for services?

Accepted Answer

A tax invoice for services must be issued within thirty days from the date of supply of the service. For banks, insurers, financial institutions and NBFCs, the limit is forty-five days. Where services are supplied continuously, the invoice follows the contract: if the due date of payment is ascertainable, invoice on or before that date; if not, invoice when payment is received; and if payment is linked to completion of an event or milestone, invoice on or before its completion. Consultants and agencies that bill quarterly should check their contracts against these rules, since late invoicing defers nothing legally.

Question 17

What is the electronic liability register on the GST portal and why should I check it?

Accepted Answer

The electronic liability register, maintained in Form PMT-01, records every liability raised against your GSTIN: self-assessed tax from returns in Part I, and demands from assessments, adjudication orders and DRC-07 summaries in Part II. Payments and pre-deposits are set off against these entries. You can view it under Services, then Ledgers. Checking Part II periodically matters because demand entries you never noticed can trigger recovery, interest accumulation and refund adjustments. During any refund claim, the officer will offset outstanding register balances, so a clean register speeds up your money. We review all three ledgers in every Nandambakkam health check.

Question 18

I deposited money under the wrong head in my GST cash ledger. Why can the amount not be used?

Accepted Answer

The cash ledger is divided into major heads, IGST, CGST, SGST and cess, and minor heads, tax, interest, penalty, fee and others. An amount deposited under one combination, say CGST-penalty, cannot be directly used to pay under another, say IGST-tax, which is why your balance appears unusable despite money lying in the ledger. The remedy is Form PMT-09, which transfers the amount to the correct head instantly without any officer approval. Many Nandambakkam taxpayers wrongly deposit a fresh challan in this situation; a two-minute PMT-09 filing saves that duplication. Call +91 - 9600 606 444 if your ledger looks stuck.

Question 19

Do you provide GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B monthly filing for businesses on Market Street?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We serve businesses on and around Market Street in Nandambakkam — shops, offices, godowns and home-run businesses alike. Document pickup can be arranged at your premises, or you can send everything on WhatsApp and complete monthly returns without leaving your counter. Call +91 - 9600 606 444 and mention your location; a consultant will confirm the fee and timeline immediately.

Question 20

Which GST office handles Nandambakkam businesses?

Accepted Answer

Businesses in Nandambakkam (PIN 600089) generally fall under the CGST Chennai South 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 21

What documents are required for GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B monthly filing in Nandambakkam?

Accepted Answer

For GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B monthly filing you will generally need: Sales invoices or sales register for the month, Purchase invoices or purchase register, Credit notes and debit notes issued during the month, GST portal login credentials, Bank statement for the period, if reconciliation is needed. 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
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.
Due-date tracking	A maintained compliance calendar with internal cut-offs days before the 11th and the 20th; we chase you for data, not the other way around.	Deadlines remembered from memory or phone alarms; one busy week and the return slips past the due date.
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.
Late fees and interest	Filings go in ahead of statutory dates, so the Rs.50-per-day late fee and 18 percent interest never arise.	Late fees accumulate silently every delayed day, and interest on unpaid tax runs at 18 percent per annum.

Local GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B Monthly Filing Support near Market Street, Nandambakkam

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Trade Profile and GST Jurisdiction for Market Street, Nandambakkam

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Zero Tolerance for Late Fees and Interest

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Our Monthly Returns Process

Monthly data collection

GSTR-1 preparation and filing

ITC reconciliation with GSTR-2B

Tax computation and confirmation

GSTR-3B filing and reporting

Documents Required for GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B Monthly Filing

What GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B Monthly Filing Costs in Nandambakkam

What You Get

Fewer Departmental Notices

Audit-Ready Records at All Times

Compliance That Continues When You Travel

Confidence During Officer Interactions

Faster GST Refunds

Peace of Mind Around Due Dates

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