Question 1

Are there any hidden charges for GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B monthly filing?

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

How long does GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B monthly filing take in Velachery?

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

A client paid me an advance. Do I raise an invoice or something else?

Accepted Answer

On receiving an advance, you issue a receipt voucher under Rule 50, not an invoice; the tax invoice follows when the service is actually supplied. GST is payable on advances received for services in the period of receipt, and the receipt voucher documents that liability. Advances for the supply of goods are not taxed at receipt for normal taxpayers under Notification 66/2017. If the rate is not determinable when the advance arrives, tax is paid at 18 percent, and if the nature of supply is not determinable, it is treated as inter-state. Service firms in Velachery with retainer billing should map this into their monthly cycle.

Question 4

What is a debit note under GST and when do I issue one?

Accepted Answer

You issue a debit note when the taxable value or tax charged in the original invoice was less than what is actually payable, for example a price escalation clause kicking in or a rate charged short. Declaring the debit note in GSTR-1 increases your output liability, payable with interest where the shortfall relates to an earlier period. There is no outer time limit on issuing a debit note itself. For your buyer, the debit note is a credit document: following the amendment to Section 16(4), the buyer's time limit to claim ITC runs from the date of the debit note, not the original invoice.

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

How exactly do I pay RCM in my return and claim it back as credit?

Accepted Answer

Report the taxable value and tax in Table 3.1(d) of GSTR-3B; this liability must be discharged in cash through the electronic cash ledger, because input tax credit cannot be used to pay reverse charge dues. In the same return, claim the amount as ITC in Table 4(A)(2) or 4(A)(3), so the net impact is usually nil. RCM invoices from registered suppliers like GTAs appear in GSTR-2B, but credit for unregistered-supplier RCM rests on your self-invoice, and Circular 211/5/2024 confirms the Section 16(4) deadline runs from the year of that self-invoice. Businesses in Velachery that skip the 3.1(d) reporting but claim the credit invite automatic mismatch flags.

Question 7

My medical shop also sells supplements, cosmetics and baby products. Do they all take the medicine rate?

Accepted Answer

No, and this is where pharmacies slip. Only items answering the description of drugs and medicaments take 5% or nil. Nutraceuticals and protein supplements generally attract 18%, beauty and makeup preparations 18%, while daily-use items such as soaps, shampoos and toothpaste came down to 5% in September 2025. Each product must be mapped to its own HSN code and rate in your billing software, and your GSTR-1 HSN summary must reflect that mix. A single wrong default rate applied across the counter creates either short payment or overcharging. ChennaiGST runs product-master audits for pharmacies in Velachery; call +91 - 9600 606 444 to schedule one.

Question 8

How should I raise invoices on foreign clients and report them in my returns?

Accepted Answer

You may invoice in foreign currency, but your GST records must state the value in rupees. An export invoice under LUT should carry the endorsement that the supply is meant for export under Letter of Undertaking without payment of integrated tax, along with your GSTIN, SAC code and the recipient's overseas address. In GSTR-1, these invoices go into Table 6A marked without payment of tax, and the turnover flows into GSTR-3B as zero-rated supplies. Match every invoice to a FIRC or bank credit. Our filing package for exporters in Velachery includes this export documentation at Rs.749 per month.

Question 9

Do I get ITC on machinery purchase in one shot or in instalments over years?

Accepted Answer

In one shot. Unlike the old VAT regime, GST allows the entire input tax credit on capital goods in the month of receipt, provided the machinery is used for taxable supplies and the invoice appears in your GSTR-2B. The one critical condition sits in Section 16(3): if you claim income tax depreciation on the GST component of the asset's cost, the credit is denied. So capitalise the machine at its value excluding GST, claim the GST as credit, and depreciate only the net cost. We regularly find fixed asset registers in Velachery where the accountant capitalised the gross amount, silently forfeiting the entire credit.

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

Question 11

How do I pay tax monthly under QRMP if the return is only quarterly?

Accepted Answer

For the first two months of each quarter, tax is deposited through challan PMT-06 by the 25th of the following month. You can use the fixed sum method, paying 35 percent of the tax paid in cash in the previous quarter (or 100 percent of the tax paid in cash in the last month of the previous quarter if you were a monthly filer), or the self-assessment method, paying actual liability after adjusting input tax credit. The third month's tax is settled in the quarterly GSTR-3B itself. We compute the safer option for each client in Velachery every month.

Question 12

I buy electronics stock from distributors in other states. How does the IGST on purchases work for me?

Accepted Answer

Inter-state purchases carry IGST, which flows into your GSTR-2B once the distributor files GSTR-1, and it is fully available as input tax credit. When you sell locally in Tamil Nadu you charge CGST and SGST, and the law lets you use IGST credit against both, with the portal applying the set-off order automatically. There is no cost disadvantage in buying from out-of-state distributors, provided they are compliant filers; a distributor who files late delays your credit by a month. Track supplier filing discipline as part of vendor selection. Retailers in Velachery can call +91 - 9600 606 444 for a supplier compliance scorecard.

Question 13

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 14

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 15

Which educational services are actually exempt from GST?

Accepted Answer

The exemption is confined to an educational institution as defined, meaning one providing pre-school education, education up to higher secondary school or equivalent, education as part of a curriculum for obtaining a qualification recognised by Indian law, or an approved vocational education course. Services by such institutions to their students, and specified input services to schools such as transport, catering and security, are exempt. Everything outside this boundary is taxable: private tuition, test preparation, hobby classes, skill courses without recognised certification, and training by ed-tech companies. The recognition of the qualification under Indian law is the decisive test, not the subject taught.

Question 16

What is the GST treatment for an event management company handling corporate events?

Accepted Answer

Event management services attract 18 percent with full input tax credit. Place of supply rules deserve attention: for organising an event for a registered client, the place of supply is the client's location, so a Chennai company organising a Goa offsite for a Bengaluru-registered client charges IGST to Karnataka. For unregistered clients, the place of supply is where the event is actually held. Admission tickets are taxed where the event takes place. Getting the state wrong means the client's credit is jeopardised and the tax may need repayment under the correct head, so event companies serving multi-state clients should map each contract before invoicing.

Question 17

How do I register my DSC on the GST portal, and why does the emSigner error keep appearing?

Accepted Answer

After logging in, open My Profile and select Register or Update DSC, choose the authorised signatory's PAN, and sign with the USB token; the certificate must be Class 3 and the PAN on it must match the signatory's PAN on the portal. Signing requires the emSigner utility running in the background, and the common failure to establish connection error means emSigner is not started, is blocked by the browser, or another application occupies its port. Run emSigner as administrator, keep the token connected, and use the trusted-site settings the portal recommends. We troubleshoot DSC issues for Velachery companies routinely; call +91 - 9600 606 444.

Question 18

Can one document cover both taxable and exempt items sold together?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in one specific situation. Rule 46A permits a registered person supplying both taxable and exempt goods or services to an unregistered recipient to issue a single invoice-cum-bill of supply covering the entire transaction. This saves retail counters from splitting every mixed basket into two documents. The concession applies only when the buyer is unregistered; for a registered buyer, you must still issue a tax invoice for the taxable items and a separate bill of supply for the exempt items. Supermarkets and pharmacies with mixed inventories use this format daily, and billing software handles the split automatically once configured.

Question 19

Is there a GST consultant near Velachery for gst return filing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We serve Velachery and the surrounding areas from our office at Porur, Chennai - 600 116, Tamil Nadu, and most monthly returns 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 Velachery 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 20

Can I get GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B monthly filing 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 Velachery regularly complete monthly returns 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 21

Which GST office handles Velachery businesses?

Accepted Answer

Businesses in Velachery (PIN 600042) 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.

Aspect	With ChennaiGST	DIY / Unattended
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.
Record keeping	Every return, challan, acknowledgement and working paper archived in an organised folder, retrievable in minutes years later.	Documents scattered across email, downloads and old phones; assembling records for a bank or an audit takes days.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Local GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B Monthly Filing Support near Five Furlong Road, Velachery

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Trade Profile and GST Jurisdiction for Five Furlong Road, Velachery

Why Five Furlong Road, Velachery Businesses Choose ChennaiGST

E-Invoice and E-Way Bill Fluency

Deadline Tracking Done for You

Every Return Reviewed by a Senior Consultant

Complete Documentation, Properly Archived

Advisory, Not Just Data Entry

Extra Hands During Filing Windows

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 Velachery

What You Get

Books and Returns That Agree at Year End

Closure Without Loose Ends

Notices Answered Within the Time Limit

Advances Treated Correctly

Correct Tax the First Time

Growth Without Compliance Anxiety

With ChennaiGST vs Doing It Yourself

GST Support on Five Furlong Road, Velachery

What the Department and the Courts Have Said — relevant to Velachery businesses

GSTR-3B outward liability becomes non-editable from July 2025

Further clarifications on GST valuation of corporate guarantees

Electronic toys attract 18 percent while other toys stay at 12 percent

Frequently Asked Questions

Related GST Services & Nearby Areas

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