GST Considerations For New Business Owners

The Goods and Services Tax or GST is a consumption tax much more charged on most Goods and service Tax Online Registration in India and services sold within Canada, regardless of where your business can be found at. Subject to certain exceptions, all businesses are required to charge GST, currently at 5%, plus applicable provincial sales property taxes. A business effectively acts as an agent for Revenue Canada by collecting the required taxes and remitting them on a periodic basis. Businesses additionally permitted to claim the taxes paid on expenses incurred that relate thus to their business activities. These are referred to as Input Tax Breaks.

Does Your Business Need to File?

Prior to participating in any kind of commercial activity in Canada, all business owners need to see how the GST and relevant provincial taxes apply to that company. 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 turn out to be less than $30,000. Revenue Canada views these businesses as small suppliers usually 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. an online-business with annual sales less than $30,000 is not required to file for GST, in some cases it is good do so. Since a business can merely claim Input Tax credits (GST paid on expenses) if these kinds of are registered, many businesses, particularly in start off up phase where expenses exceed sales, may find that they are able to recover a significant quantity of taxes. This has to be balanced against the opportunity competitive advantage achieved from not charging the GST, plus the additional administrative costs (hassle) from having to file returns.