Types of GST Returns to be filed by normal taxpayers

GSTR-1

The taxpayer records all his outward supplies of goods and services in details in this form. This has to be mandatorily done by the 10th of the next month subject to conditions. (GSTN is frequently changing the due date of filing GSTR1. So, keep checking announcements).

GSTR-2A

It has to filed on or before 11^th of the next month for the recipients to see and validate the information therein. Recipients have time between 11th – 15th of the next month to change any information, delete or add, based on their books of accounts. GSTR-2A has been kept on hold by GSTN.

GSTR-2

This form is the culmination of all inward supplies of goods and services as approved by the recipient of the services. The due date is 15th of the next month. It is auto-populated with the details of GSTR-2A.

GSTR-3

This form is auto prepared by 20^th of the next month. It will have the details of all outward as well as inward supplies of goods and services as furnished in GSTR-1 and GSTR-2. After considering both the details, GSTN will determine your input tax credit availability or the amount of tax payable.

GSTR 3B

It has to filed on or before 20^th of the next month. In order to ease the burden on taxpayers, tax authorities have introduced a simple return form called as GSTR 3B. This has to be used only for the month of July and August. Every registered taxpayer (Except for composition scheme) needs to file a separate GSTR 3B for each GSTIN they have.

This is more like a self-declaration return and the taxpayer is not required to provide invoice level information in this form. Only total values for each field have to be provided.

GSTR-9

This is the annual return, which the taxpayer has to file by 31^st December of the coming financial year. It is nothing but the accumulation of all 12 monthly GSTR-3 of the taxpayer. It would also include the amount of tax paid during the year, including details of exports or imports.

Apart from the above forms, the Government shall serve those taxpayers who fail to furnish the returns on time, notice in Form GSTR-3A.

After the GSTR-3 is fully accepted for the month, then final input tax credit shall be communicated through form GST ITC-1. The details of ITC-1 has to be confirmed in due time to get the credit for that month. If the same is not done in due time, then it will disallow the credit for the month and will be computed as a tax liability for the month instead.

Returns to be filed by Composition Tax Payers

GSTR-4A

Similar to the GSTR-2A above, GSTR-4A is generated quarterly for composition scheme taxpayers. It has the details of the inward supplies as reported by suppliers in GSTR-1.

GSTR-4

With the auto-populated details of GSTR-4A, the taxpayer can furnish all his outward supplies here. The due date is 18th of the following month and has to be filed quarterly. It also contains the details of tax payable and payment of tax.

GSTR-9A

This is the annual return for all composition taxpayers. It has to be filed by 31st December of the coming financial year and includes all the quarterly returns filed by the composition taxpayer.

Returns to be filed by Foreign Non-Resident Taxpayer

GSTR-5

This is a detailed form containing the particulars of outward supplies, imports, tax paid, input tax availed and remaining stock. This has to be filed monthly within 20th of the next month or if the registration is given up, then within 7 days of such surrender or expiry of registration.

Returns to be filed by an Input Service Distributor

GSTR-6A

This form will be generated by 11th of next month after the suppliers have filed their GSTR-1 on 10th of the next month. It will be auto-populated with the details of inward supplier made to them. It has to be filed on a monthly basis by the ISD.

GSTR-6

Once the details are confirmed or corrected by the ISD, then GSTR-6 will be generated. It has to be filed by the ISD by 13th of the next month. This is also a monthly filing.

Returns to be filed by a Tax Deductor

GSTR-7

Details of the tax deductions made during the month have to be furnished here. The due date is 10th of the next month.

GSTR-7A

This is a TDS certificate, which is auto-generated upon filing the GSTR-7 by the tax Deductor. It will be available for the assessees to download and keep a record of. It will contain details of the tax deducted and the total amount of payment made.

Return to be filed by an E-Commerce Portal

GSTR-8

This return shall contain all the supplies made by the E-Commerce seller and the amount of tax collected as well. It has to be filed by 10th of the next month. For those assessees whose annual turnover exceeds INR 1 Crore, then a reconciliation statement in Form GSTR-9B has to be filed by 31st December of the next fiscal year. It has to be filed annually and is basically an audited annual account, duly certified by competent authority.

Where the assessee is a Government body or a United Nations Body, then a monthly Form GSTR-11 has to be filed by 28th of the next month. These bodies have a UIN (Unique Identification Number) and hence will be required to furnish the details of inward supplies.

Where a taxable person's registration has been surrendered or cancelled, then a final return in Form GSTR-10 has to be filed within 3 months of such cancellation or registration. It will declare the input tax credit and capital goods held by the taxpayer, tax payable and paid at such time.

The Government has automated all the forms together by bringing the same details on a real-time basis in front of the taxpayers. The step, which is of paramount importance, is Step No. 1, i.e. FORM GSTR-1. It will form the basis of all further activities.

Any shortcomings or short filings of information in the details provided by the suppliers can be rectified, changed or deleted by the recipients in ample period of time. It is a seamless process that matches all information together to get the final credit figures and tax payable if any.