You pay GST when you buy taxable goods/services (added to price) and businesses pay/remit it to the government periodically (monthly, quarterly, annually) based on their turnover and country's rules, typically a month after the reporting period ends, after deducting input tax credits.
When to register for GST. If you've started a new business, you should register if you expect your GST turnover to reach $75,000 in the first year. You have to register for GST within 21 days of becoming aware that your GST turnover will go over the threshold.
For example, for the purposes of the rules of timing of liability for the tax, the general rule in respect of a taxable supply is that the tax is payable by the recipient on the earlier of the day on which the consideration for the supply is paid and the day on which the consideration for the supply becomes due.
You must register for the GST/HST. Your effective date of registration is no later than the day of the supply that made you exceed $30,000. You have to start charging GST/HST on the supply that made you exceed $30,000.
Businesses are required to register for GST and pay tax on their annual turnover if their annual revenue exceeds Rs. 40 lakhs in the case of goods supplied and Rs. 20 lakhs for the supply of services.
You have a choice to register or not if it's less than that. You must register for GST if you reach the $75,000 turnover threshold or if it looks likely that you will exceed it. Once you've passed the turnover threshold, you must register within 21 days.
GST is leviable only if aggregate turnover is more than 20 lacs. (Rs. 10 lacs in 11 special category States). For computing aggregate supplies turnover of all supplies made by you would be added.
As most people who are self-employed, freelance, or running a business in Canada, there is an income limit below which you don't have to be registered for the GST/HST. That limit, known as the Small Supplier Threshold, is $30,000 per year (specifically: in four consecutive calendar quarters).
Penalty on Missing the GST Due Date:
The maximum penalty that may be imposed is Rs. 5,000. The taxpayer will be required to pay interest on late payment of GST at a rate of 18% annually in addition to the late payment penalty.
Who is liable to pay GST under the proposed GST regime? Under the GST regime, tax is payable by the taxable person on the supply of goods and/or services.
If a company's fiscal year-end is December 31 and they did have income for tax purposes that year, their payment deadline is April 30 and their filing deadline would be June 15. If a company's fiscal year-end is August 31, their payment and filing deadline would be November 30, whether or not they had taxable income.
Both GST returns and payment are due one month after the end of the accounting period covered by the return. If you are on GIRO plan for GST payment, GIRO deductions are on the 15th day of the month after the payment due date.
Payments mandate a GST portal challan; online modes are preferred for amounts over ₹10,000, with 1% cash payment required if monthly turnover exceeds ₹50 lakh for some cases. Late fees apply at ₹200/day (₹100 CGST + ₹100 SGST), and interest at 18% p.a. on delays.
Subtracting GST from Price
To calculate how much GST was included in the price, divide the total price by 11 ($1000∕11=$90.91). To calculate the price without GST, divide the price by 1.1 ($1000∕1.1=$909.09).
As a self-employed individual, you pay both income tax and a 15.3% self-employment tax (Social Security & Medicare) on 92.35% of your net earnings (profit after business deductions), plus potential state income tax, requiring quarterly estimated tax payments to the IRS to avoid penalties, often setting aside 25-30% of income for taxes.
For a $70,000 income in Canada (using 2025 rates), you'll pay roughly $13,000 to $20,000 in total taxes (federal, provincial, CPP, EI), depending on your province, resulting in a take-home pay around $50,000-$59,000, with federal tax around 14.5% or 20.5% depending on the portion, plus provincial tax and deductions like CPP and EI.
This means that the GST tax rate – 10% – doesn't change, no matter how much you earn, what you buy, or how much it costs. (Unless the product you're selling is GST free – more on this later). If you make $75,000 or more in business income, you're required to register for and charge GST (we'll cover this in a sec).
Businesses with annual sales of Rs. 40 lakhs or more for goods, and Rs. 20 lakhs or more for services, must register for GST. If the turnover exceeds the allowed threshold, there is a penalty for failing to register under GST.
The GST exemption essentially allows the earmarking of transfers, made during lifetime or at death, that either skip a generation or are made in trust for multiple generations.
If your business has an annual turnover of less than Rs. 20 lakhs (or Rs. 10 lakhs for businesses in certain states), you're not required to register for GST or pay GST every month. However, if your turnover exceeds this threshold, you'll need to register for GST and pay GST every month.