GST ITC reconciliation involves comparing data entries, specifically the information submitted on the GST portal, against the actual sales and purchase records maintained in the company’s books. This process aims to identify and rectify any discrepancies or errors, ensuring the accuracy of input tax credit (ITC) claims based on invoices from the previous financial year.

IndiaFilings assists in streamlining your GST ITC Reconciliation process for enhanced compliance and tax optimisation.

GST Reconciliation

ITC Reconciliation is a process undertaken to ensure that a registered taxpayer is granted the correct amount of credit for their purchases. This involves comparing the information submitted by suppliers in their GSTR-1 forms with the purchase records maintained by the taxpayer. The supplier’s details from GSTR-1 are automatically reflected in the taxpayer’s GSTR-2A form, facilitating this comparison. To validate the accuracy of the data provided by the supplier in GSTR-1, all entries must be backed by legitimate documents such as invoices, debit notes, credit notes, and any necessary amendments. This step is crucial for confirming the authenticity of the transactions and the corresponding tax credit claims.

What is Input Tax Credit (ITC)?

Input Tax Credit (ITC) is a Goods and Services Tax (GST) system mechanism that allows businesses to reduce their tax liability by claiming credit for the tax paid on purchases. Essentially, what is input tax credit? It’s the tax a business pays on its purchases, which can be used to reduce the tax payable on its sales. This system ensures that the tax is levied only on the value added at each stage of the supply chain, avoiding the cascading effect of taxes. Understanding what is input tax credit is crucial for businesses, as it directly impacts cash flow and pricing strategies, making it an integral part of GST compliance and financial planning.

Importance of ITC Reconciliation

ITC Reconciliation is essential for several compelling reasons, making it a crucial practice during the GST return filing process:

• Restoring Client Trust: Consistently accurate financial dealings, including precise tax filings, help in maintaining and enhancing trust with clients. This trust is fundamental for client retention, assuring them of the business’s commitment to compliance and transparency.
• Avoidance of Tax Notices: By ensuring that all filings are accurate and reconciled, businesses can significantly reduce the risk of receiving notices from the tax department. Such notices are often triggered by discrepancies in filed returns, which reconciliation aims to eliminate.
• Securing ITC: Through diligent reconciliation, businesses ensure that they claim the correct amount of ITC available under GST. This prevents the loss of valuable tax credits due to oversight or errors in the filing process.
• Correction of Errors: The reconciliation process provides an opportunity to identify and rectify errors in business invoices or other documentation. This corrective action ensures that taxpayers claim only the rightful amount of credit, aligning with the principle of fairness and accuracy in tax compliance.

In essence,ITC reconciliation safeguards against financial inaccuracies and compliance issues, fostering a healthy business environment and a smooth relationship with the tax authorities.

Eligibility of ITC

To be eligible for Input Tax Credit (ITC) reconciliation under GST, certain conditions related to the eligibility of input tax credit must be fulfilled, as outlined in the GST provisions:

• GST Registration: The individual or entity must be registered under GST.
• Business Use: The goods or services acquired should be used for business purposes, as per Section 16(1) of the GST Act.
• Possession of Invoice: Following Section 16 (2) (a), the taxpayer must possess a valid invoice or tax-paying document that contains all necessary details.
• Receipt of Goods/Services: The goods or services for which input tax credit is claimed must have been received, aligning with Section 16(2)(b).
• Tax Payment by Vendor: The vendor who charged the tax must have paid this tax to the government.
• Vendor Compliance: To ensure compliance, the vendor from whom the tax was collected must have filed the necessary returns, particularly GSTR-2B.

Recognising that claiming ITC is not just about meeting these conditions from the buyer’s side is crucial. The vendor involved in the transaction must also fulfil their obligations for the buyer to claim the eligibility of input tax credit successfully

Advantages of ITC Reconciliation for Taxpayers

ITC Reconciliation offers several benefits for taxpayers, including:

• Empowering Clients: Allowing clients to view and manage their ITC reconciliation enhances transparency and control over their tax affairs.
• Identifying Problematic Suppliers: Assisting clients in pinpointing suppliers with discrepancies in their filings enables timely follow-ups to rectify these issues.
• Correcting Errors: Assisting in correcting mismatches or errors in purchase records and GSTR-2A ensures accurate tax filings.
• Supplier Communication: Facilitating communication with suppliers about any discrepancies on behalf of the client helps maintain compliant supply chain records.
• Claiming Missing Credits: Helping clients claim ITC for invoices that were previously overlooked or missing in their records ensures they maximise their entitled tax benefits.

Key Data to Reconcile for GST Compliance

In the GST framework, businesses must reconcile a variety of data sets for precise reporting and adherence to regulations. The essential data sets for reconciliation include:

What are the Consequences of not Conducting the ITC Reconciliation?

Not doing ITC Reconciliation can cause problems such as:

• Lost ITC Claims: The government might not approve the tax credit you’re supposed to get.
• Risk of Notices: You might get notices for claiming more tax credits than allowed.
• Payments to Bad Suppliers: You could end up paying suppliers who don’t need to follow the tax rules correctly.
• Losing Client Trust: Mistakes in tax filings can make clients lose trust in you.
• Extra Costs: Claiming too much tax credit can lead to paying interest.

Deadline for Claiming GST ITC Reconciliation

Claiming ITC under GST must be done before filing the GST returns for September following the end of the relevant financial year to which the invoice pertains. Specifically, the claim should be made before submitting the GSTR-3B return for September, which is due by October 20th.

Documents Required

To claim an ITC, the following documents are necessary:

• The goods or services supplier provides an invoice.
• Supplier’s debit note to the recipient, if issued.
• Bill of entry.
• Invoices are issued in specific scenarios, such as when a bill of supply replaces a tax invoice for transactions below Rs 200 or when a reverse charge applies under GST regulations.
• Invoice or credit note from the Input Service Distributor (ISD) following GST invoice regulations.
• Bill of supply from the goods and services supplier.

Steps for Manual GST Reconciliation Process

Manually reconciling GST is a detailed process that involves comparing various data sets to ensure the accuracy of tax filings and the rightful claiming of (ITC. Here’s how to go about it:

• Gather All Invoices and Purchase Records: Collect all relevant invoices and purchase records for the period in question.
• Prepare GSTR-3B and GSTR-1 Reports: Based on your books of accounts, compileGSTR-3B (summary return) and GSTR-1 (details of outward supplies) reports basedMatch Sales and Purchase Data: Compare the sales data reported in GSTR-1 against the purchase data from your invoices to ensure they correspond.
• Verify ITC Eligibility: Review all invoices to confirm they meet the criteria for claiming ITC, such as GST registration of the supplier and receipt of goods/services.
• Check GSTIN Accuracy: Ensure that the GSTINs of suppliers and recipients mentioned in the invoices match those in your reports.
• Reconcile ITC Claims: Identify any differences by comparing the ITC available as per GSTR-2A or GSTR-2B with the ITC claimed in your GSTR-3B.
• Address Mismatches: Investigate any discrepancies in reported data, such as tax amounts, invoice numbers, or dates, and make the necessary corrections.
• Adjust Book Entries: Update your accounting records to reflect the reconciled data, ensuring that your books match your GST filings.
• Correct and File Amended Returns: If you find discrepancies during reconciliation, prepare and file amended returns to correct your reported data and ITC claims.
• Continuously Reconcile: Regularly perform reconciliation for each tax period to keep your GST filings accurate and up-to-date, reducing the risk of compliance issues.