GST Considerations For New Business Owners

The Goods and Services Tax or GST is a consumption tax much more charged on most goods and services sold within Canada, regardless of where your business is available. Subject to certain exceptions, all companies are required to charge GST, currently at 5%, plus applicable provincial sales taxation’s. A business effectively acts as an agent for Revenue Canada by collecting the taxes and remitting them on a periodic basis. Businesses additionally permitted to claim the taxes paid on expenses incurred that relate of their business activities. These are referred to as Input Tax Credit cards.

Does Your Business Need to Sign up for?

Prior to getting yourself into any kind of business activity in Canada, all business owners need to figure out how the GST and relevant provincial taxes apply to the group. Essentially, all businesses that sell goods and services in Canada, for profit, should charge GST, except in the following circumstances:

Estimated sales for your business for 4 consecutive calendar quarters is expected to become less than $30,000. Revenue Canada views these businesses as small suppliers and perhaps they are therefore exempt.

The business activity is GST Registration Portal Login exempt. Exempt goods and services includes residential land and property, child care services, most health and medical services and many others.

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 beneficial to do so. Since a business in a position to claim Input Breaks (GST paid on expenses) if may possibly registered, many businesses, particularly in start off up phase where expenses exceed sales, may find that possibly they are able to recover a significant quantity taxes. This has to be balanced against the opportunity competitive advantage achieved from not charging the GST, and the additional administrative costs (hassle) from in order to file returns.