From FY 2019-2020 onwards, composition taxpayers must file GSTR-4, which is a GST return. The return cannot be amended after it has been filed, and if it is filed after the deadline, it will be subject to a late fee. Tax Help Desk is the best online tax filing website. Be it GSTR 4 or any Goods and services tax registration, the Tax Help Desk makes your GST and income tax-related filings and registration related to finance a cakewalk.
A step-by-step guide to file GSTR-4 on the GST portal
To file an annual GSTR-4 online, follow these steps:
Step 1: Go to the GST portal and select Services > Returns > ‘Annual Return’ from the drop-down menu.
You can also go to the dashboard and click the ‘Annual Return’ button.
Step 2: On the ‘File Annual Returns’ tab, select the relevant financial year for which is being filed.
Step 3: On the Annual Return GSTR-4 tile, click the ‘PREPARE ONLINE’ button. Before you do anything, read the instructions on the ‘File Returns’ Page carefully.
Step 4: Click the ‘SAVE’ button after entering the previous financial year’s total turnover. Enter 0 if no turnover was recorded in the previous year. Please don’t leave it blank.
Report the aggregate turnover in FY 2021-22 when filing the annual return for FY 2020-2021, for example.
A notice appears when the data is successfully saved, as shown below:
If you are not filing a Nil GSTR-4, skip Step 5.
Step 5: Select the checkbox ‘File Nil GSTR-4’ and click ‘PROCEED TO FILE’ to file a Nil. It jumps right to step 7 and then to step 9.
Step 6: Fill in the blanks for the tables given and explained below. To input, the details, select the specific table from the ‘Select tables to add/view details’ drop-down list each time and click the ‘BACK’ button.
Prerequisites to file GSTR-4 on the GST Portal
Composition taxpayers must meet the following requirements before drafting and filing:
- At least one day during the relevant financial year, you registered and chose the composition plan.
- For all four quarters of the fiscal year, I filed all appropriate form CMP-08 statements.
- Make a note of the total revenue generated in the previous fiscal year.
Step 7: To preview the saved return, click the ‘PROCEED TO FILE’ option.
Step 8: If applicable, make any tax, interest, or late fee payments shown in table’8. Tax, Interest, and Late Fee Payable and Paid’ before continuing. The cash ledger balance is also presented for reference. There are two options for payment:
- If the cash in the electronic cash ledger is inadequate for full or partial payment, click the ‘CREATE CHALLAN’ button. After selecting a payment method, such as NEFT or RTGS/Over the Counter/Net Banking, generate the challan.
- If the cash balance in an electronic cash ledger is sufficient for full payment, the cash will be automatically adjusted from the ledger for the tax payment. In the ‘Additional cash required’ column, there is no value.
To review the amended return, click either the ‘DOWNLOAD GSTR-4 SUMMARY (PDF)’ or ‘DOWNLOAD GSTR-4 (EXCEL)’ button and move on to the next step.
Step 9: Use DSC or EVC to file the GSTR-4 return.
Select the declaration checkbox and the authorized signatory at the bottom of the tax payment page. Choose ‘FILE GSTR-4’ from the drop-down menu.
On the ‘File return/statement’ page, confirm by clicking ‘YES’ on a warning message and selecting either the ‘FILE WITH DSC’ or ‘FILE WITH EVC’ button.
