GST on Reimbursement of Travel Expenses

In India, the taxation of travel reimbursement is a complex issue that has implications for both the employer and the employee. The GST rates for reimbursement of travel expenses range from 5% to 18%. Here's an overview of how the latest update in January 2024 will apply to travel expenses.

What is Reimbursement of Travel Expenses?

Reimbursing travel expenses is when a company refunds an employee for the expenses they paid out of pocket while on a business trip. These expenses usually consist of transportation (plane fare, train fare, cab fare, or car rental), lodging, meals, and incidentals directly related to business strategy.

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Difference Between Reimbursement and Allowance

Reimbursement: This is when the employer pays the employee for actual travel costs based on evidence like bills and receipts. Typically the person must demonstrate where they stayed and the expense. In this case, they don’t have to pay tax.

Allowance: An allowance is a fixed amount paid to the employee in advance or with his salary, regardless of the actual expenditure. In contrast to reimbursement, allowances count as part of the income of the employee and are taxable to the employee unless exempt under special circumstances.

GST Rates for Travel Services

The implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on travel services in India could vary significantly based on whether Input Tax Credit (ITC) is availed or not. It is important for businesses and individuals who are providing or procuring travel-related services to understand these variances. Following is an extended view of the GST rates applied to travel services;

Without Input Tax Credit (ITC)

The GST rate is 5% for travel services where no Input Tax Credit can be claimed on the supply. This lower rate of GST is usually used for packaged/bundled travel, where there is no transparent breakdown of cost (for example, transport and accommodation and other services are not separately charged). Here the entire package is subject to GST at the uniformly lower rate.

‍Key Points

Applies to: Typically, this rate applies to particular supplies made by travel agents, tour operators, and similar service providers who sell travel packages in which it is not usually cascaded/cutback is nondeductible for GST.

Impact: If you can’t claim ITCs, it means you can’t use the GST you paid on these travel services to reduce the GST you owe on other goods and services you sell. This could mean a small rise in your operating costs if you can’t claim the GST you paid as part of your travel expenses.

With Input Tax Credit (ITC)

Source: Taxguru

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When an Input Tax Credit is available, an 18% GST rate gets applied. It is applied to travel services where the cost of various components such as Transportation, Accommodation, and Ancillary Services are billed separately and are indicated in the bill, enabling the claiming of ITC of the GST paid.

Key Points

Applies to: Businesses that need to claim Input Tax Credits (ITC) with detailed billing on their corporate travel, business trips, and other professional services would charge 18%. This applies to service providers who are eligible for an HST rate as a percentage of total consideration.

Benefit: Being able to claim ITC is a complete advantage as it diminishes net GST cost. Organizations can subtract the GST reimbursed on travel services from this collected GST on sales. Reduced tax expense altogether and better cash flow management.

Why Different Rates?

The difference in GST rates with or without ITC is an illustration of the tax administration’s distillation of inducting some kinds of services to compliance simplicity, or on the other, facilitating the proper crediting and invoicing mechanisms. For tours that are pre-arranged and bought by individuals, payment of tax without ITC at a lower rate simplifies taxation with minimum compliance cost.

Meanwhile, businesses demanding detailed expense records will find the right of ITC useful which is, as compared to a higher rate, certain to be looked after in a more transparent and accountable way of doing business.

‍Practical Application:

When businesses choose between the 5% rate without ITC and the 18% rate with ITC, their decision often hinges on operational requirements and the specifics of the travel service. Consider these scenarios:

If a company chooses to have a corporate retreat, they can choose options that are taxed at 18% with ITC if they want separate bills and bill invoices to distribute the cost in different departments.

A travel operator providing all-inclusive tour packages to consumers might opt for the 5% rate, simplifying the tax process and offering a single price point to their customers.

The tax rate for GST has far-reaching implications for financial planning and tax compliance in both cases. Businesses must carefully consider the ramifications of their decisions and the impact of GST to make practical decisions consistent with their financial and operational strategies.

Place of Supply for Travel Services

Knowing the place of supply is important, as it dictates whether or not GST applies, and is determined by the service provider, the service recipient, and the type of service. For example, for hotel bookings, the place of supply is the location of the hotel.

GST Reimbursement Implications for Employers

If employers reimburse workers for expenses that are incurred to earn taxable income and are directly related to their employment, a GST credit can be claimed. The expenses must be reasonable, substantiated, and directly connected with doing the employee's job.

‍Non-reimbursable Expenses

A few of the expenses you pay on a trip may be personal or not directly linked to business functions, such as luxury food and beverages, in-room movies, or the cost of a companion. These expenditures are non-reimbursable by your company and do not qualify for GST credits.

Recording and Proving Reimbursable Expenses

1. Employers and employees must keep thorough records to prove the business nature of expenses:

2. Keep detailed logs and expense reports.

3. Provide receipts, invoices, and documents that detail the amount, business purpose, and specifics of each expense.

4. Submit these records to the appropriate department within the organization for verification and reimbursement.

FAQ on Reimbursement of Travel Expenditure

What is the difference between reimbursement and refund?

When you have not received a service or product or if it was unsatisfactory, a refund is a repayment of money; whereas, reimbursement is compensating your already paid expenses

What is a Travel Allowance?

When given instead of reimbursement, if it is a taxable supply when determining whether GST applies on an allowance will depend on the nature of the allowance and whether it is permitted by tax legislation and/or tax case law

What are the exceptions I should be aware of?

Depending on the nature of the reimbursement plus where services are provided to a related party or where GST applies to the reimbursement because it includes a profit element

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Navigating the complexities of travel expense taxation is no easy task. But with Swipe, you don't have to. Simply, leave it to us. With the Swipe App, no longer will you need to waste your time with an endless flow of paperwork. No longer must you need to remember intricate expense codes. Just book a car, get on a plane, lodge your digital receipts, and be done with it!

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Updated on:

September 16, 2024