Understanding Tax Collected at Source (TCS) – Rates & Examples

What is TCS?

The TCS full form in tax is Tax Collected at Source. 

Tax Collected at Source meaning can be defined as the TCS or Tax Collected at Source is the tax that is collected from the buyer by the seller while the purchase of some specific goods category by the buyer. This TCS rate depends on the category of the items and this tax collected from the buyer needs to be deposited to the government by the seller. In other words, TCS is a tax that is payable to the government by the seller who in turn collects from the buyer or lessee. The items which come under this tax are mentioned under Section 206 C Income Tax Act, 1961.

Tax Collected at Source or TCS -Example

To understand this tax let us explain the process with the help of an example. If a buyer is purchasing a car that costs Rs 10.01 lakhs then an amount of Rs 10,010 would be payable as TCS. This amount would need to be submitted to a particular branch of the bank which has been given permission by the government for receiving such payments. The person who is selling those cars is only responsible for collecting the cash from the buyer and paying it to the government and he doesn’t pay anything herself (or) himself.

This tax needs to be collected while transactions, selling goods, issuing a receipt of cash taken from the buyer or issuing a draft or cheque whichever mode is used preferred by the buyer. So, the seller acts as a middleman between the buyer and the government. Therefore this tax is paid by the consumer rather than the businessmen. But not everything is taxed using this source rather only some of the goods are taxed. Let’s take a look at those goods mentioned below.

TCS Rate of Different Goods

The TCS rate chart is as follows:

Other TCS Rates – Cess

Nonpayment of TCS

One must note that if the TCS is not paid on time to the government then the seller will be charged 1% of the total amount which is not paid on the due date as a penalty which will be paid by the seller only and the buyer cannot be charged for this at no cost.

Under TCS Section 271H, failing to file accurate returns because of incorrect filing can attract a minimum penalty of Rs. 10,000 with a maximum of Rs. 1,00,000.

Types of sellers under TCS

The below-mentioned organization and people would be considered as sellers for the TCS:-

• Statutory Corporation or Authority
• Co-operative Society
• Partnership Firms
• Company
• Local Authority
• State Government
• Central Government
• Any HUF or person that has total sales and/or gross receipts which is greater than fixed monetary restrictions which are mentioned in Section 44AB in the previous financial year.

Types of buyers under TCS

A buyer is a person which has a single or individual entity or goods or people with the right of getting goods at any auction, tender, sale, or any other mode. The below mentioned are the organizations and people that are not considered as buyers for TCS or tax collected at source:-

• Central Government
• Clubs for example social clubs and sports clubs
• Consulate
• High Commission Embassy
• Public Sector Entities
• Public Sector Companies
• State Government
• Representation of Trade Committee of any Foreign Nation

Due Dates of TCS for the FY 2023-24

Who Can Collect TCS?

TCS, or in taxation TCS stands for Tax Collected at Source is applicable on specific goods such as scrap, tendu leaves, and minerals. Sellers are required to collect the TCS amount from buyers in addition to the value of the goods or services. Buyers include individuals who acquire such goods through tender, auction, or direct sales. 

When Should TCS be Collected?

TCS must be collected at the earlier of the following:

• When the seller debits the amount payable by the buyer in their account.
• Upon receiving payment from the buyer in any form (cash, cheque, or draft). In the case of motor vehicles, TCS is collected when the buyer pays the consideration for the vehicle. 

What is TCS Certificate?

When any tax collector fills up any quarterly returns, they need to submit to the buyer of the goods a TCS certificate. Form 27D is also known as the TCS certificate which is given for filing TCS returns.

What does a TCS certificate have?

It has the following details:-

• Buyer name
• Collection Date
• PAN or Permanent Account Number of the buyer
• PAN or Permanent Account Number of the seller
• Seller Name
• TAN or Tax Deduction and Collection Account by the seller that has filed this TCS return
• Tax rate
• The tax which was collected

Tax Collected at Source Certificate

The certificate that one gets from TCS must be submitted under Form 27D in a week’s time from the month’s last date from which this tax has been generated by entities or people who are liable for collecting tax at source.

For the period which ends on 30th September and 31st March for any financial year, one will get more than 1 certificate which is generated for any buyer for TCS. This is a consolidated certificate that could be given in a month including the last day of that particular period. But such a certificate needs to be a buyer’s request rather than the seller’s.

If a TCS certificate gets lost the organization which is in charge of the TCS or tax collection will issue another duplicate certificate that can be attested and printed on any plain paper that will include the necessary details which are mentioned under Form 27D.

The due date for Form 27 D

Tax Collected at Source: Lower Rate

The buyer has a right to apply to the AO or Assessing Officer for TCS collection at a quite lower rate using Form 13 if the AO or Assessing Officer is convinced the buyer’s actual total income is justified for that lower tax rate. AO might issue a specific certificate that states the tax collection rate at the source specifying that the lower rate is applicable.

Exemptions of the TCS or Tax Collected at Source

There are certain cases under which any buyer can claim for TCS exemption. For this, any buyer needs Form 27C. Under this form, one should claim that they are eligible for Tax Collected at Source or TCS total exemption. The following mentioned below are the cases under which any person can claim for exemption of TCS. They are:-

• That the person is using the goods for manufacturing and processing and not for trading. For this, the buyer needs to declare that he/she is intending to use the items as raw material.
• They are using these goods for personal use.

So the buyer needs to submit this form and he will get back a duplicate copy of this form that needs to be submitted along with the declaration form which needs to be further given to the authorities in a week.

e-TCS or Electronic TCS

When any buyer files TCS returns using electronic media, this process of filing TCS is called e-TCS. This is compulsory for corporate and government collectors for filing TCS returns using this electronic form, from the financial year 2004-2005. These returns should be filed along with Form 27 B which needs to be verified later.

Returns and TCS Payments

The below-mentioned table states the dates for TCS Payment to the government:

Collecting TCS

The person who is collecting the TCS needs to apply for a TAN number. The TAN number will be treated as a reference for quoting in all TCS returns and when the deposited tax collected at the source or TCS is collected. The due date for both TCS and TDS to the government is the same. 

The company/entity which is deducting TCS would be required to show a TCS Return form in the mentioned format and it should also have the type of goods sold by it, its value, and also its TCS Rate.

Example of TCS Calculation 

If a buyer purchases a car worth Rs. 11,00,000, a TCS tax rate of 1% will apply amounting to Rs. 11,000. The total TCS amount payable by the buyer is Rs. 11,11,000. Similarly for an invoice of Rs. 12,000, the TCS of Rs. 120 is charged, bringing the total to Rs. 12,120. 

Guidelines for TCS Return Filing

Here are some of the guidelines for filing TCS returns:-

• By the end of every month under which any TCS is generated, the seller fills up the TCS using Challan 281. It needs to be completed in a span of 7 days for the previous month’s tax.
• One must note that if the TCS is not paid on time to the government then the seller will be charged 1% of the total amount which is not paid on the due date as a penalty which will be paid by the seller only and the buyer cannot be charged for this at no cost.
• The tax collector or seller needs to submit this collected TCS return under Form 27EQ for the total tax which is collected in the particular quarter.
• After the TCS is paid, the certificate or Form 27D is issued
• For TCS payment delay, the depositor will have to pay the interest prior to filing the Income-tax return to the government.

Form 24G for TCS deposited without Challan

If one is submitting either TDS or TCS without Challen then they need to fill up Form 24G and submit it to the concerned agency.

This form needs to be submitted within 15 days by the end of that relevant month.

Provisions for TCS under GST

Some new TCS provisions were added from Oct 1st, 2018

• For all online transactions, the sellers working online would be given tax after deducting it at 1 % using the IGST Act.
• It is compulsory for the buyers to get themselves registered under GST.
• The amount should be credited by the 10th of every month to the government.

New provisions

From Oct 1st, 2020, these new provisions are applicable:-

• Every dealer that gets Rs 7 lakhs or greater than that in any foreign currency under LRS or Liberalized Remittance Scheme needs to collect tax at 5%.
• Every seller who gets a gross turnover greater than Rs 20 crores in the previous financial year can collect tax at 0.1%.

Difference Between TDS and TCS

• TDS and TCS serve different purposes under the Income Tax Act. TDS stands for Tax Deducted at Source, which is deducted by the payer while making specific payments like salaries, interest, or professional fees. In contrast, TCS meaning in GST suggests that it is collected by the seller from the buyer at the time of selling certain specific goods. 
• TDS applies to payments such as wages, commission, rent, dividends, and interest, whereas TCS is applicable on specific goods such as scrap, tendu leaves, forest produce, and minerals. 
• The rate of TCS depends on the category of goods being sold, while the TDS rate is based on the nature of the payment and the applicable slab rates under the Income Tax Act.
• In the case of TCS payable, the tax is added to the invoice amount and collected from the buyer. On the other hand, in TDS, the tax amount is directly deducted by the payer before making the payment to the recipient.
• A key distinction is that TDS is dedicated when payments exceed a certain threshold, whereas TCS is collected regardless of the amount as long as it falls under the specified categories. 

Both TCS and TDS play essential roles in ensuring tax compliance, but their application and methodology differ significantly. 

Conclusion 

Tax Collected at Source (TCS) simplifies tax compliance by ensuring sellers collect taxes directly at the point of sale for specified goods. Understanding TCS, its applicability and compliance rules is crucial to avoid penalties and ensure smooth transactions. Platforms like Lendingkart empower businesses by providing financial solutions that help them meet compliance needs efficiently. 

Tax Collected at Source FAQs:

14. What happens if TCS is collected but not deposited?

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