VAT is what type of taxation. What is VAT and why is it needed: in simple words about the complex

VAT was introduced in Russia on January 1, 1992 by the Law of the RSFSR dated December 6, 1991 No. 1992-1 “On Value Added Tax” as a federal tax. VAT is the main tax source of the federal budget. At the same time, the VAT rate was reduced in 2004 from 20% to 18%.

At the beginning of the tax reform, it was recognized that any drastic changes in the VAT were unlikely to be justified, therefore, among serious innovations, it was proposed to limit ourselves to bringing the structure of the Russian VAT closer to international analogues. As part of this task, VAT modernization was carried out in the following areas:
- bringing the basic concepts and structure of VAT legislation closer to European requirements - introducing the concepts of place of sale of goods and services, zero rate;
- inclusion of individual entrepreneurs in the number of taxpayers;
- introduction of a regime of exemption from VAT taxpayer obligations;
- transition to the collection of VAT based on a single tax rate (not taking into account the 0% rate);
- transition to the collection of VAT based on the accrual method, in which the moment tax obligations arise, as well as the moment the right to a tax deduction arises, is determined as the earliest of three moments - receipt (issuance) of an invoice, receipt (making) payment, shipment ( receipt) of goods;
- reduction of tax exemptions to the list of standard exemptions used in international practice;
- transition to the application procedure for VAT refunds and a single tax return for transactions taxed at a rate of 0% and other transactions;
- regulation of other issues in tax legislation, in particular, the procedure for VAT refunds.

All these innovations were put into practice during the period of tax reform.

It should also be noted that since 2008, the duration of the VAT tax period has been increased to a quarter. This decision allowed not only a one-time increase in the financial resources of the taxpayer, but also to facilitate the administration of this tax.
The legal basis for paying VAT is enshrined in Chapter. 21 NK.

Traditionally, this tax is given special attention when forming the tax policy of the Russian Federation.

VAT taxpayers are:
- organizations;
- individual entrepreneurs;
- persons recognized as taxpayers of value added tax (hereinafter in this chapter - tax) in connection with the movement of goods across the customs border of the Customs Union, determined in accordance with the customs legislation of the Customs Union and the legislation of the Russian Federation on customs affairs.

The following transactions are recognized as the object of taxation:
- sale of goods (work, services) on the territory of the Russian Federation, including the sale of collateral and transfer of goods (results of work performed, provision of services) under an agreement on the provision of compensation or novation, as well as the transfer of property rights. At the same time, the transfer of ownership of goods, the results of work performed, and the provision of services free of charge is recognized as the sale of goods (work, services);
- transfer of goods on the territory of the Russian Federation (performance of work, provision of services) for one’s own needs, expenses for which are not deductible (including through depreciation deductions) when calculating corporate income tax;
- carrying out construction and installation work for own consumption;
- import of goods into the territory of the Russian Federation and other territories under its jurisdiction.

Organizations and individual entrepreneurs have the right to be exempt from fulfilling taxpayer obligations related to the calculation and payment of tax if, over the three previous consecutive calendar months, the amount of revenue from the sale of goods (work, services) of these organizations or individual entrepreneurs excluding tax did not exceed in the aggregate 2 million rubles However, this provision does not apply to organizations and individual entrepreneurs selling excisable goods during the three previous consecutive calendar months, and also does not apply to obligations arising in connection with the import of goods subject to taxation into the customs territory of the Russian Federation.

For VAT tax purposes, the place of sale of goods is the territory of the Russian Federation, in the presence of one or more of the following circumstances:
- the goods are located on the territory of the Russian Federation and other territories under its jurisdiction, and are not shipped or transported;
- at the time of the start of shipment and transportation, the goods are located in the territory of the Russian Federation and other territories under its jurisdiction.
The territory of the Russian Federation is recognized as the place of implementation of works (services) if:
- works (services) are directly related to real estate (with the exception of aircraft, sea vessels and inland navigation vessels, as well as space objects) located on the territory of the Russian Federation. Such works (services), in particular, include construction, installation, construction and installation, repair, restoration work, landscaping work, rental services;
- works (services) are directly related to movable property, aircraft, sea vessels and inland navigation vessels located on the territory of the Russian Federation. Such works (services) include, in particular, installation, assembly, processing, processing, repair and maintenance;
- services are actually provided on the territory of the Russian Federation in the field of culture, art, education (training), physical culture, tourism, recreation and sports;
- the buyer of works (services) operates on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Article 149 of the Tax Code defines a closed list of transactions that are not subject to taxation on the territory of the Russian Federation. It includes, in particular, the sale of essential and vital medical products, the provision of medical services by medical organizations, emergency medical services, the provision of passenger transportation services, the sale (transfer) for their own needs) religious items and religious literature, implementation of banking operations by banks, services provided by cultural and art institutions in the field of culture and art, and much more.

If a taxpayer carries out transactions that are subject to taxation and transactions that are not subject to taxation (exempt from taxation), the taxpayer is required to keep separate records of such transactions.

The tax base for the sale of goods (work, services) is determined by the taxpayer depending on the specifics of the sale of goods (work, services) produced by him or purchased externally.

The tax base when a taxpayer sells goods (work, services) is determined as the cost of these goods (work, services). In addition, Ch. 21 of the Tax Code provides for the specifics of determining the tax base for certain types of transactions, as well as for certain categories of persons.

The tax period (including for taxpayers acting as tax agents) is established as a quarter.

There are three types of tax rates for VAT: 0%, 10% and 18%.

Taxation is carried out at a tax rate of 0% on the sale of goods exported under the customs regime of export, as well as goods placed under the customs regime of a free customs zone, certain types of work (services) directly related to the production and sale of certain types of goods, as well as in other cases stipulated by tax legislation (for example, services for the international transportation of goods, in which the point of departure or destination of the goods is located outside the territory of the Russian Federation).

Taxation is carried out at a tax rate of 10% on the sale of: food products, goods for children, some periodicals, book products, some medical goods of domestic and foreign production, medicines, medical products.

In all other cases, taxation is carried out at a tax rate of 18%.

When determining the tax base, the amount of tax is calculated as the percentage share of the tax base corresponding to the tax rate, and in case of separate accounting - as the amount of tax obtained as a result of adding the amounts of taxes calculated separately as the percentage shares of the corresponding tax bases corresponding to the tax rates.

When selling goods (work, services), transferring property rights, the taxpayer, in addition to the price (tariff) of the goods (work, services) being sold, transferred property rights, is obliged to present the corresponding amount of tax for payment to the buyer of these goods (work, services), property rights.

The amount of tax imposed by the taxpayer on the buyer of goods (work, services), property rights is calculated for each type of these goods (work, services), property rights as a percentage of prices (tariffs) corresponding to the tax rate.

When selling goods (work, services), transferring property rights, the corresponding invoices are issued no later than five calendar days, counting from the day of shipment of the goods (performance of work, provision of services) or from the day of transfer of property rights. An invoice is a document that serves as the basis for the buyer to accept goods (work, services), property rights presented by the seller (including the commission agent, agent who sell goods (work, services), property rights on their own behalf) tax amounts for deduction (Article 168.169 NK).

The taxpayer has the right to reduce the total amount of tax by the tax deductions established by the Tax Code. Tax deductions are made on the basis of invoices issued by sellers when a taxpayer purchases goods (work, services), documents confirming the actual payment of tax amounts, documents confirming payment of tax amounts withheld by tax agents, or on the basis of other documents. Subject to deductions are tax amounts presented to the taxpayer and paid by him when purchasing goods (work, services), or actually paid by him when importing goods into the territory of the Russian Federation and other territories under its jurisdiction, after registration of these goods (work, services) with taking into account the features provided for in the Tax Code and in the presence of relevant primary documents.

If the amount of tax deductions in any tax period exceeds the total amount of tax increased by the amount of tax restored in accordance with the Tax Code, the positive difference between the amount of tax deductions and the amount of tax calculated on transactions recognized as the object of taxation is subject to reimbursement to the taxpayer, with the exception of cases where a tax return is filed by a taxpayer three years after the end of the relevant tax period.

Recently, one of the most discussed and pressing issues of tax policy is the possible reduction of VAT. In this case, two scenarios are possible: the introduction of a single VAT rate of 12% or a reduction in the VAT rate to 14% while maintaining a preferential rate of 10% for certain groups of goods (children's goods, medicines, etc.). It is believed that both scenarios will help stimulate economic growth. However, to implement such a tax reform, it is necessary to analyze the shortfall in federal budget revenues and propose alternative sources of revenue.

The article briefly and clearly shows VAT accounting for tax purposes, VAT rates, tax deduction, reviewed . The proposed material is intended for students of economic universities. Novice accountants. A general idea of the mechanism of action is given. Payment and calculation of value added tax.

What are the VAT tax rates, tax percentage, what is the zero VAT rate

The basic VAT rate is now 20 percent. For certain goods the rate is set at 10 percent. Children's, medical, food, books and periodicals. Goods supplied for export, as well as export services, are taxed at a rate of 0 percent.

Upon receipt of prepayment. And in a number of other cases, the accountant uses the so-called settlement rate.

It is equal to 20%: 120%, or 10%: 110%, depending on the rate of the product for which an advance payment was received.

VAT tax increased to 20 percent

Problems of transition to a new VAT rate: answers to frequently asked questions
For which advances and shipments should the VAT rate of 20% be applied? At what rate should acts and invoices for services for 2018 be issued in 2019; What VAT rate to put on payments and checks when paying for 2019 shipments in 2018; How to pay VAT if the goods were shipped in 2018 and delivered to the buyer in 2019; How to issue an invoice for additional payment of 2% VAT; How to return goods from 2019
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Presentation

The next “May 2018 decree” of the president will require enormous costs. To solve the problems posed in it will require about 8 trillion rubles.. This is due to the current economic situation and a number of sanctions. To solve problems, it is proposed to obtain funds through the following changes:

increase in mineral extraction tax. True, if export duties on oil are abolished, it will give about 1 trillion rubles;
placing federal loan bonds will help raise another 3 trillion rubles;
will replenish the country's budget by 2 trillion rubles;
raising the VAT rate to 20% will also bring about 2 trillion rubles.

The last 2 items on the list - raising the retirement age in Russia and increasing the VAT rate - have not yet been decided, but are actively being developed.

The State Duma adopted a law on increasing VAT

The money from the VAT increase will go. Allegedly, to replenish the pension system. For the needs of health care, education, and road funds.

Amendments to the tax legislation were introduced by the Government. It is expected that VAT will increase by 2 percent - from 18 to 20 percent.

Increasing the tax to 20 percent: options for changing VAT in 2018

At the beginning of June 2018, the VAT rate is 18%. Preferential rate - 10%.

The first option is a return to the 20% rate that was previously before 2004.
The second option is the abolition of the preferential VAT rate.

Due to the abolition of the preferential VAT rate, families with children will suffer the greatest damage. This will be associated with an increase in the cost of children's goods. To which this rate applies. But it is not important! Although, shortly before the start of the presidential elections in the Russian Federation. But after the elections, the state is trying to take completely different measures. Which, in fact, will make it so that people will be taken away from what they were recently given.

According to the forecast of the Ministry of Finance, an increase in VAT from 18% to 20% on domestic and imported goods will bring to the budget:

in 2019 - 634 billion rubles;
in 2020 - 678 billion rubles;
in 2021 - 728 billion rubles.

Medvedev announced an increase in VAT from 18 to 20%

As a result of the VAT increase, the government plans to receive about two trillion rubles over six years, the Vedomosti newspaper wrote in May.
In May, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said that taxes would not increase in the next six years. At the same time, according to him, the tax system will be “tuned.”
In 2018, after his next inauguration, Vladimir Putin signed the “May Decree”, which demands an increase in life expectancy in Russia, a reduction in poverty and Russia’s entry into the top five largest economies in the world (he has been wanting to enter the top five for 12 years, but remains outside the top ten ). It is planned to spend at least eight trillion rubles on its implementation.
State Duma deputies expressed a negative opinion about the idea of increasing the VAT rate to 20%.

Situations with VAT when the rate is increased to 20% for the supplier and buyer

Situations that require increased attention from accounting in December and January are given. Reason - new VAT rate from January 1, 2019. Problems are possible, including simplified ones. Solutions for each case are given. To customize it for yourself, just answer one question. And the article will determine at what rate to calculate VAT in your case.

Who pays VAT?

All Russian legal entities (LLC, CJSC, OJSC, etc.).
All individual entrepreneurs.
Importers and exporters.

Who can receive VAT exemption

An organization or individual entrepreneur whose sales revenue excluding VAT for the three previous consecutive calendar months did not exceed a total of two million rubles.

Note: Exemption cannot be obtained for excisable goods and import transactions.

Exemption from VAT is a right, not an obligation. That is, a company or individual entrepreneur with revenue that meets the above conditions can continue to pay VAT. If the taxpayer decides to take advantage of the exemption, he should submit to his tax office a notification in the approved form and a number of documents (an extract from the sales book, a copy of the journal of received and issued invoices, and some others).

Note: These papers must be submitted no later than the 20th day of the month from which the release conditions are met.

You cannot voluntarily renounce the exemption until the end of 12 consecutive calendar months. Then you can either get it again or start paying VAT. If, before the end of 12 months, revenue for three consecutive calendar months turned out to be more than two million, or the taxpayer sold excisable goods, he is deprived of the right to exemption. Then you need to start paying VAT for the entire month in which the excess revenue occurred or the sale of excisable products took place. Otherwise, this will be done by the inspector, who will also calculate fines and penalties.

Companies and entrepreneurs exempt from VAT retain the obligation to issue invoices. It’s just that they don’t need to highlight the tax; instead, make the note “excluding tax (VAT).” The same mark must be placed on invoices. Even after receiving an exemption, you must maintain a purchase book and a sales book, as well as a log of invoices received and issued. As for quarterly VAT returns, in general there is no need to submit them.

When is VAT charged?

For transactions recognized as an object of taxation. These include:

sale of goods, works or services;
free transfer of ownership of goods, results of work, provision of services;
transfer of goods, works or services on the territory of Russia for one’s own needs, if expenses for them are not accepted when calculating income tax;
construction and installation work for own needs;
import of goods.

When VAT is not charged

For transactions not recognized as subject to taxation:

operations not related to sales (transfer of the organization’s property to its legal successor,
contributions to the authorized capital, etc.),
sale of land plots and shares in them,
and a number of others.

Why can the VAT deduction be greater than the tax due for transfer?

There are many reasons when the refund amount is greater than the amount of accrued VAT. The main one is when more expenses were incurred including VAT than were sold including VAT. For example, the organization purchased more goods than usual or repair work was carried out. There is only one principle: costs including VAT are greater than profits.

Transfer deadlines, when to transfer VAT to the budget

At the end of the quarter, in equal installments no later than the 20th day of each of the three months following the expired quarter. For example, based on the results of the third quarter, the taxpayer must transfer VAT in the amount of 90,000 rubles. Then he should make three payments of 30,000 rubles each. each (RUB 90,000: 3). Transfer the money no later than October 20, November 20 and December 20, respectively.

Importers pay VAT during the customs clearance of imported goods according to the rules established in the Customs Code of the Russian Federation.

How and when to report value added tax

At the end of the quarter, submit it to your tax office. This must be done no later than the 20th day following the end of the quarter. Please note: all organizations and entrepreneurs that are taxpayers (that is, in particular, not transferred to a simplified system or payment of a single agricultural tax) and are not exempt from VAT must report on value added tax. If there are no accruals and deductions, a “zero” declaration should be submitted.

VAT on export

Exporters are required to confirm their right to apply the zero VAT rate. To do this, they are required to present to the tax office a list of documents related to the foreign trade transaction (contract, cargo customs declaration, bank statement on receipt of export proceeds, etc.). The papers must be submitted no later than 180 days from the moment the goods are placed under the customs export regime. If 180 days have expired and the package of documents has not been collected, the taxpayer is obliged to charge and pay VAT at a rate of 18 (or 10) percent. But this does not mean that the right to a zero rate is lost forever. The exporter can prepare the paperwork later and return the paid tax from the budget.

There are also special rules for deducting VAT on export transactions. At the time of purchase of goods, the taxpayer has the right to deduct tax. But then, when the goods are shipped to a foreign buyer, the previously accepted deduction must be restored (that is, cancelled). You can re-accept the deduction after you have collected a package of necessary documents confirming the zero rate.

Payment of VAT under special regimes is simplified - simplified tax system and imputed - UTII. How to write off input VAT without invoices.

VAT is perhaps the most complex tax, which has a lot of legislative exceptions in the order of its calculation and payment. A lot has been said about it, many situations have been considered, and business entities tirelessly continue to pay penalties due to incorrect accounting due to a misunderstanding of the current legislation. In this article we will try to understand this complex tax.

The essence of value added tax

In the theory of tax accounting, there are two broad groups of fiscal obligations - one-time withholding and cumulative.

The first, as their name suggests, impose a burden once on a certain list of goods and services, and this happens at a clearly established stage of pricing. The latter have a complex structure and are subject to withholding for each trading transaction.

What is VAT? This is a collective amalgamation of the above groups. The burden on added value, undoubtedly, should be classified as the most complex and multi-stage, which is why it has such a significant share in the fiscal policy of the Russian Federation.

So, VAT - what is it? This is an indirect tax of a traditional nature, which is a surcharge on a certain group of goods and services, which is ultimately paid by the consumer. Although obligations are imposed on the business entity, more on that later.

Who is the tax payer?

VAT payers are legal business entities, individual entrepreneurs, as well as those persons who transport goods across the state border of the Russian Federation and are recognized as bearers of obligations for value added tax in accordance with the Customs Code of the Russian Federation.

In this case, an enterprise can legally obtain exemption from the fiscal duty. Or petition for a change in the rate (after all, as you know, there are VAT of 18, 0 and 10%).

As for tax exemption, the business entity must independently take care of the implementation of this right. To do this, he must, before the 20th day of the expected month, contact the fiscal authorities with all the necessary documents, including extracts from the journal of business transactions and balance sheet, as well as all the necessary primary documents in the form of invoices.

Object of taxation

VAT - what is it? This is an indirect fee, the object of which is a list of certain operations:

regular sales of goods;
gratuitous sale of property, property rights or sale under a compensation agreement;
transfer of goods and services for personal use, while their cost is deducted when calculating the fiscal burden on profit;
carrying out construction and installation works intended for one’s own use;
goods crossing the state border of the Russian Federation.

At the same time, it is important to understand that in order to impose the tax burden of VAT, the sale of goods must be carried out on the territory of the Russian Federation. If we are talking about export operations, then the initial loading of the taxable object must occur within the state border.

Tax base

VAT - what is it? This is a fiscal obligation, the basis of which is the cost of goods and services sold, and its total volume does not include excise duty and sales tax. In this case, the par value is taken to be the price specified in the purchase and sale agreement, regardless of whether it is higher or lower than the cost price and the average market value. Therefore, according to current legislation, it is the VAT base until the contrary is proven.

Value added tax is a fiscal levy with a lot of pitfalls, so it happens that government bodies take control over the pricing of a particular product (service). This often happens when transactions are concluded between related parties, if barter transactions are involved, or if the market price fluctuates significantly in its face value.

Fiscal rates

Value added tax is calculated today according to three rates - 18, 10 and 0%.

0% VAT is used in the following cases:

export sales of goods, which is carried out by crossing the state border of the Russian Federation in interaction with the customs service;
carrying out services and work aimed at the production of goods, the export of which is planned to be carried out outside the country for further sale;
direct transportation of goods for further export.

A rate of 10% applies in a number of the following cases:

when selling food products specified in Art. 164 Tax Code of the Russian Federation;
sale of periodicals;
production of children's consumer goods;
literature of educational and scientific nature;
medical products.

The VAT rate of 18% applies to the sale and production of other goods and services.

Fiscal period

Like other types of tax burden, the fiscal obligation regarding added value has a clear calendar relationship established by law. Thus, VAT taxation is limited to one calendar month. However, there are a number of special business entities for which the mentioned period is one quarter. This group includes those enterprises whose net profit does not exceed two million rubles per month.

The basis for paying value added tax is the actual sale of goods and services, subject to the imposition of a fiscal burden, and it is carried out at the end of the legally allotted period, but no later than the 20th day of the following month.

Tax reporting forms

According to the allotted deadlines, VAT payers are required to provide the fiscal authorities with all the necessary documentation regarding the burden. Moreover, it must contain not only a declaration, but also primary information regarding controversial and dubious transactions.

All tax payer business entities are required to submit reporting documents (even those engaged exclusively in exports and, accordingly, all their products are subject to a 0% VAT rate). However, in this case, the declaration has a non-standard form, in accordance with the approved order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 31n dated March 31, 2005.

All documentation necessary for reporting is provided by the business entity regarding the place of registration of the entrepreneur.

Methodology for calculation and payment of VAT, example of use

So, for example, we have an enterprise - LLC. In order to calculate the tax base, the accountant first needs to take the market value of goods and services sold as a constant, and then subtract from the resulting amount all the necessary values, including legally permitted benefits.

In addition, the nominal value does not include the amounts of obligations that were presented to the payer of the burden, and subsequently repaid indirectly when purchasing any benefits. This rule applies to the following categories of operating activities:

Acquisition of property rights, as well as goods and services for the purpose of their use in the further operating activities of the enterprise.
Purchase of assets for their further re-sale.
Purchase of imported goods from a non-resident who defaults on fiscal obligations to the state treasury of the Russian Federation.
Those VAT amounts that relate to the returned goods from the buyer.
Services received from contractors during installation work.
Purchase of services and goods by employees on a business trip.

Transactions that are not subject to VAT calculation

There are a number of subtle points in the organization of operating activities that value added tax in no way concerns. This provision is regulated by the current tax code of the Russian Federation, namely Art. 149.

In other words, this benefit is called tax exemption. In order for a business entity to apply it in relation to its activities, its fiscal policy must contain separate accounting, which will be kept separately both for transactions subject to the imposition of a burden on added value, and for others.

In addition, the enterprise is required to have all the necessary licenses that allow, in some cases, to refuse to pay value added tax on legal grounds.

We also do not forget about import operations, which are not subject to the imposition of a fiscal burden, since the goods are purchased from a foreign supplier who has nothing to do with our legislation.

Value added tax (VAT)- This is one of the most common indirect taxes (otherwise known as consumption taxes). Its essence is to add a certain percentage of tax to the price when selling. This tax is paid by the buyer to the seller, who transfers it to . Charged in most countries of the world. Since the tax is classified as indirect, it is, by default, included in the cost of almost any product or service.

To better understand the essence of VAT, you can imagine the price of any product as the sum of added values, i.e. price increases in the process of converting any raw material into a finished product.

For example: a percentage of VAT is paid on the selling price of grain, then on the value of the flour produced from it, then on the baked bread, and finally on the price of the loaf sold in the store. Since value added tax is included in the price of the product at each link in the chain, its full amount will be paid by the final consumer of the product. However, payment (withdrawal) of tax to the budget will not occur when the consumer pays for the final product at a time, but in parts, after each sale of raw materials, semi-finished products, and finished products. The VAT will be paid in full from the amount received from the last sale of the finished product.

Value added tax in Belarus

When calculating value added tax, the following are considered objects of taxation in the Republic of Belarus:

the amounts of turnover expressed in monetary form during the sale of goods, works, services and property rights on the territory of the Republic;
the cost of goods imported into the territory of Belarus.

Payers of value added tax are:

legal entities, including foreign ones, conducting economic activities and registered for tax purposes in the Republic of Belarus;
trustees for turnover related to the management of entrusted property;
individual entrepreneurs, in cases where the volume for the quarter exceeded the established amount, or the entrepreneur himself began to pay VAT;
individuals, in cases specified by law.

For foreign organizations that are not registered for tax purposes in the Republic of Belarus, but carry out activities on its territory without opening a permanent representative office, the obligation to pay VAT does not arise. The tax is paid by Belarusian organizations and entrepreneurs purchasing goods and services from such enterprises.

When calculating VAT, the tax base is the amount received from the sale of goods, works, services, property rights, calculated on the basis of:

prices for goods (works, services, property rights) taking into account excise taxes (for relevant goods), without including value added tax;
retail prices regulated by the state.

When importing goods into the Republic of Belarus, the tax base is determined by customs authorities as the sum of the following components:

specified customs value;
amounts of customs duties payable;
for excisable goods - mandatory amounts of excise taxes.

Currently, the following value added tax rates are established in the Republic of Belarus:

20% - the general rate for the sale of goods, works, services, property rights and their export;

However, a 0% rate may be applied when exporting goods and services outside the Republic of Belarus*.

10% - upon sales of crop, livestock, fish farming and beekeeping products produced in the Republic of Belarus;
10% - when importing food products and goods for children from the list approved by the President into the Republic;
9.09% or 16.67% - from the sale of goods at regulated retail prices, including VAT;
0.5% - when importing diamonds and other precious stones into Belarus from member states of the Customs Union for production needs;

* When exporting goods from the Republic of Belarus both to countries that are members of the Eurasian Economic Union and beyond its borders, a zero VAT rate is applied if the appropriate documents are available ( subclause 1.1.1 clause 1 of article 102 of the Tax Code of the Republic of Belarus). For more detailed information and explanations in which cases an enterprise can take advantage of the zero VAT rate, please contact the Ministry of Taxes and Duties of the Republic of Belarus.

The tax period for VAT is a calendar year. The reporting period, at the choice of the payer, is a calendar quarter or a calendar month.

For example, let’s imagine a transaction for the resale of a product for further sale: The amount of VAT payable is calculated as the difference between the tax amount contained in the sale price of the product and the amount of VAT already allocated by the suppliers of this product in the documents - this is called a deduction.

In accordance with Article 107 of the Tax Code, the following amounts of VAT are subject to deduction:

amounts presented to the payer by sellers who are payers in the Republic of Belarus when the payer purchased goods (works, services, property rights) in the territory of Belarus;
VAT amounts already paid when importing goods into the Republic of Belarus;
tax amounts paid upon acquisition from foreign organizations not registered for tax purposes in the Republic of Belarus.

The basis for a tax deduction is primary accounting and settlement documents received from sellers in the manner prescribed by law, as well as documents confirming the fact of payment of VAT when importing goods into Belarus.

If the amount of the tax deduction turns out to be greater than the total amount of tax payable, the VAT payer does not pay, and the difference between the amount of deductions and the total amount of tax is subject to refund in accordance with the procedure established by the Tax Code.

Articles 93, 94 and 96 of the Tax Code define a list of individual transactions, goods, works, services and property rights, turnovers for which are not subject to value added tax.

Despite the apparent theoretical simplicity of the calculation, many unexpected nuances may arise when calculating and paying VAT. This can be vividly illustrated by the following examples:

An organization that pays VAT buys goods from an organization or entrepreneur that does not pay VAT; both organizations make their own markup when selling goods, but the VAT payer will pay its entire cost from his proceeds, and the defaulter will not participate in this at all, keeping all the profit received.

If in this situation the seller and the buyer change places, then the first seller will pay VAT on the amount of his revenue, the second one still does not pay it.

There are enough cases where organizations became payers of value added tax as a result of their own errors in accounting, for example, highlighting VAT in documents when this should not have been done.

Based on the foregoing, it makes sense for all organizations to carefully study Chapter 12 of the Special Part of the Tax Code, comments and explanations of tax authorities on the relevant sections of the Code and, for reliability, contact qualified specialists. Since the presence of the so-called “cyclic error”, i.e. repeated several turns in a row can lead to astronomical amounts of taxes, surcharges and penalties.

Whatever type of activity, method of production and type of services provided, entrepreneurs and honest taxpayers choose, they are sure to encounter the concept of value added tax, deal with its calculation, calculation and payment to the state budget. VAT accrues at every stage of the production process of the service or product provided.

VAT is charged in order to pay it later. Payment of tax is mandatory for a person engaged in entrepreneurial activity. The processes of its accrual and withdrawal are regulated by the Tax Code of the Russian Federation. This is, in fact, a tax on the value added by the seller, but its size depends on the amount of the tax base, that is, on the cost of the goods. VAT performs a fiscal function, that is, it fills the treasury of our state with funds.

When accrual occurs or does not occur

VAT is necessarily calculated when carrying out a transaction that is. This can be the sale of all goods, the provision of services, the sale of imported goods, construction for one’s own benefit, the transfer of goods free of charge, the transfer of ownership rights to the result of work performed or services provided, etc.

The Tax Code also regulates in detail transactions that are not subject to taxation (sale of land and shares, successor principle of transfer of property, etc.), and also provides a list of goods, services and types of business activities for which the VAT rate is 10%. You can find the full list in Article 164 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.

Who calculates VAT

The amount of tax is calculated by the enterprise itself, since it is in its interests to sell a product or service at a cost that already includes the amount of VAT, that is, in fact, it is paid by the end consumer.

VAT is charged at every stage of the resale or production process. It is calculated by the manufacturer, the wholesaler, the reseller, and the distributor, because everyone is required to pay this tax.

Well, in the literal sense, the accountant makes the calculations. The procedure for carrying out calculations is dictated by the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.

How to calculate VAT

For correct calculation and, accordingly, compliance with the law, the taxpayer must:

Determining the VAT rate on VAT - the Tax Code will help in this matter, in separate articles of which it is stated which types of goods or services are subject to a particular amount of taxation. Most of them are subject to VAT of 18%, less often 10%, rarely 0%.
Calculate the amount of the tax base - Article 154 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation regulates this issue. This amount includes the amount for goods sold plus the cost of excise taxes. The tax base is determined by the date of shipment of the goods or receipt of the full or partial amount of its payment, depending on which of these transactions took place first.
Calculate the VAT amount by multiplying the tax base by the tax rate.

You can learn more about VAT from this video:

How is accrual done - example

If the tax base is multiplied by the VAT rate, then we directly obtain the amount of VAT charged. Then it needs to be added to the amount of the tax base, which is not very convenient.

It is for the convenience of calculating VAT that the formula was created: tax base * 1,XX, where XX is the tax rate. That is, for a regular product or service that is not included in the list of those subject to reduced taxation, a multiplier of 1.18 is used, since 18 is the interest rate.

For example, we are going to sell a cake purchased for 400 rubles.

That is, taking into account VAT, we must charge 472 rubles for the cake we sell.

If you want to know the VAT amount for a certain tax base, use the formula: tax base * 0.18 = VAT amount

To facilitate the work of an accountant, computer programs and online calculators have been created, in certain fields of which the required amount is entered, the percentage of the rate is indicated, as well as the operation (accrual or calculation), and the program makes all the necessary calculations independently, and the accountant only has to enter them in certain columns invoices.

By the way, an invoice is a certain form of document that confirms that the transaction for the transfer of goods, the result of work, or the provision of a service has occurred and has been paid for. Such an invoice is issued no later than 5 working days after the transfer of goods, completion of work, or transfer of the advance payment. The supplier presents such an invoice to the buyer, it indicates the amounts excluding VAT, VAT itself, and the final amount after VAT has been calculated.

If at the time of final payment the cost of a product or service has undergone changes (for example, providing quarterly discounts to a regular customer) or the accountant simply made a mistake, then at the time of final payment of the transaction an adjustment invoice is sent, in which the supplier is obliged to indicate the amounts excluding VAT, VAT itself, with VAT before, as well as after the change in the price of the product.

Records each of the invoices presented to the buyer. Recording the transfer of such an invoice is also taken into account in the sales ledger.

An example of an invoice for an ordinary consumer is receiving a fiscal receipt from a store.

At the end of the quarter, each entrepreneur, no later than the month following the reporting quarter, is required to submit a VAT return to the tax office. Carrying out an inspection, the inspection monitors whether the calculations have been made correctly and the amount payable to the budget has been transferred.

So, all types of goods and services provided are subject to VAT. Calculation can be done manually using simplified formulas or using computer technology, which can significantly speed up and facilitate the process.