How to Audit of Service Tax

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As per Director general of Audit, every company whose service tax payment is more than Rs. 3 crores, must audit his service tax. Every company whose service tax is between Rs. 1 crores to Rs. 3 crores must audit service tax after every two years. All the other companies whose service tax is between Rs. 25 Lakh to Rs. 1 Crore, must audit service tax after every 5 years.

Central excise and duties department is responsible for audit of service tax. Central excise officer work as auditor. Department's commissioner can also appoint independent auditor for auditing the service tax. We know there are lots of services which are taxable but three main services are important for auditing point of view. One is telephone service, second is insurance service and third is stock brokers' services. These companies pay crores of Rs. service tax every year. So, it is the chance, there may be mistakes and unlawful schemes for reducing service tax liabilities. For example, CAG audit finds Vodafone not paying hundreds of crores for spectrum. Only service tax audit can help for finding true value of service tax liability. To audit of service tax is the wide concept. There are lots of provisions, you should study. For giving basic knowledge, we are writing its simple steps.

1st Step : To Collect the Information and Documents

When any auditor has get the power to audit a corporate taxpayer or corporate taxpayers. His first will be to collect the information relating to provided services and payable or paid service tax. All these information can be obtained from taxpayer's accounting and taxation records. Taxpayer is responsible to co-operate with authorized auditor for providing the information what auditor needs. Auditor should also give the promise about not to sharing this information to third party except for service tax audit purpose.

2nd Step : To Check the Collected Information and Documents

For knowing the truth, auditor has to verify the collected information. He has to check the record of provided service through receiving of income's record.
If tax payer uses any accounting software like tally, at that time, auditor has to go its audit and compliance section. For going to this, following steps should be taken.

Gateway of Tally > Audit & Compliance

Now go to 44AB Audit> Service Tax

When auditor will reach at service tax, he can audit sales of service, purchase of service and payments through each voucher checking. After checking each entry, auditor can write his auditing status as entry checked.

Like this, auditor can check the services purchases entries after verifying with their vouchers. In end, auditor will the facility to check the payment vouchers.

3rd Step : To Audit the Input Service Tax Credit

Some tax payers do not follow the rules and regulation relating to getting input service tax credit. Yes, law provides the facility that any tax payer will deduct the amount of input tax out of output service tax in same category of taxable services. Auditor will check whether tax payer will get credit from exempted services' tax value. It is not allowed because there is no output service tax on exempted services.

4th Step : To Verify the Provision of Law

There are lots of provisions of law which tax payer must follow. Auditor will verify whether all the rules and regulations are followed by tax payer or not.

Time limit : Did tax payer file the return within the time limit? For corporate taxpayer, it has to pay the service tax at the 25th of following month after providing taxable service month. For other individual 25th of end of each quarter. Generally, they can file return in 25th of April, 25th of June, 25th of Oct. and 25th of Jan.
Taxpayer must keep all the past record of input service tax.
Not just taxpayer, law applies on the auditor also. Auditor must complete audit within following limit.

Service tax	Time limit for completing Audit of service tax
Rs. 10 Lakh	Within 7 working days
Rs. 3 to 10 Lakh	Within 5 working days
Upto Rs. 3 Lakh	Within 3 working days

5th Step : To Make the Service Tax Audit Report

On the basis of enquiries and checking, auditor will make the audit report and will send it to top authorities like commissioner of central excise department.

These are simple five steps for auditor who is authorize for auditing the service tax. Except above, when an auditor whose responsibility is to audit the financial statements of company can also audit the service tax.

During the general income and expenses audit, auditor should check the liability of service tax. Is it correct as per accounting records. Check all the notices from service tax department to taxpayer.
If normal auditor will see any error in service tax payment, he should classify it in system error, low impact error and high impact error.