We already know skill of our members from their profiles. I am a retired Defence accounts officer and presently a Tax consultant in Customs, Central Excise and service Tax. Naturally, this is not of much use to most members. We all share our views on the forum and know each other better.

Thank you GulshanJi for sharing your professional areas. Well I understand that the members here know each other from the discussions. But I think we never get to the level where we can leverage each others skills and share help in times of need. Just my thought!!! I respect your opinion though.

From you experience, I am sure there would be many among us who would be interested in knowing your experiences into service tax and if you can guide us with how we can check if the service taxes we pay are worth and genuine. Not sure about others but I am of course looking forward to information on this.

Service tax is an indirect tax and so only the service providers pay this. The commodities also have some component of service tax. All taxes are included in M.R.P. It is normally not possible for a consumer to work out the cost, tax, profit elements in the price paid by him. Only on budget announcement, we know what items may become costly or cheaper. But then also, ultimate price depends on market forces of demand and supply. If the demand is very elastic, the manufacturer/ trader cannot pass on whole burden to consumer. Today ws news of a cigarette company not increasing price even though tax has been hiked.

Quite informative. Do you mean the service tax we pay in restaurants and other areas do not fall into this category. I was listening to a conversation sometime back where in a senior official mentioned that the service tax charged to customers are not standard, it all depends on the business owners. There is no restriction as such from a law perspective. Your take on that?

Service tax is charged in air Conditioned restaurants. There is exemption based on volume. viz. Rs. 10 lakh. So small restaurant owners need not pay service tax. Some may manipulate. They may be serving in A.C. restaurant but claiming that they are making home delivery. Quit often they don't issue cash memo. Many also make periodic say quartely cash payment to departmental inspectors and so their returns and acounts showing less volume and tax would be accepted without question. There is element of corruption every where.
As consumers, we not go in details.
I remeber an interesting event. A few months back, I was in an A.C. bar cum rstaurant. The restaurant normally issues only unprinted cash memo. A customer insisted on printed receipt. Then he got a receipt with service tax added. But even then customer was happy as he felt that he was adding to governmet revenue. But I felt amused as issue of even printed reeipt does not mean that government will actually get the due tax. This is between department and the restaurant. The department has no time to check each and every cash memo.

Quite informative sir. This info broadened my Tax Knowledge Base.

Actually there is vast difference between theory and practice. I heard an advocate advising one of his clients not to pay the full tax due because even then nobody will consider him honest. It is better to divide the tax due in three parts. Pay 25 % of the tax, pay 25% as bribe and evade the remaining 50%. He also advises against total evasion.

We already know skill of our members from their profiles. I am a retired Defence accounts officer and presently a Tax consultant in Customs, Central Excise and service Tax. Naturally, this is not of much use to most members. We all share our views on the forum and know each other better.

Thank you GulshanJi for sharing your professional areas. Well I understand that the members here know each other from the discussions. But I think we never get to the level where we can leverage each others skills and share help in times of need. Just my thought!!! I respect your opinion though.

From you experience, I am sure there would be many among us who would be interested in knowing your experiences into service tax and if you can guide us with how we can check if the service taxes we pay are worth and genuine. Not sure about others but I am of course looking forward to information on this.

Service tax is an indirect tax and so only the service providers pay this. The commodities also have some component of service tax. All taxes are included in M.R.P. It is normally not possible for a consumer to work out the cost, tax, profit elements in the price paid by him. Only on budget announcement, we know what items may become costly or cheaper. But then also, ultimate price depends on market forces of demand and supply. If the demand is very elastic, the manufacturer/ trader cannot pass on whole burden to consumer. Today ws news of a cigarette company not increasing price even though tax has been hiked.

Quite informative. Do you mean the service tax we pay in restaurants and other areas do not fall into this category. I was listening to a conversation sometime back where in a senior official mentioned that the service tax charged to customers are not standard, it all depends on the business owners. There is no restriction as such from a law perspective. Your take on that?

Service tax is charged in air Conditioned restaurants. There is exemption based on volume. viz. Rs. 10 lakh. So small restaurant owners need not pay service tax. Some may manipulate. They may be serving in A.C. restaurant but claiming that they are making home delivery. Quit often they don't issue cash memo. Many also make periodic say quartely cash payment to departmental inspectors and so their returns and acounts showing less volume and tax would be accepted without question. There is element of corruption every where.
As consumers, we not go in details.
I remeber an interesting event. A few months back, I was in an A.C. bar cum rstaurant. The restaurant normally issues only unprinted cash memo. A customer insisted on printed receipt. Then he got a receipt with service tax added. But even then customer was happy as he felt that he was adding to governmet revenue. But I felt amused as issue of even printed reeipt does not mean that government will actually get the due tax. This is between department and the restaurant. The department has no time to check each and every cash memo.

Quite informative sir. This info broadened my Tax Knowledge Base.

Actually there is vast difference between theory and practice. I heard an advocate advising one of his clients not to pay the full tax due because even then nobody will consider him honest. It is better to divide the tax due in three parts. Pay 25 % of the tax, pay 25% as bribe and evade the remaining 50%. He also advises against total evasion.

True. Interesting to note how the Advocates advise the clients. For a common man like me its easy to understand because of your Down to earth explaining way.

I love writing. Writing teaches self more than just reading.

copywriting is presenting words to best communicate a marketing concept, such as on a website, in an email, in an advertisement or a direct mail letter, or on TV, radio, press releases, catalogs, billboards, brochures, sales letters, and other marketing communications media, that would encapsulate the essence of the term.

copywriting is presenting words to best communicate a marketing concept, such as on a website, in an email, in an advertisement or a direct mail letter, or on TV, radio, press releases, catalogs, billboards, brochures, sales letters, and other marketing communications media, that would encapsulate the essence of the term.

You have summarized it well. Okay just to clarify my doubt...i guess copywriting involves a lot of creativity like coming up with catchy phrases for advertisements..but is not limited only to this..correct me if am wrong.

copywriting is presenting words to best communicate a marketing concept, such as on a website, in an email, in an advertisement or a direct mail letter, or on TV, radio, press releases, catalogs, billboards, brochures, sales letters, and other marketing communications media, that would encapsulate the essence of the term.

You have summarized it well. Okay just to clarify my doubt...i guess copywriting involves a lot of creativity like coming up with catchy phrases for advertisements..but is not limited only to this..correct me if am wrong.

Definitely. Take this as an example. If your copy is just." Mother's milk is good", it will not draw the attention of the people. But my copy for the same is, "Breast fed, Best Bred."
Another one on Road safety.
" Dekha Nahin Ye Laal
Phir Dekho Lala Ka Haal." means This one has not seen the Red on the traffic signal. And see his fate.

copywriting is presenting words to best communicate a marketing concept, such as on a website, in an email, in an advertisement or a direct mail letter, or on TV, radio, press releases, catalogs, billboards, brochures, sales letters, and other marketing communications media, that would encapsulate the essence of the term.

You have summarized it well. Okay just to clarify my doubt...i guess copywriting involves a lot of creativity like coming up with catchy phrases for advertisements..but is not limited only to this..correct me if am wrong.

Definitely. Take this as an example. If your copy is just." Mother's milk is good", it will not draw the attention of the people. But my copy for the same is, "Breast fed, Best Bred."
Another one on Road safety.
" Dekha Nahin Ye Laal
Phir Dekho Lala Ka Haal." means This one has not seen the Red on the traffic signal. And see his fate.

Thanks for substantiating with valid examples. It is an interesting job I must say.