In this section, we explore three major types of taxes applied to goods and services: Sales Tax, Value Added Tax (VAT), and Goods and Services Tax (GST). The sales tax is levied by the government on each sale of an item, collected by the retailer from the customer, and subsequently passed on to the government. VAT is integrated into the price of goods and services at various stages of production and distribution. The Government of India introduced GST on July 1, 2017, simplifying the tax structure by subsuming various indirect taxes into a single tax regime.
Key examples illustrate how to calculate sales tax based on a listed price and how VAT is included in price listings. For calculating the total bill, one must add the sales tax to the original cost. The section also details how to find the original price when tax is included, as shown through a step-by-step breakdown of calculations involving sales tax, VAT, and GST.
Understanding these taxes is crucial for consumers to make informed financial decisions, as they directly affect the prices paid for goods and services.