Earning more than Rs 20 lakh per annum from Google AdSense, You must file income tax

Earning from Google AdSense has become a means for many content creators across the world. In India too, content creators who use Google Platform like YouTube have been earning handsomely through Google AdSense. However, if you are someone who has an annual turnover of more than Rs 20 lakh through YouTube, you are bound to pay taxes and get registered under GST Act. If you are not doing so, it might attract raids on you.

Recently, the Income Tax Department conducted multiple raids on the residence and offices of multiple YouTubers in various parts of Kerala. This included popular actor/ content creator Pearle Maaney. Several raids were conducted by Income Tax Enforcement Dept in districts like Thrissur, Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Kasaragod.

Under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) provisions, YouTubers as well as bloggers are expected to be charged GST of 18 percent if annual turnover is over Rs 20 lakh.  The GST of 18 percent comprises of 9 percent Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) and State Goods and Services Tax (SGST) of 9 percent.

The YouTubers who faced the Income Tax raid are estimated to earn around Rs 1 -2 crore per annum. Apart from the income from YouTube, there YouTubers are also making income from paid promotional content too.

Speaking about the IT raids, Pearle Maaney is the most highlighted persons in the raid. She has appeared in multiple Malayalam films including Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi (2013), Double Barrel (2015), Pretham (2016) and Hindi film Ludo (2020). She has 2.6 million subscribers on her personal YouTube channel.