Business

Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) is a 20-character identifier that represents a unique legal entity engaged in financial transactions. Its purpose is “an identity behind every business”, as defined by the ISO 17442 standard.

LEI is a global standard designed to identify legal entities involved in financial transactions and other valuable transactions between corporations or legal entities.

More Information https://leiservice.com

Who supports this initiative? 

The development of the global LEI system has been and will continue in this spirit through extensive cooperation between the public and private sectors.  In 2011, G20 leaders, at their summit in November, initially supported the creation of a “global legal entity identifier (LEI)”, which uniquely identifies parties to financial transactions.

G20 leaders list the Financial Stability Board (FSB) to lead liaison work with regulators in developing a governance framework for the LEI system, with significant private sector support in technical solutions for the implementation of the LEI system.

What’s next?

If you are not a business, your organization may not legally require LEIs, but these governing bodies have already discussed the potential use of LEIs for other transaction companies.  Is happening With online authentication being one of the most important aspects of digital transactions, and more than 70 authorities have committed to the charter, companies may need LEIs for other types of secure transactions or goods in the future.

Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) is a unique global identifier for legal entities participating in financial transactions.  Legal entities are companies or government entities that participate in financial transactions. An individual cannot get LEI. The identifier is used by financial regulators in regulatory reporting and must be LEI for all financial companies and funds.

Why is this important? 

LEI provides a unique identifier for all entities involved in financial transactions.

Can also be used on a cross-border basis through a free and open database. On a daily basis. This general framework is important to clearly identify any risk aversion. To manage financial transactions, create transparency and drive the market. Using LEI also creates tangible benefits for the business, including convenience

Regulatory reporting Database management free  More accurate calculations Counter party exhibition;  Improved risk management. And increased operational efficiency.

Minimum data required to verify LEI:

*Official name of the legal entity listed in the official registers

*Registered address of this legal entity

*Country of formation

*Names of countries and codes representing their subdivisions

* Date of first LEI assignment, date of last update of LEI information, and expiration date, if applicable

What’s next?

If you are not a business, your organization may not legally require LEIs, but these governing bodies have already discussed the potential use of LEIs for other transaction companies. Is happening

With online authentication being one of the most important aspects of digital transactions, and more than 70 authorities have committed to the charter, companies may need LEIs for other types of secure transactions or goods in the future.  

Conclusion

LEI is useful for any company when borrowing money or doing business with foreign companies. The LEI code will help banks and credit providers monitor the performance of corporate borrowers. This will make it impossible for banks to make multiple loans against the same property.

GSTN will electronically authenticate all business-to-business (B2B) invoices that come under the new e-invoicing system mentioned by the Government. All firms will carry on with the same process to make bills on their own ERP systems, as they have in the past.

To go with the new standardized format, ERP vendors must make moderations to their schema. This new schema will guarantee that invoices are uniform. This essay will walk you through the benefits and drawbacks of the recently implemented e-invoicing system for MSMEs.

What is e-invoicing in the context of GST?

e-Invoice, widely known as ‘Electronic invoicing,’ is a new modified system in which all B2B invoices are getting uploaded and authorized electronically. IRP brings about a unique Invoice Reference Number (IRN) for each invoice when those are successfully authenticated.

All of those invoices are digitally signed and encompass a QR code along with the IRN. Under GST, this technique is referred to as e-invoicing.

Advantages of e-invoicing for MSMEs Business

One of the primary objectives for the government’s use of e-invoicing is to prevent tax fraud and phony invoices. The following are some of the most important advantages that MSMEs will enjoy once the e-invoicing method is fully implemented:

Quick and efficient financial reconciliation

E-invoicing can assist close the gap in data reconciliation, reducing data input mistakes and mismatches. It will also be feasible to follow bills produced by the supplier in real-time, reducing tax audits because the necessary data will be provided at the transactional level.

The tax department is mainly focusing on enabling the pre-population of GST returns, which will put an end to reconciliation issues. Following the implementation of e-invoicing, the data from the invoices may be pre-populated into the relevant tables of the tax returns, eliminating the need for further data entry.

Easier access to Legitimate input Tax Credits

Manual computations in GST forms can result in mistakes and under-or over-claiming of input tax credits. This is the amount that a company is entitled to for the tax that has already been paid on the product. Here are the steps to download your e-voicing from the GST portal.

Any discrepancies in ITC claims can result in significant losses for a company, as well as additional costs for the owner to correct the inaccuracies. With e-invoicing, the buyer’s ITC eligibility is validated since information is accessible in GSTR-2 in real-time.

Reduced Compliance Burden

Information goes to the GSTN system and the e-way bill system since the systems are connected, which reduces compliance. Most of the facts will be pre-populated in return if you keep uploading invoices. Simply include the additional information (B2C), validate, and file the return.

Invoice Tracking is Simple

It is simple to track where the e-invoice is transmitted in real-time when utilizing the e-invoicing system. You will be certain that the invoice will be sent and received. The client’s approval, denial, or pending status for the invoice may also be displayed.

Assist MSMEs in obtaining financing more quickly

Obtaining financing has always been a difficult task for MSMEs. MSMEs must submit a slew of documentation to financial institutions in order to be approved for a loan.

However, with e-invoicing in place, MSMEs may obtain loans very immediately since banks can evaluate them based on these invoices.

Scaling Down the Number of Fraudulent or Identical Invoices

According to the most recent State of Tax Justice report, India is suffering the loss of over Rs 75,000 crore in tax revenue owing to international tax avoidance. The failure of suppliers to digitize invoices has resulted in a rise in fake/duplicate invoices, which leads to tax avoidance.

Implementing an e-invoice process can assist to reduce tax evasion by keeping track of phony invoices and ensuring that tax authorities have access to a single database, which will aid in tax compliance.

Disadvantages of e-invoicing for MSMEs Business

Disruptions in Day-to-Day Functioning

Improving e-invoice error rates is a challenging undertaking for which IRN was previously created since it takes a long time. Even little errors, such as submitting the erroneous buyer GSTIN, put you in a difficult situation.

You could overlook important information indicated in the e-invoice policy, such as the six-digit HSN number required for B2B invoices. You won’t be able to fix the faults on that e-invoice, but you will be able to decline it and issue a newer invoice to report the GSTN.

Furthermore, even if the e-invoice involves mistakes, you are not sanctioned to decline it if it has an active e-way bill tied up with it. E-invoices will not be denied if they are received within 24 hours of their creation.

Credit notes should be used for these concerns that refer to the additional documentation efforts. The technique for improving e-invoices is complicated since correction of e-invoices is not an option available to the assessee.

The lowest level, which falls under medium-sized businesses, finds it difficult to deal with these refusals and revisions to e-invoices. The absence of established and proven procedures is also a factor, as is the choice of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.

E-way Bill In touch with E-invoice Errors

The e-way bill is attached to the e-invoice, so the more it departs the time, the more it leads to the abolition of the GST e-invoice and the making of newer ones, with the authenticity not lengthened.

The authenticity of the e-way bill is influenced by the weight of the carrying and the distance traveled. In most circumstances, the validity of e-way invoices is reduced in comparison to the initial requirement. The validity of these e-way bills should be expanded separately on the e-way bill portal.

Furthermore, one should set aside the papers that need the preparation of an e-way bill and are considered onerous tasks that do not benefit from technology or automation.

These various responsibilities may have a detrimental influence on team productivity in a medium or small organization, imposing additional data and putting a strain on the limited resources available to the company.

Extensive Testing is Required

The team’s efficiency is being harmed as a result of improper and incomplete testing of the e-invoicing system. We discovered that the quality of e-invoices is affected by a loss of track in which the firm is not permitted to do pre-defined activities or access obligations.

It is recommended that several departments, such as finance, warehousing, and others, collaborate to create and implement a successful e-invoicing system.

Storage Capacity is Limited

Various medium and small businesses require storage options. One is impacted by the absence of storage facilities as well as servers for IRNs, which GSTN does not provide. The audit entails examining the trail of e-invoices furnished during the annual accounting period.

Conclusion

The Ministry of Finance’s implementation of e-invoice and most recent upgrade in e-invoicing is undoubtedly a mutually advantageous opportunity for companies, particularly MSMEs.

With e-invoicing becoming essential for enterprises with an annual turnover of Rs. 50 crore or more, the tax compliance burden would be greatly reduced. MSMEs will be outfitted with cutting-edge technology, allowing them to operate more efficiently and develop their businesses.

FAQs

Q. How Can MSME Simplify E-Invoicing Issues?

According to the current trend, the best way to deal with e-invoicing difficulties is to invest in cutting-edge technology. MSME enterprises must digitize their operations.

They should make use of accounting software that supports e-invoicing. Because this would be required, MSME business owners will no longer have time to do research. In this case, I recommend Marg ERP 9+ as the finest e-invoicing software for MSMEs. Marg e-invoicing software has been upgraded to include the most up-to-date e-invoicing and audit trail capabilities.

Q. Is it acceptable to convey electronic invoices?

Every electronic invoice is legally acceptable only if that is authenticated and borne out by the IRP on behalf of GSTN.

Q. Which nations have executed the e-Invoicing process?

South Korea, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Canada, Norway, and other nations have already accepted the e-Invoicing system.

Q. Is there anyone who is not liable to e-invoicing?

Taxpayers in the following groups are specifically excluded from the e-Invoicing process: Insurance business. Items Transport Agency (GTA) is a banking company or a financial institution, including a non-banking financial company (NBFC), that transports goods by road in a goods carriage.

Q. Is there any possible way to make changes to an e-invoice?

According to GST rules, only the GST site may be used to make changes to an e-Invoice.

When it comes to investment advice platforms, Motley Fool and Seeking Alpha are two of the most prominent. Both offer a wide range of financial investment analysis, and both are heavily geared towards stocks.

They are both so good, in fact, that choosing between them can be difficult. Here is an in-depth look at how they are different, so you can decide between the two of them—Motley Fool vs. Seeking Alpha, which one is better for you?

Motley Fool vs Seeking Alpha: Service Comparison 

While both Motley Fool and Seeking Alpha provide excellent stock advice, the specific services offered differ slightly.

Motley Fool’s Stock Advisor 

Motley Fool’s flagship service is Stock Advisor. The normal subscription price for the service is $199 but you can get it here for only $99.

Motley Fool claims its Stock Advisor subscription service has outpaced the S&P 500 by a multiple of 4 over the past 19 years, an excellent long-term return. The average return of Motley Fool stock picks works out to an astonishing 537%.

In addition to new monthly stock picks, Stock Advisor subscribers have access to a library of products containing the Fool’s best stocks. All Motley Fool’s picks are carefully selected by their team of top financial advisors. Besides its Stock Advisor, Motley Fool’s other services give progressively more advanced advice but at progressively higher prices.

Motley Fool Stock Advisor is excellent, but once you sign up, expect to be bombarded by near-constant upselling emails. These aggressive sales tactics have really put some subscribers on edge. It will take discipline to not be tempted by the add-ons they constantly barrage you with, but Stock Advisor remains one of the best stock-picking services out there.

Seeking Alpha’s Subscription Plans 

Seeking Alpha has three main subscription plans: Basic, Premium, and Pro. The Basic plan is free, while the Premium and Pro plans will run you $19.99 and $199.00 per month, but only if you sign up for subscriptions of a year or more.

Seeking Alpha claims its top-rated stocks have outperformed the market 4 to 1 over the past ten years. It seeks to provide its subscribers with “under-the-radar stocks that will become the next Google and Apple.”

Seeking Alpha’s Premium service is geared towards individual investors while its Pro service is geared towards professionals. Reviewers of the Premium service have noted that the software can seem complicated to inexperienced users, though I did not have this issue.

Another potential drawback to Seeking Alpha is that it costs almost twice as much as Motley Fool’s Stock Advisor. That said, Seeking Alpha does offer free 14-day trials here for both its Premium and Pro service, so it would be worth checking out both of those before deciding the service might be too complicated or expensive.

My Preference: Seeking Alpha of Motley Fool
As a user of both, Seeking Alpha slightly edges out Motley Fool in my book. Motley Fool is great for its low price and accessibility. Seeking Alpha, on the other hand, has just a little more of what I want. Plus, I hate aggressive sales tactics, for which Motley Fool is notorious.

How to Optimize these Services 

You can read all the stock tips you want, but you need to have an overall well-hedged and diversified investment plan to truly reap the benefits of each service.

Using Motley Fool to Beat the Market 

Using common sense when it comes to the stock market, can help you achieve robust and steady returns when used alongside Motley Fool’s excellent stock tips. Stocks should only make up a percentage of your portfolio that is consistent with your personal risk tolerance level which considers, among other things, how close you are to retirement and how many years you will have to live on that retirement income.

People close to retirement don’t want to have a higher percentage of equities in their portfolios. Over time, stock market returns beat other asset classes, but they are volatile in the short term. This can cause short-term loss of wealth, though it will likely correct in the long term.

In addition to diversifying your overall portfolio, diversification within stocks is also important. For this reason, Motley Fool urges its subscribers to hold a portfolio of at least 25 of its stock picks, a great start in diversifying away the idiosyncratic risk of any one stock or sector.

Using Seeking Alpha to Beat the Market 

Even Basic members can track their portfolio and receive stock alerts in Seeking Alpha. Motley Fool has a version of this too, but I like Seeking Alpha’s better for its ease of use and clean interface.

Setting up stock alerts is important for any investor. You should monitor the status of your investments to ensure that you are making the right moves. This does not mean that you sell at a sudden dip, which would be one of the worst things you can do. Rather, it helps you understand the overall market and how certain world and business events affect the value of a particular class.

Motley Fool vs Seeking Alpha: Final Notes 

In a contest between Motley Fool vs Seeking Alpha, I consider Seeking Alpha the overall winner for its great tools and lack of aggressive sales tactics. Motley Fool still has its pros, however, including an overall lower price for its Stock Advisor subscription service when compared to Seeking Alpha’s Premium.

Both platforms are independently rated ethical advice platforms, so no matter which one you choose, you will have access to top investment analysis. Bottom line, I like Seeking Alpha better, but you really can’t go wrong with either choice.