"GST Doesn't Apply to Me": The Costliest Myth for Freelancers

One of the most common questions we field from freelancers, consultants and small traders is some version of "I'm just one person working from home — surely GST doesn't apply to me?" The honest answer is: it depends. GST applicability is driven by your aggregate turnover, the category of services you provide, and whether you supply across state lines — not by whether your business feels informal. The risk isn't usually in getting the answer wrong once. It's in assuming the answer and never revisiting it as your income grows, which is how a small gap turns into a much larger one by the time it's noticed. If you're unsure where you stand, that's a five-minute conversation worth having before it becomes a notice.