You do not need all the answers before asking for help with ATO debt.

Replace uncertainty with a practical next step

It is common to put off looking at a tax debt when the numbers feel overwhelming. Start by confirming what you owe, which obligations are overdue and whether any notice has a deadline.

An accountant can check the balance and lodgements. The ATO can discuss payment arrangements. A lawyer or insolvency practitioner may be needed if you face enforcement or solvency concerns. A finance adviser can help assess whether borrowing is realistic.

Borrowing is one option, not the only option

Depending on your situation, you may consider paying from business funds, an ATO payment arrangement, eligible remission requests or external finance. Debt reduction, approval and enforcement outcomes are not guaranteed.

If a notice is involved, seek appropriate advice now. Do not wait until you have assembled every document before asking what the deadline means.

Who should start here

This page suits an owner who knows there is a tax debt problem but has not yet worked out which adviser or option applies. It is a starting point, not a specific product page — from here you will usually be pointed towards a payment plan discussion, a specific finance option, or a referral to an accountant or lawyer.

If you already know exactly what you need — for example, you have received a director penalty notice or a statutory demand — go straight to that specific guidance, because those situations carry strict deadlines that general ATO debt help cannot substitute for.

What getting help actually costs — and what doing nothing costs

There is rarely a cost to an initial conversation about your options, but every path forward has a cost to weigh: continuing general interest charge on an unpaid ATO balance, fees and interest on a business loan, or the time cost of delaying a decision while a debt grows.

Our rates and fees page explains the kinds of charges a loan may involve, and the ATO GIC calculator can help you estimate how interest may be accruing on your current balance so you have a comparison point before choosing a path.

What you will be asked to provide

Whoever you speak with — the ATO, your accountant, or a finance adviser — will want an accurate picture before offering options. That generally means your current ATO statement of account, recent business bank statements, and a short explanation of what caused the debt.

See our eligibility page for the kind of information lenders typically request if finance turns out to be part of the answer. Having this organised early tends to make every conversation faster and more useful.

A hypothetical example

Hypothetical only: an owner has an overdue BAS debt, has not yet spoken to their accountant about the exact balance, and is unsure whether to call the ATO, apply for finance, or both. Working through this page, they would first confirm the balance and lodgement status with their accountant, then consider whether a payment arrangement or external finance better matches their cash flow, before approaching either the ATO or a lender.

This sequence is illustrative only. Every business’s position, debt type and available options are different, and no outcome is implied or guaranteed.

How our team can help once you have a clearer picture

Our tax debt finance team is led by Kevin Knight, our Principal Finance Broker and an MFAA Accredited Finance Broker with over 20 years in Australian banking. We review scenarios where finance may be one part of the answer. We look honestly at whether borrowing improves your position or simply adds another repayment.

Our how it works page explains the typical steps from an initial conversation through to a lender decision, and the about us page has more on our approach and Kevin’s background.

Common mistakes when trying to deal with ATO debt alone

A common mistake is waiting until a notice arrives before taking any action, when an earlier conversation with the ATO or your accountant may have opened up more options. Another is assuming a loan is the only way forward without first checking whether an ATO payment arrangement or remission request might suit the circumstances better.

It is also a mistake to assemble every possible document before asking a single question. Start the conversation early, even with an incomplete picture, particularly if any notice has a stated deadline.

Questions owners ask

Common questions when first looking into ATO debt help.

• Where do I start if I am not sure how much I owe? Ask your accountant to confirm your current ATO statement of account before exploring any repayment option.
• Is borrowing always necessary to deal with ATO debt? No — an ATO payment arrangement, direct negotiation or a remission request may be more appropriate depending on your circumstances.
• What if I have received more than one type of ATO notice? Prioritise any notice with a stated deadline and get qualified legal advice immediately for director penalty notices or statutory demands.
• Can you tell me if I will be approved for finance? No lender decision can be promised in advance; approval depends on affordability, credit history and lender policy.

Building a short list of advisers around you

Dealing with ATO debt well usually involves more than one adviser. Your accountant can confirm the balance, lodgement status and whether a payment arrangement or remission request is realistic. A lawyer becomes essential the moment a legal notice is involved, such as a director penalty notice or statutory demand. An insolvency practitioner should be engaged if viability is genuinely in doubt.

Our finance specialists fit alongside these roles rather than replacing them. Being clear about which adviser handles which question tends to produce faster, more useful answers than asking one person to cover everything.

Keep exploring

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