Before you call anyone about tax debt: who to trust, who to check, and what to ask

Why does the first call matter so much?

When you’re worried about tax debt, the first person you speak to often frames everything that follows. If that person sells restructures, you’ll hear about restructures. If they’re a liquidator, liquidation will be on the table. If they’re a lender — us included — you’ll hear about loans. That’s human nature, not wrongdoing. But it means the order of your calls shapes your outcome.

There’s a second reason. Search results for “ATO debt help” and similar phrases are crowded with businesses whose model is earning fees from insolvency or “pre-insolvency” work. ASIC states that “the pre-insolvency industry is unregulated, and advisers have varying qualifications and experience.” Some are highly skilled. Some aren’t. You need to know which you’re talking to.

Who should you call first?

These contacts cost nothing and have no stake in what you decide:

Who	Why	How
Your accountant or registered tax agent	Knows your numbers; can deal with the ATO for you	Your usual contact
The ATO	Payment plans, deferrals, remission — directly	Online services or phone
Small Business Debt Helpline	Free, independent, confidential financial counselling	1800 413 828
National Debt Helpline	Free counselling, useful for sole traders	1800 007 007

After those, it’s sensible to talk to the people who can act: a funder if paying the ATO looks realistic, or a registered liquidator if the business genuinely can’t continue.

How do you check who you’re dealing with?

1. Registered liquidators and trustees — search the ASIC professional registers. The ATO recommends getting insolvency advice from registered liquidators and trustees, and verifying them this way.
2. Tax agents — check the Tax Practitioners Board register. Representing you in dealings with the ATO, including payment arrangements, is a tax agent service; anyone doing it for a fee must be registered.
3. Professional bodies — ARITA suggests checking membership of a professional association such as ARITA, CPA Australia, CA ANZ or a law society.
4. Lenders — ask who they are, what they lend and whether they charge any upfront fee. (We don’t charge a fee to enquire.)

What do the regulators warn about?

The ATO updated its guidance on insolvency advice and illegal phoenix activity in September 2026. Paraphrasing its warning signs, take care if an adviser:

• cold-calls you, especially after a creditor has started court action;
• proposes handing assets to someone else without being paid for them;
• frames a restructure around not paying what you owe;
• prices their work as a percentage of your debts;
• promises a friendly liquidator who will protect you personally, or a valuer who will understate what your assets are worth;
• wants you to mislead authorities, or to hide or destroy records;
• offers to be your go-between with the liquidator or trustee; or
• steers you towards any kind of phoenix activity.

The ATO is clear that acting on advice like this can end in fines, a criminal record or prison. ARITA and AFSA list similar red flags, including promises to fix everything for a lump sum, an unnecessary sense of urgency, and advice that sounds too good to be true. Our warning-signs checklist puts them together.

What should you ask on any first call?

• Are you registered? With whom, and what’s your number?
• Is everything you’re suggesting 100% lawful? Will you put it in writing?
• What will it cost in total, and how is your fee calculated?
• Who else gets paid, and do you have a relationship with them?
• What happens to any director penalties, including lockdown amounts?
• What happens to personal guarantees I’ve signed?
• Do you have professional indemnity insurance?

The full printable list is on questions to ask any tax debt adviser.

Where do we fit in?

We’re a genuine private business funder. We’re not an insolvency firm, a liquidator, a pre-insolvency adviser or a tax agent, and we never charge a fee based on a percentage of your tax debt. When the business is viable, funding can clear ATO debt and keep you in control — the opposite of insolvency. When it isn’t, we’ll tell you so and point you to the free and registered help above.

What if you feel overwhelmed?

Tax debt can feel isolating, especially when the letters keep coming. You don’t need to solve everything today. Open the letters, write down the dates, and make one call — to your accountant or the free helpline. Most problems that look impossible at midnight look manageable once the facts are on the table.

Keeping a simple call log

Whenever you talk to someone about the debt, note the date, their name, their firm, their registration number, what they suggested and what it would cost. It takes a minute and makes comparing options far easier. It also gives you a clear record if anything is later disputed, and it quietly signals to anyone you speak to that you’re being careful — which tends to bring out the best in professionals.

Talk to us before you sign anything

If you’re about to sign an engagement letter, a restructuring proposal or anything else about your tax debt, talk to a funder first. It takes about a minute, involves no credit check, and your details stay with one team rather than being shared with other lenders. A real person will look at whether paying the ATO is possible — and give you a straight answer either way. Please be accurate about the debt and any notices.