ATO correspondence arrives in a particular tone and most people react to it in one of two ways: panic, or a drawer. Neither helps. A review, an audit, a default assessment or a debt letter is a process with rules, timeframes and a right to be represented, and the outcome depends on the merits. What we control is putting the facts, deadlines and available responses in order, early.
We act as your registered tax agent in dealings with the ATO: responding to reviews and audits, lodging objections and amendments where a position is wrong, negotiating payment arrangements where a debt cannot be paid at once, and preparing remission requests for penalties and interest where the facts support one. You do not have to take the calls.
Much of this work is preventive. Positions documented when the return is prepared are far easier to defend in a review. Where that was not done, we rebuild the file properly and present it clearly. The outcome depends on the merits and the ATO’s decision, not simply on who writes the letter.
What’s included
Every stage of the process, handled by a partner.
From the first letter to the closing one.
Review and audit representation
We respond on your behalf, manage the information requests, attend the meetings and keep the scope where it belongs.
Objections and amendments
Where an assessment is wrong, or a position was under-claimed, a properly argued objection or amendment request lodged within time.
Payment arrangements
A realistic proposal, supported by the numbers, negotiated with the ATO so the business keeps trading while the debt is cleared.
Penalty and interest remission
Failure-to-lodge penalties and general interest charge reviewed against the circumstances, with a remission request where there are reasonable grounds.
Director penalty notices
Triage on the day the notice arrives, because the timeframes are strict and the options depend on the type of notice and how old the debt is.
File rebuild
Working papers, substantiation and position papers assembled so the file reads the way it should have from the start.
Who it’s for
Anyone with an ATO letter on the desk.
Business owners and individuals under review or audit, carrying a tax debt they cannot clear at once, or facing penalties that feel out of proportion to what happened. Directors who have received a director penalty notice.
If the correspondence has a date on it, the date matters. The sooner we see the letter, the more options remain.
How we approach it
Stabilise. Assess. Respond. Close.
- 01
Stabilise
Deadlines identified, extensions requested where needed, and any enforcement action addressed before anything else.
- 02
Assess the position
What the ATO is asking, what the file actually shows, where the exposure is and where the ATO is wrong, in writing.
- 03
Respond and close
Submissions, negotiations and lodgements run to a close, with the going-forward compliance cycle set so it does not happen again.
FAQ
Common questions.
If yours isn’t here, ask it on the first call. Thirty minutes, no fee.
Should I respond to the ATO myself first?
Call us first. An early, informal answer given without the file in front of you can narrow your options later. We will tell you quickly whether it is something to handle directly or something we should run.
Can the ATO be negotiated with on a debt?
Yes. Payment arrangements are routine where the proposal is realistic and supported. The ATO responds better to a documented plan than to silence.
Will penalties be remitted?
Not automatically. Remission depends on the circumstances and how the matter was handled. Unchallenged penalties are rarely reduced; we put the facts and the grounds in order so the request is considered properly.
I have a director penalty notice. How urgent is this?
Very. The notice type and its date determine what you can still do. Contact us the day it arrives.
How do you charge?
A fixed fee after the first call, scoped to the matter. Staged payments are available so the fee does not get in the way of fixing the problem.
Start a conversation
Tell us what you’re working on.
One call. Partner-led. No queue.
New here? Start with a free review of your file.