Owing the ATO: what your options are
A tax debt left alone keeps growing, and since July 2025 the interest isn't even deductible. Here's how people usually deal with it.
ReadBusiness finance
Finance for the
next step.
Cash flow, equipment, vehicles and growth capital for businesses already trading.
In short
How it
works.
100%Typical maximum, of equipment value, chattel mortgage
Lenders look at your trading history, the financials, whether your tax is up to date and whether the cash flow genuinely covers the repayments. The same business can look quite different depending on how that's presented, so the submission is written to answer an assessor's objections before they're raised.
Equipment finance is usually secured by the equipment itself. Working capital might be secured against property or business assets, or unsecured at a higher price. Which suits you is part of the conversation.
What we cover
What we
arrange.
- Working capital and cash flow
- Overdrafts, lines of credit and business loans that smooth out seasonal swings or long payment cycles.
- Equipment, fleet and plant
- Chattel mortgages and other equipment finance for machinery, tools and plant, usually secured by the equipment itself.
- Vehicle finance
- Cars, utes, vans and trucks used in the business.
- Expansion and growth capital
- Funding a new site, a fit-out, more staff or a contract larger than your cash flow can carry.
- Acquisitions and buy-ins
- Buying a business or buying into one, assessed on its track record and on the deal itself.
- ATO and business tax debt
- Refinancing tax debt into a structured loan where it makes sense, working alongside your accountant.
Our approach
How we
go about it.
We read it like an assessor
Add-backs, one-off costs and owner wages change how your business looks on paper. We present them properly.
The facility fits the need
Equipment on an equipment loan, seasonal gaps on a working-capital line, so short-term needs aren't funded with long-term debt.
Tax gets sorted first
An ATO position that isn't current holds up nearly every application, so it's dealt with at the start.
Typical terms
What it usually
looks like.
General market practice, not an offer or a guarantee. What's available depends on the security, the structure and your position, and is subject to assessment.
- Equipment finance
- Up to 100% of the equipment value, commonly over one to five years
- Security
- The equipment itself, business assets, property, or none at a higher price
- Balloon payments
- An optional lump sum at the end of an equipment loan to lower the regular repayments
- Assessment
- Trading history, financials, tax position and how comfortably cash flow covers the repayments
Getting ready
What you'll
likely need.
- Financial statements and tax returns for the business
- Trading history
- An ATO portal report showing tax is up to date
- Cash flow showing the repayments are covered
- Quotes or invoices for equipment and vehicles
General market practice, not a requirement or guarantee. What any particular lender asks for varies by product, security and borrower.
Covering cash flow, buying equipment or vehicles, funding growth, or backing an acquisition or a buy-in to something existing.
It depends what you're after. Equipment finance is usually secured by the equipment. Working capital might be secured against property or business assets, or unsecured at a higher price.
Trading history, the financials, whether your tax is up to date, and whether the cash flow really covers the repayments. How that's presented matters more than people expect.
Enquire
Tell us about
the business.
What it does, what the finance is for and roughly how much is enough to start.
Sent
Your enquiry is with us.
Expect a reply within one business day. If it's time-critical, call (03) 9988 1452.