AAT to have powers to pause or modify ATO debt recovery

New legislation tabled in parliament will provide the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) with powers to pause or modify Australian Taxation Office (ATO) debt recovery actions.

Currently, if you are disputing a tax liability in the AAT, you are not relieved from paying the disputed tax to the ATO. Under the proposed law, the AAT will be able to make an order requiring the ATO to:

offer you a payment arrangement on the disputed debt
not sue you to recover an amount relating to the dispute
not issue a payment notice to a third party as a means of recovering the disputed debt
offer to accept security in relation to disputed debts, or
limit a garnishee order.

Eligibility

To be eligible for an AAT debt recovery order, you will need to be a small business. This is broadly defined as a business with less than $10 million in aggregated turnover.

Payment arrangements

As a registered tax agent, we can set up and manage a payment arrangement on your behalf if the disputed debt is under $100,000.

If you decide to, or are able to, make payment of the disputed amount by instalments within 12 months, you may also be eligible for interest-free terms.

"50/50 arrangements"

In some cases, the ATO may agree to enter into a "50/50 arrangement" with you and defer any further recovery action of the unpaid debt until the AAT hands down its decision.

Application date

This measure will only apply to proceedings commencing on or after the date of Royal Assent of the proposed legislation.

If you wish to speak to us futher about these developments, please do not hesitate to contact us. Please note that, when determining whether the AAT should utilise this power to delay ATO debt recovery, it will consider whether your application is a genuine dispute.

Global affiliations with and regulated by

Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants CPAs.

Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

Partner with

MYOB essential cloud accounting software.

QuickBooks ProAdvisor Certificate. — QB ProAdvisor

What do our happy customers say about us?

Success Stories

I experienced a sea change in the approach and results of RBizz Solutions when we moved from previous accountant. We have outsourced all accounting functions of our medical practice to RBizz Solutions who manage them very efficiently. I found them approachable, experienced, professional and above all supportive. Their industry knowledge is commendable. In many instances I observed their practices technically advance and systems driven. I highly recommend them to other medical practices and doctors.

RBizz Solutions handled restructuring of our medical practice business very innovatively, efficiently and accurately. They professionally planned and executed all accounting and compliance processes. I found them responsive, proactive and caring. Their systems are advanced, established and efficient in producing meaningful reports. They highlight current and possible challenges in regular discussions and advise in an easy to understand manner. I am confident tin recommending their business accounting serviced to other businesses.

The approach of RBizz Solutions towards understanding the needs of clients and offering solutions which are fresh, practical and long-lasting is really commendable. I experienced them going all the way to find solutions which are not common. I availed their taxation services for our professional services business and myself. I definitely recommend them to all business and non-business clients.

For small businesses like us, RBizz Solutions have all the right knowledge, experience and tools for a very timely and authentic support. We have found them very friendly and approachable all the time. They take extra care in giving their best advice. The best part is, they keep client's benefit and satisfaction at the top. We highly recommend their services to other businesses.

We availed CFO Services of RBizz Solutions for our young pharmaceuticals business in setting-up financial management processes, reports and decision-making tools. I am impressed with their experience in easing the administrative, governance and compliance challenges start-ups generally face. They have very organized approach to their work. I sincerely appreciate and recommend their services.

In setting-up new company and designing a business structure appropriate to my industry, I took help of RBizz Solutions. Their knowledge and experience on start-ups is deep and futuristic. They advised me on certain aspects which a business must be clear for its long-term stability and growth. With great confidence in their services I will recommend them to new and established businesses.

Rbizz solutions assisted us in organizing our operations by setting-up new processes. With new processes all the instances of administrative lapses have been arrested. In short period of time the efficiency of our business processes has increased tremendously and it has also helped in preparing the performance reports in no time. We would recommend their services to other businesses who are looking for assistance in establishing seamless operations.

RBizz Solutions helped me in designing and setting-up billing, collection, accounting and reporting processes for my business in IT services. Their approach is very innovative. They focus on simple but advance solutions. Their knowledge of integration of systems is impressive. I am significantly saving my time and energy and being able to focus more on my core business. I am happy to recommend their services to any small business owner.