Free tool · Debt letter triage
Which letter is on your desk? See the clock, and the way out
Pick the notice your business received and the date on it. You'll get the deadline, how many days are left, the options that still exist and what to do before the day is out.
Enter the date
21 days
Pick your letter and enter the date printed on it.
The ATO says the 21 days start on the day it posts the DPN or leaves it at your ASIC-registered address — not the day you opened it.
What it means
You can become personally liable for the company's unpaid PAYG withholding, GST or super guarantee charge once the 21 days end.
Your options
- Pay the amount in full (clears both lockdown and non-lockdown DPNs)
- Non-lockdown only: appoint an administrator or small business restructuring practitioner, or begin winding up
- Refinance: a second mortgage, caveat loan or cash-flow facility pays the ATO before day 21
Do this today
- Check whether the notice is lockdown (only payment clears it) or non-lockdown
- Get the ATO balance by tax type from online services or your accountant
- Lodge any overdue BAS
- List property you, the company or a related party own, and pull six months of bank statements
Funding routes to explore
- If there's property owned by you, the business or a related party, property-secured loans from $20,000 to $5,000,000 give the most room
- Without property, unsecured or cash-flow funding of $5,000 to $500,000 is sized on turnover and bank statements
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How does the triage tool work out my deadline?
Each letter has its own clock. The tool takes the start date you enter and applies the period published for that letter. For a director penalty notice, the ATO says the 21 days begin on the day it posts the notice or leaves it at your ASIC-registered address. For a statutory demand, the company has 21 days from service, and any application to set the demand aside must be filed and served inside that same window. The ATO describes 21 days for a bankruptcy notice and 28 days from receiving a notice of intent to disclose a business tax debt.
Some letters carry their own period. A default notice on a loan, mortgage or lease states the date or number of days you have to fix the breach, and that period comes from your contract and, for land and leases, state law. A creditor's letter of demand sets its own pay-by date. For those, the tool asks you for the days stated on your letter rather than guessing.
Two letters work differently. A winding-up application is counted to the hearing date printed on it. And an ATO garnishee has no countdown at all: it bites from the moment it's served and continues until the debt is paid or the ATO varies or withdraws it.
The letters at a glance
| Letter | The clock |
|---|---|
| Director penalty notice | 21 days from the date the ATO posts it |
| ATO garnishee notice | None — effective immediately |
| Statutory demand | 21 days from service (set-aside application inside the same 21 days) |
| Bankruptcy notice | 21 days |
| Winding-up application | The hearing date |
| ATO notice of intent to disclose | 28 days from receiving it |
| Default or breach notice | The remedy period stated on the notice |
| ATO reminder or creditor letter of demand | The pay-by date in the letter, if any |
Why work to the day before?
A deadline is the last day something must be done, not the day to start doing it. Funds need to clear, settlements need a time slot, and court filings need to be accepted. Build in a margin. The tool shows the calendar deadline and the day before it, and we suggest treating the earlier date as the real one.
What can't the tool tell me?
It can't read your notice. If your letter shows a different date or period, trust the letter. It can't tell you whether a debt is valid, whether a notice was properly served, or whether you have grounds to challenge it — those are questions for a lawyer, and some have strict time limits of their own. And it can't tell you whether funding will be approved. What it can do is turn a frightening envelope into a date, a list of options and a plan for today.
If the plan involves paying the debt out, the next step is a conversation with someone who funds these situations. Property-secured loans run from $20,000 to $5,000,000; unsecured and cash-flow options typically from $5,000 to $500,000. If several debts are chasing you at once, try our which-debt-first sorter to put them in order, then tell us about your situation.
What happens if I enquire?
A real person reads your enquiry — usually starting with the letter, the date and any property — and calls you to talk it through. There's no credit check when you first enquire, and your details aren't sprayed around a panel of lenders. Please fill in the form accurately, because in a deadline situation the details decide what's possible. If there's a realistic way to fund you out in time, we'll say so. If there isn't, we'll tell you that too.
Frequently asked questions
How does the debt letter triage tool count the deadline?
It adds the period that applies to your letter to the start date you enter: 21 days for a director penalty notice, statutory demand or bankruptcy notice, 28 days for an ATO notice of intent to disclose, and the number of days stated on a default notice or demand letter. For a winding-up application, the deadline is the hearing date.
Why does the tool say to work to the day before?
Because a payment that clears a day late is a payment that missed the deadline. Bank transfers, settlements and court filings can all take longer than expected, so treat the day before the calendar deadline as your real target.
Which date should I enter for a director penalty notice?
The date printed on the notice. The ATO says the 21 days start on the day it posts the DPN or leaves it at your ASIC-registered address, not the day you opened it.
Is the tool legal advice?
No. It's a planning aid that applies the published timeframes to the date you enter. Your own notice, contract and circumstances may differ, so read the letter carefully and get advice on anything you're unsure about.
Does using the tool affect my credit or send my details anywhere?
No. The tool runs entirely in your browser and doesn't collect anything. If you want to talk to someone, the enquiry form is separate, and there's no credit check when you first enquire.
What if my deadline has already passed?
Act today. A missed DPN deadline makes the penalty recoverable from you personally, and a missed statutory demand deadline lets the creditor rely on a presumption of insolvency — but both can often still be dealt with by paying the debt. Speak to a lawyer and a funder straight away.
Got a date on the letter? Let's talk before it arrives
Tell us which notice you've received and when. A real person will call you to map the fastest realistic way out — with no credit check when you first enquire.
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