ATO Debt & Financial Trouble
Director Penalty Notice (DPN) Stopping ATO Legal Action ATO Payment Plans Tax Debt Negotiation Small Business Restructuring Debt Consolidation & Credit Repair Bankruptcy, Administration & LiquidationTax & Legal
Tax Planning & Compliance ATO Dispute Resolution Corporate & Business Law Property & Investment Tax International TaxA DPN means the ATO is coming after you personally. You have just 21 days to respond before your options disappear. We step in immediately — same day.
What Happens If You Don't Act 21 Days
Call us now: 1800 529 888 — we respond same day
A Director Penalty Notice is a formal notice issued by the Australian Taxation Office that makes you personally liable for your company's unpaid tax obligations — including PAYG withholding, superannuation guarantee charges, and GST.
It doesn't matter if your company has no money left. The ATO can — and will — come after your personal assets if you don't respond correctly and within the 21-day window.
The most important thing you can do right now is not ignore it. The sooner you call us, the more options we have to protect you.
21-Day Window
From the date the DPN is issued, you have 21 days to take action. After that, your options become severely limited or disappear entirely.
Personal Liability
The debt becomes yours personally — not just the company's. The ATO can pursue your personal bank accounts, property, and other assets.
What It Covers
DPNs are issued for unpaid PAYG withholding, superannuation guarantee charges (SGC), and net GST amounts.
From the moment you contact us, we take over. Here's exactly what happens.
We review your DPN immediately and contact the ATO on your behalf within 24 hours — stopping the clock and buying you time.
We assess whether your DPN is lockdown or non-lockdown — this determines your options and shapes our strategy immediately.
We negotiate directly with the ATO to establish a manageable payment arrangement — reducing the immediate pressure on you personally.
We work to protect your personal assets through legal strategies — including restructuring, voluntary administration, or remission applications.
Where appropriate, we advise on small business restructuring or voluntary administration to protect your business and limit personal exposure.
We explain every option clearly — no legal jargon — so you understand exactly what's happening and what we're doing at every step.
Understanding which type of DPN you've received is critical. It determines what options you have left.
A non-lockdown DPN is issued when your company's BAS or SGC statements were lodged on time but the amounts remain unpaid. You have more options to resolve this.
A lockdown DPN is issued when your BAS or SGC statements were not lodged on time. Your options are significantly more limited — you must act within 21 days.
The 21-day window starts from the date on the notice — not when you open it. Call us now for a free, same-day consultation.
Call us immediately — today if possible. Do not ignore the notice and do not wait until closer to the 21-day deadline. The earlier we get involved, the more options we have to protect you. We offer a free, same-day consultation and will tell you exactly where you stand within hours.
Yes — that's exactly what a DPN is designed to do. Once the 21-day period expires without the correct action being taken, the ATO can pursue you personally for the full debt. This means your personal bank accounts, property, and other assets can be at risk. This is why acting quickly is so important.
Most of our clients can't pay the full amount — that's exactly why they come to us. We negotiate payment plans directly with the ATO, apply for penalty and interest remission, and explore every available option to reduce what you owe. Not being able to pay in full is not the end — there are still many paths forward.
Call us and we'll work it out for you. The key factor is whether your company's BAS or SGC statements were lodged on time. We'll review your notice and your lodgement history and tell you exactly which type you have — and what your options are — in your first free consultation.
Your first consultation is completely free. After that, we offer fixed-fee arrangements wherever possible so you know exactly what you're paying before we start. We'll be upfront about costs from day one — no surprises.
DPN issues often go hand in hand with these — we handle all of them.
Stopping ATO Legal Action
Garnishee notices, wind-up threats — we step in immediately and handle the ATO directly.
Learn more →ATO Payment Plans
We negotiate manageable payment arrangements directly with the ATO — reducing penalties while we're at it.
Learn more →Small Business Restructuring
Protect your assets and create a clear path forward through legal restructuring.
Learn more →No obligation, no pressure. Just clear advice from people who know exactly how to handle this.
