You're not the first to ask.

Yes. We regularly help clients who are 5+ years behind, with an outstanding return for every financial year going back a decade in some cases. There's always a path forward, and it's almost never as bad as you think. We've seen every situation, and we won't judge you - we'll just get you sorted.

If you lodge a tax return yourself, the deadline is 31 October following the end of the financial year (1 July to 30 June). If you are registered with a tax agent before 31 October, you generally access a later lodgement date under the agent program - which is one reason it pays to nominate an agent early rather than let the obligation to lodge slide another year.

Often, yes. If tax was withheld from your pay, or you carried on a business as a sole trader, you usually still have an obligation to lodge - even where the final tax liability is nil. Where a return genuinely isn't required, the correct step is to lodge a non-lodgement advice with the Australian Taxation Office so the year is closed off rather than sitting as an outstanding return on your account.

The main penalty for an overdue return is the failure to lodge on time penalty. It is calculated in penalty units - one penalty unit for each 28-day period (or part of a period) the return is late, up to five units for most taxpayers. Larger entities are charged at multiples of that. On top of the penalty, general interest charge can accrue daily on any unpaid tax liability.

Coming forward voluntarily is almost always better than waiting for the ATO to chase you. As your Registered Tax Agent, we manage the communication and present your situation in the best possible light.

For most individuals, the starting point is your income statement (previously the payment summary) for each financial year, which is reported to the Australian Taxation Office by your employer and available through our agent portal. Add bank interest, dividends, private health details and your work-related deductions, and we can usually reconstruct a year even if your own paperwork is long gone.

Straightforward overdue returns and BAS are typically prepared and lodged within around 5 business days once we have all required records. Larger catch-ups involving multiple years, high transaction volumes, missing records, GST reconstruction or several entities may take around 2-3 weeks or longer depending on complexity. We'll give you a clear expected timeline before work begins. ATO debt negotiation and payment plan setup happens straight after lodgement.

We work on fixed, transparent fees - you'll get a written quote before any work starts. Sole trader returns from $699 +GST, company returns from $1,599 +GST per annum, BAS from $299 +GST, ATO payment plan from $599 +GST. Multi-year catch-ups get an automatic discount (10% off for 2 years, 15% for 3–4, 25% for 5+). All prices exclude GST.

Fees are generally payable upfront. Approved payment arrangements may be available for qualifying multi-year engagements. Fee-from-refund may be available for eligible individual refund cases. You'll always have a written fixed-fee quote before any work starts.

We can't guarantee specific ATO outcomes, but as Registered Tax Agents we can apply for penalty remission, negotiate with the ATO on your behalf, and arrange manageable payment plans. In our experience, taking action quickly almost always improves the outcome.

Sometimes. A remission request asks the Australian Taxation Office to reduce or cancel a penalty where there were circumstances outside your control - illness, family breakdown, natural disaster, a business collapse or a genuine misunderstanding of your obligation to lodge. A remission request is strongest once every outstanding return is actually lodged and the real tax liability is known, so we usually lodge first and request remission straight after.

Yes. Once your lodgements are up to date, we'll negotiate a payment plan that fits your cash flow and apply for remission of penalties and general interest charges where appropriate.

Company directors can be personally liable for certain unpaid company tax obligations (PAYG, super and GST). The most important thing you can do right now is get lodged - that alone can change your options.

Just a quick conversation. Once you book your free assessment, we'll let you know exactly what records we need and walk you through every step.

Always. Everything you share with us is fully confidential and protected under our professional obligations as Registered Tax Agents.

Yes - we work with sole traders and businesses right across Australia, entirely online or over the phone.