30 minutes

If you only have half an hour, do these four things.

Calm, in order, and only what's needed. Pick the matching situation page after this for the full version.

1
Identify what's happened. Write down the date.
Open whatever just landed. A Director Penalty Notice, a statutory demand, a wind-up application, a default notice from the ATO. Note the date the document was posted or served — most of these run on a 21-day clock from that date, not the day you opened it.
2
Lodge anything outstanding. Even at $0.
BAS, IAS, and Super Guarantee Charge statements: late lodgement within three months of the due date is what locks in personal director liability. Lodgement does not require payment. Get the returns in even if you can't pay a cent.
3
Make the right free phone call.
If the pressure is about money, the Small Business Debt Helpline is the call. Free, specialist, independent.
1800 413 828Mon–Fri 9am–5:30pm AEST
If the pressure is about your mental state, Lifeline is the call.
13 11 1424/7
If you are in construction, MATES is open 24/7 and industry-trained.
1300 642 11124/7
4
Diary every deadline.
Twenty-one days for a DPN or a statutory demand. The next BAS due date. The next super guarantee payment. The date your payment plan starts. Write them down somewhere you'll see them — phone calendar, sticky note on the screen, both.

We do not refer to commercial debt-relief operators.

Every service we point you to is free or low-cost, government-funded or not-for-profit, and independent of creditors. If a paid operator is offering to negotiate your ATO debt or run a Part IX agreement for a fee, talk to the Small Business Debt Helpline first — 1800 413 828, free.

When you have an extra minute

60-second triage. Routes you to the right page.

Print the wallet card

Eight phone numbers, one A4 page, print-friendly.

If you only have half an hour, do these four things.

Calm, in order, and only what's needed. Pick the matching situation page after this for the full version.

Identify what's happened. Write down the date.

Open whatever just landed. A Director Penalty Notice, a statutory demand, a wind-up application, a default notice from the ATO. Note the date the document was posted or served — most of these run on a 21-day clock from that date, not the day you opened it.

Lodge anything outstanding. Even at $0.

BAS, IAS, and Super Guarantee Charge statements: late lodgement within three months of the due date is what locks in personal director liability. Lodgement does not require payment. Get the returns in even if you can't pay a cent.

Make the right free phone call.

If the pressure is about money, the Small Business Debt Helpline is the call. Free, specialist, independent.

1800 413 828Mon–Fri 9am–5:30pm AEST

If the pressure is about your mental state, Lifeline is the call.

13 11 1424/7

If you are in construction, MATES is open 24/7 and industry-trained.

1300 642 11124/7

Diary every deadline.

Twenty-one days for a DPN or a statutory demand. The next BAS due date. The next super guarantee payment. The date your payment plan starts. Write them down somewhere you'll see them — phone calendar, sticky note on the screen, both.

We do not refer to commercial debt-relief operators.