Case study

How Kelly wiped over $215,000 in ATO debt and protected her home and business

Part X (10) Personal Insolvency Agreement
Initial debt
$350,000
Outcome
Debt free
in five years

Key results at a glance

Results that speak for themselves
$350,000
Total ATO debt managed
~$215,320
Total debt reduction
1
Affordable weekly repayment

The challenge

Despite having a viable business and correcting her financial habits for the future, the sheer size of Kelly’s historical ATO debt threatened everything she had built.

Mounting tax debt

Without a proper system for setting aside tax funds, Kelly accumulated nearly $350,000 in ATO liabilities over several years.

Assets at risk

She jointly owned real property and motor vehicles, all of which were highly vulnerable to collection action if the situation escalated.

Business continuity

Her tiling business was her sole source of income, meaning any aggressive debt recovery or bankruptcy proceedings would severely impact her ability to earn a living.

Lack of a resolution framework

While Kelly had a plan for the future, she needed a formal, binding agreement to deal with the existing ATO debt without losing her tools of trade.

The solution

Considering her financial worth and desire to keep trading, we identified that a Personal Insolvency Agreement (PIA) was the most strategic path forward.

Comprehensive financial assessment

We evaluated her business structure, income capacity, and the value of her jointly owned assets to determine a realistic and legally sound resolution.

Strategic protection

We recommended a PIA to provide immediate relief from the ATO while safeguarding her home, vehicles, and business operations.

Favourable creditor negotiation

We structured a proposal where creditors would receive a return of 25 cents in the dollar—a significantly higher and fairer return than the estimated 8 cents they would receive in a bankruptcy scenario.

Tailored repayment structure

We negotiated a manageable five-year plan with average weekly instalments of $518, allowing Kelly to trade profitably without the worry of ATO debts consuming her cash flow.

Why this approach worked

Getting started is easy and straightforward

Reason 1

Significant debt reduction and asset protection

By establishing the PIA, we successfully wiped approximately $215,320 (over 60%) of Kelly’s ATO debt. Crucially, this agreement secured her jointly owned home and motor vehicles, entirely removing the risk of forced asset sales.

Reason 2

Business continuity

Because a PIA does not carry the same strict trading restrictions as bankruptcy, Kelly was able to continue operating her tiling business. Consolidating her overwhelming tax obligations into a single, affordable weekly payment meant her profits were protected moving forward.

The result

Kelly successfully executed a Personal Insolvency Agreement, removing the immediate threat to her livelihood and personal assets. With over $215,000 of debt wiped and a clear, five-year instalment plan in place, she secured her financial future while confidently continuing to run her tiling business.

Before
After
Improvement
Total debt
$350,000
~$134,680
~$215,320 reduced
Repayments
Unmanageable ATO demands
1 consolidated weekly plan ($518)
Affordable, predictable cash flow
Asset status
Home & vehicles at high risk
100% of assets safely retained
Secured financial future
Business operations
Profits threatened by ATO
Trading continues normally
Livelihood and tools protected

Additional benefits

A comprehensive approach to your financial recovery

Avoided the severe professional and personal restrictions associated with declaring bankruptcy

Provided a much fairer financial return to creditors

Mental clarity and the complete removal of constant stress from looming ATO actions

A structured, predictable five-year pathway to completely resolving her historical tax liabilities

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