Interest-free payment plans for overdue activity statement amounts
Small businesses that owe activity statement amounts may be able to make interest-free payments over 12 months.
Eligibility
You may be eligible for an interest-free payment plan if your business:
- has an annual turnover of less than $2 million
- has recent amounts owed from an activity statement of $50,000 or less that have been overdue for up to 12 months
- has a good payment and lodgment history, including
- no more than one payment plan default within the last 12 months
- no outstanding activity statement lodgments
- can't obtain finance (such as a loan) through normal business channels
- can demonstrate ongoing viability.
How it works
You must agree to a payment plan that allows the amounts owed to be paid by direct debit within 12 months.
General interest charges (GIC) are still incurred, however as long as you maintain your payment plan, they will be automatically remitted once they appear on your account.
While you're paying your bill, you:
- can check your running account balance by logging into the Online services for business or phoning our business enquiry line
- must meet all of your other payment and lodgment obligations.
Registered tax or BAS agents can check the running account balance by:
- using Online services for agents (see the Online services for agents user guide for instructions)
- phoning our registered agent phone line (Fast Key Code 1 2 5 1).
If you already have a payment plan
If you satisfy the eligibility criteria, you can ask us to change your existing payment plan for your activity statement related debt to an interest-free payment plan.
If your request is approved, we’ll cancel your previous plan. The interest-free period will start from the date you enter into the new plan.
Phone our business enquiry line during operating hours to change to an interest-free payment plan.
Secured payment plans
If we can't reach an agreement with you about paying amounts you owe, we may consider accepting an offer of security where you either:
- request we defer the time of payment of a debt
- seek to pay a debt by instalments.
Our preferred securities are:
- a registered mortgage over freehold property
- an unconditional bank guarantee from an Australian bank.
For more information about a secured payment plan, phone our lodge and pay enquiry line during operating hours.
For more information, see PS LA 2011/14 General debt collection powers and principles.