How long do I have after receiving a notice?

21 days from the date the notice was issued, not from when you received it. Call us as soon as it arrives.

Can I avoid personal liability?

Often, if the company lodged on time and you act within 21 days. If the lodgements were late, the options are narrower, but there may still be defences.

Most document work (leases, agreements, structures) is quoted as a fixed fee from the outset. Debt recovery is staged: a fixed fee for the letter of demand and for a statutory demand, then a written estimate for any court step. Larger matters such as a business sale or a contested proceeding are scoped and estimated in writing before we start, and you are told early if anything changes.

A director penalty notice
runs on a deadline.

A director penalty notice can make you personally liable for your company’s unpaid tax and super. What you can do depends on the type of notice and how quickly you act.

Book a free 15-minute call Call 03 8386 9502

Client reviews

Commercial law clients,
in their own words.

All 84 Google reviews

4.5★★★★★
Google rating from 84 client reviews
Every quote on this page is a public Google review, reproduced in the client’s own words. Read them all →
We engaged Joshi Lawyers for a business purchase and found them to be very professional, dedicated and helpful. Dinesh has a significant degree of knowledge in business and commercial law matters. We were advised about everything in detail and kept informed about our matter’s progress at each stage.
Anqi HuangBusiness purchase · Google review, 2017
Our first experience in Australia using any lawyer. All advice given was very fair and to the point. It was them who suggested the statutory demand process, which we used for a speedy recovery, and it worked.
GNS Group AustraliaDebt recovery · Google review, 2023
Dinesh solved my dispute in 4 months where the other lawyer I had prior took 12 months giving me no foresight on my case. Dinesh has a clear foresight in his cases and closes all objections with ease and makes you aware of your standing.
Dheeraj WadhwaniBusiness dispute · Google review, 2018
From business settlements to my recent land settlement, they have never failed to impress me. Thank you Dinesh and your team for taking the stress from us and dealing with all sorts of issues and disputes very professionally.
Aarti AroraBusiness owner and investor · Google review, 2017

Is this you?

When people come to us about director penalty notices.

Each of these is a good reason to call, and none of them is too early.

You have received a director penalty notice from the ATO.
The company is behind on PAYG withholding, GST or superannuation.
You resigned as a director and have still received a notice.
You are not sure whether the company’s lodgements were on time.

How we help

With a director penalty notice, the date it was posted matters.

The ATO can make directors personally liable for unpaid PAYG withholding, GST and superannuation guarantee charge. If the company lodged on time, a director can often avoid personal liability by acting within 21 days of the notice, by paying the debt or appointing an administrator, small business restructuring practitioner or liquidator.

If the lodgements were late, that option may not be available. We work out which notice you have, what it allows, and the right next step, quickly.

What we do

Urgent review of the notice and the company’s lodgements
Advice on the 21-day options
Liaison with the ATO
Restructuring or administration with a registered practitioner
Defences available to directors
Payment arrangements

Book a free 15-minute call

What happens first

Your first week with us.

A matter should feel different from the first call. This is what you can expect before anything is signed or sent.

What it costs

The first call: what the real question is
Most commercial matters turn on one or two points. We find them first, so the work goes where it counts.
Within the week: a strategy and a written estimate
What a good outcome looks like, how we propose to reach it, and what it will cost, before any letter is sent.
Deadlines first
Statutory demands, court documents and notices carry short time limits. We deal with those before anything else.
From then on: one senior lawyer
You deal with the same lawyer throughout, and you are told early if anything changes.

Your team

Who you will deal with.

Matters are run by the people below, not handed down.

Meet our people

Questions

Frequently asked questions

If your question is not here, it is a good reason for the free call.

How long do I have after receiving a notice?
21 days from the date the notice was issued, not from when you received it. Call us as soon as it arrives.
Can I avoid personal liability?
Often, if the company lodged on time and you act within 21 days. If the lodgements were late, the options are narrower, but there may still be defences.
What does it cost?
Most document work (leases, agreements, structures) is quoted as a fixed fee from the outset. Debt recovery is staged: a fixed fee for the letter of demand and for a statutory demand, then a written estimate for any court step. Larger matters such as a business sale or a contested proceeding are scoped and estimated in writing before we start, and you are told early if anything changes.