Need to pay the ATO this week?

ATO deadlines have a way of arriving all at once: a BAS, an overdue instalment, a payment plan that slipped and is now cancelled, or a letter saying firmer action is next. When the deadline is days away rather than weeks, the options narrow, but they do not disappear.

Step one: know exactly what you owe

Log in to the ATO’s online services for business, or ask your accountant to, and get the current balance, what period it relates to and your payment reference number. Check whether all lodgements are up to date. An unlodged BAS can mean the real figure is higher than you think, and lenders will want to see the true picture.

Your options, fastest to slowest

Option	Speed	Best when
Pay from cash on hand	Immediate	The account can cover it without hurting payroll
Unsecured business funding	Approval within the hour common	Balance is moderate and statements are strong
Property-secured loan, no valuation	Approval within the hour common, funds within 24 hours possible	Balance is large, or credit is bumpy
ATO payment plan	Depends on eligibility	The debt is manageable over time and a plan is available

A payment plan can be a sensible answer, especially for smaller balances. But the general interest charge keeps running on the unpaid amount and, from 1 July 2025, it is no longer tax deductible. For larger debts, or where a plan has already defaulted, clearing the balance quickly can be cheaper and simpler. Our guide to payment plans versus a fast loan goes through the numbers.

Short on time? You can enquire in about a minute and come back to this page while we check what is possible.

Directors, take note

Company directors can become personally liable for certain unpaid company amounts under the director penalty regime, including PAYG withholding and super guarantee charge. If you have received a director penalty notice, timeframes are strict. Call your accountant or adviser today. Funding can make a solution possible; advice makes sure it is the right solution.

Making it fast

With property details or bank statements in hand, approval within the hour is common. Funds can be paid directly to the ATO using your payment reference, which removes any doubt about where the money went. Ask us to do this if you are worried about timing. Payments made late in the day may not show on your ATO account until the next business day, so do not leave it to the last afternoon.

A worked example (illustrative)

A café group owes about $78,000 in BAS after a slow winter and receives a warning letter. A payment plan had defaulted in spring. The owner shares six months of statements on Monday and is approved before lunch for unsecured funding. The ATO is paid on Tuesday using the payment reference, and the owner sets up a separate tax account to put GST aside weekly from then on.

Your fast-funding checklist

Most delays come from documents that are not ready when they are asked for. Line these up before you enquire:

• Current ATO balance and payment reference number
• Copies of any ATO letters or notices
• Confirmation that lodgements are up to date, or a note of what is outstanding
• Bank statements or property details
• Photo ID

Common delays and how to avoid them

Watch for these common speed bumps:

• Outstanding lodgements that make the true balance unclear
• Waiting until the last day before acting
• Not disclosing the ATO debt in the enquiry
• Co-owners of a security property who are unaware

The fastest enquiries have one thing in common

We ask a short list of questions because each one changes which option fits and how fast it can move. Please answer them as they really are, not as you hope they will be next quarter. If you have a default, an ATO debt or a new ABN, say so up front. It will not stop us looking, and it means there are no surprises halfway through that slow everything down.

Before you go

• Check payment plan options first
• Unsecured funding suits smaller tax debts
• Property-secured loans with no valuation suit larger balances
• Payment can go directly to the ATO with your reference

Why this can move in hours, not weeks

Fast does not mean careless. Every loan still gets a proper look at how the business trades, who owns it and how the money will be repaid. The difference is that we do the looking quickly and in parallel. Bank statements can be read in minutes once they are shared, property loans do not wait on a valuation, and documents are signed electronically. Approval within the hour is common, and funding within 24 hours is possible when every party signs promptly.

Check your options now

Approval within the hour is common once the right details are in, so the fastest move is to get them in. There is no credit check to enquire, your information is not shopped around, and a person reads every enquiry. Please be accurate on the form so we can match you first time. Get started.