Uncomplicating Insolvency, One Business at a Time

Insolvency doesn't have to be scary, and it certainly doesn't have to be the end of your business. Half the panic around it comes from not knowing what the actual options are — and from getting advice from people who only know one of them.

Most people don't know where to start — or worse, they get advice that sends them down the wrong path. That's why we do things differently. We're not here to impress the suits. We're here to speak your language and help you understand your options.

Whether you're a sole trader, partnership, or director of a company, we walk you through the reality of the situation and work with you — not against you.

The options actually open to you

Most directors and business owners don't realise there's more than one path. In plain terms:

• Small Business Restructuring (SBR). A formal restructure for companies under $1M in liabilities, designed to keep you trading while you settle debts at a lower amount. Quick. Cheap by insolvency standards. Often the best option for ATO debt that has gotten away from you.

• Voluntary Liquidation. You close the company on your terms before a creditor closes it for you. Cleaner outcome than waiting to be wound up.

• Negotiated Payment Arrangement. If the business is fundamentally viable, the ATO and most major creditors will negotiate. The trick is knowing how to ask, and what you can realistically commit to.

• Bankruptcy (personal). A legal mechanism, not a verdict on your character. It exists precisely so people can resolve unsustainable personal debt and rebuild.

• Informal restructure. Sometimes the answer isn't formal at all — it's tighter cash management, a hard look at unprofitable work, and a different conversation with creditors.

Why people get it wrong

The biggest reason directors end up with bad outcomes isn't bad luck. It's:

• Going to a single specialist (just a lawyer, just a liquidator) and getting the option they're trained to sell.

• Waiting until creditors have moved first, when half the options have already closed.

• Believing "this can't be happening to me" past the point where action would have changed it.

How we work

Fixed fees, no surprises. A straight conversation about what's realistic, what's not, and what the trade-offs are. If a formal practitioner is needed — a liquidator, a trustee — I match you to the right one. I don't sit in that role myself, which means there's no conflict in the advice I give.

If you've been told there's only one option, get a second opinion before you commit. Most situations have more paths than people realise.

• Speak directly to Doug: Get help

• Bankruptcy support: Resolvency

• Liquidation and SBR: Resolve Business Solutions

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