Led by Commissioner Chris Jordan the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is adopting a more conciliatory approach in negotiating settlements with taxpayers who have tax debt in order to decrease the numbers of tax matters being heard at the tribunal and the courts.

Negotiations can commence at any time and well before formal objections are lodged at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

This is very welcome news for the large number of taxpayers who have a good case against the Commissioner but risk losing at the Tribunal or do not have sufficient funds to fight their case at the courts.

Unsurprisingly taxpayers are now succeeding in obtaining previously unattainable results.  Best results are being achieved where a tax lawyer skilled in negotiating with the ATO has been engaged.

Message:

Taxpayers in dispute with the ATO about tax debt should engage legal representation to negotiation on their behalf as early as possible.  In the majority of cases the outlay in legal costs is well worth the result.