Declaring Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy in Australia

Bankruptcy is a procedure that you legally apply for when you cannot repay the outstanding debts to all the creditors. It assists you by stopping debt collectors from inquiring about the payments and releasing you from your debt obligations. However, declaring bankruptcy in Australia is only applicable to individuals and not companies.

While declaring bankruptcy can release you from debts, it has long-term financial impacts. If you are operating your business as a partnership or a sole trader, you and your partner can file for bankruptcy as individuals. The business can’t become bankrupt.

Here is everything you need to know about declaring bankruptcy in Australia:

How to Declare Bankruptcy in Australia

There isn’t any maximum or minimum amount of income or debt required to apply for bankruptcy. If you are ineligible for alternative options and cannot repay your debts, you can file a petition to become bankrupt. To declare bankruptcy, you must meet the following requirements:

• Inability to pay debts
• Australian citizen or have a business or residential connection to Australia

If you owe your creditors more than $5,000, they might force you to become bankrupt, or you can voluntarily file for bankruptcy. Once you have decided to file for bankruptcy, you would have to prepare the following documents:

• Statement of Affairs
• Debtor’s Petition

These documents must be prepared and submitted to the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA) for approval. It is a government agency administering and regulating bankruptcy in Australia. You will have the option to select a trustee partner or allow the AFSA to administer the bankruptcy.

Once your application is approved, AFSA will send a bankruptcy notification to all the creditors you have listed in the Statement of Affairs.

If your application isn’t accepted, AFSA will notify you, and you can apply for a decision review by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). Your creditors can resume contacting you about the payment and might also take collection actions until the submitted petition gets accepted.

To Commence Declaring Bankruptcy, You Can Start by Having the Following Available:

1. Your identification, driver’s license, passport, or birth certificate
2. Your current address
3. A complete list, including the names and addresses, of all your creditors. Including both secured and unsecured debt
4. The amount of money you owe your creditors
5. An Asset and Liabilities statement

What Happens When You Declare Bankruptcy?

Once AFSA has approved your application, a trustee will be assigned to manage your financial situation. The process will involve:

• Investigating your financial issues and making efforts to recover assets you might have transferred or sold before declaring bankruptcy.
• Selling assets, including vehicles or properties
• Contacting the creditors and evaluating their claims
• Claiming a percentage of your income for repaying the creditors

The bankruptcy duration is typically three years and one day. You get released from the debts once you have been discharged from bankruptcy. However, the bankruptcy will be on your credit file for five years or more. It is recorded permanently on the National Personal Insolvency Index, which is a public record of individuals who have entered a formal debt agreement or have been bankrupt.

Once you become bankrupt officially, the unsecured creditors will stop contacting you, and almost all legal actions will stop. Most unsecured debts will be cleared, including overdrawn bank accounts, unpaid rents, personal loans, and credit cards.

However, there are certain debts that you must keep on paying even during bankruptcy, including toll fines, HELP/HECS, and child support. You will be liable for these debts and should directly contact the relevant creditors to discuss payment options.

Consequences of Bankruptcy in Australia

While bankruptcy offers relief to you when you cannot pay your debts, it comes with severe consequences. Declaring bankruptcy in Australia can have an impact on your:

• Assets, most of them would be sold to repay your debts
• Ability to internationally travel
• Ability to get future credit
• Business, employment, and income

It might also result in restricting future ambitions as being bankrupt prevents you from

• Continuing or starting some professions or trades
• Holding some public positions
• Holding the director’s position in a company

It is essential to understand these consequences before you declare bankruptcy to determine if it is the right decision for you.

Help With Declaring Bankruptcy in Australia

When your bills start to pile up, the creditors keep calling for the payment, and you don’t have a way to repay the debt, bankruptcy can be a way to find a fresh start. However, it is essential to get in touch with a bankruptcy consultant to explore alternative options, like a formal debt agreement or informal arrangement.

If declaring bankruptcy is the only way out, a professional can guide you through the process and help you file the proper documents to take control of the financial situation and gradually build yourself up again.

We are experts with over 70 years of combined experience in debt solutions and bankruptcy in Australia. Give us a call on 1300 887 210 or send us a message and we can give you a free consultation and discuss all the options available to you.