AS Advisory

What happens when ATO debt starts to become more than just a tax issue?

At our recent AS Advisory Boardroom Lunch, we had Michael Buscema from Aptum Legal join us to talk through what is changing in the ATO recovery process and how those changes are playing out in practice, especially for SMEs.

The discussion covered payment arrangements, GIC remission, Director Penalty Notices, garnishees and recovery proceedings, but the biggest takeaway to me was the importance of timing.

In many cases, the earlier these issues are addressed, the more options are available. Once recovery action escalates, the conversation can become much harder.

A big thank you to Michael for sharing his insights and to everyone who joined us around the table. The value of these sessions is always in the quality of the conversation, and this was a great one.

Ben Conrad, Lauren Elsum, Paul Marini, Darren Trew, Phillip Macissac, Steve Ashman, Lisa Read, Peter Missen, Travis Fegan, Paul Cerri and Darryl Smith.

Should you wish to speak to Ben or Andrew regarding any client situations, please contact our office on (03) 8609 0311 or contact us via our website https://asadvisory.com.au/contact/

Thinking about selling your business in the next few years?

Most business owners have a number in mind. But when buyers assess value, that number can be lower than expected. That gap usually comes down to issues that have been sitting in the business long before a sale conversation begins.

Swipe through to see four signs your business may be worth less than you think.

If any of them look familiar, I’m running a masterclass where I'll walk through what buyers actually assess, what commonly reduces business value, and the steps owners can take now to strengthen their position before a sale, succession or growth event.

Seats are limited to 20 places, so save your seat here: https://business-valuation-masterclass.scoreapp.com/

Thinking about selling your business in the next few years, but are unsure of what a buyer would assess?

A business valuation explains where the business stands: founder reliance, operational efficiency, and where value may be eroding without the owner realising it.

In this blog, we explore the valuation conversations business owners should have, well before the plan to sell or transition becomes urgent.

Because having those conversations early, can lead to a stronger outcome.

👉 Read the full blog below.

Planning to Sell Your Business? Why You Should Value Your Business Before You Sell - AS Advisory Thinking about selling your business in the next few years, but are unsure of what a buyer would assess? A business valuation explains where the business stands: founder reliance, operational efficiency, and where value may be eroding without the owner realising it. In this blog, we explore the valu...

Valuation should be part of long-term planning, not a last-minute exercise during a sale process.

A week ago, I spoke with a business owner who was starting to think seriously about transition.

They weren’t ready to sell tomorrow, but succession, family involvement and stepping back from the day-to-day were becoming real considerations.

That is exactly when valuation should enter the conversation.

Too often, it only comes up once a sale or transition is already underway. By then, the options can be limited.

If there are weak margins, dependency on a few key clients, inconsistent revenue or unnecessary costs, there may not be enough time to improve the real drivers of value.

As advisors, we can play an important role in helping owners understand where they stand, improve what matters and make informed decisions before they are under pressure.

We often see the signs early:

- succession is being discussed
- the owner is slowing down operationally
- retirement is coming up more often
- family members are becoming more involved
- business performance is plateauing

Noticing these signs in your clients?

I’m happy to have a confidential discussion around how to approach the conversation.

https://calendly.com/andrew-asadvisory

A sale opportunity can appear with little notice. Whether the business is ready for that moment usually comes down to the preparation that started before it.

Strong financials are the starting point, but buyers often look deeper, whether it’s owner dependency, customer concentration, undocumented systems, or unsecured revenue.

This piece outlines the patterns I encounter regularly, and why earlier planning can strengthen the owner’s position.

👉 Read the full blog here: www.andrewschwarz.net.au/blog/2026/5/12/what-i-often-see-when-valuation-conversations-start-too-late

I’m pleased to share that AS Advisory has been named as a finalist in the Australian Accounting Awards 2026 for Business Advisory Firm of the Year.

It is a pleasing acknowledgement of the work undertaken by the AS Advisory team.

Thank you to our clients, referrers and team for their continued trust and support.

Congratulations to all the other finalists. I’m looking forward to the awards night in Sydney on 12 June.

A business valuation should give you more than a number. It should help you understand what your options are.

For many SME owners, valuation is the point where the real position becomes clearer: cash pressure, margin squeeze, debt levels, or whether the business is still building value.

From there, the question becomes: What should we do next?

In this blog, we explain how AS Advisory helps business owners turn valuation insight into practical action – whether that means stabilising, restructuring, raising capital, renegotiating terms, or preparing for exit.

The earlier this work starts, the more options are usually available.

👉 Read the full blog below:

Business valuation is not the end of the process. It is the start of a decision. - AS Advisory Many business owners seek a valuation because they are thinking about a sale, succession, or a partner exit. What often surprises them is that the valuation does more than provide […]

Not every client situation has a clear starting point. They slowly creep in.

That had been the main focus of our April masterclass.

I want to thank everyone who joined the session and participated in the discussion. It was a practical conversation around a challenge most advisers recognise, sensing pressure in a client’s business before there’s a single obvious trigger.

Based on real SME advisory patterns I’ve seen, the session included:
- the early warning signs worth paying attention to
- how manageable situations can gradually shift
- five decision points to help assess risk earlier
- how to escalate carefully and at the right level
- why early action keeps more doors open

One point that mattered: earlier action provides more options.

When issues are identified early, advisers can bring clarity to the situation, stabilise what they can, and assess the available options more effectively. When action is delayed, those options can narrow quickly.

If you attended, I’d be interested to hear your key takeaway.

If you missed it, leave a comment below and we’ll send you the recording.

To some business owners, valuation may seem difficult, but in reality, it’s not.

For established businesses, valuation is fairly methodical: consistent earnings, clear benchmarks and comparable transactions. Businesses with a stable cash flow are often easier to assess. However, businesses built on intellectual property data or an untested product, aren’t as straightforward.

In recent WIPO research, intangible assets, such as IP, software, brand and data, now make up the majority of corporate value, equivalent on average to roughly two-thirds of global GDP. Yet, these assets are harder to measure, difficult to compare, aren’t reflected clearly in financial statements.

In those cases, the income is uncertain, the market is unproven, and ultimately, value is tested. This is where owner expectations and market reality start to diverge.

Business owners are close to what they’ve built. They see the effort, the growth, the potential.

Valuation doesn’t stand alone. It usually sits in a broader market context.

At its core, it comes down to three things:

- the business earnings
- whether those earnings are sustainable
- how risk is priced

These factors demonstrate how the market sees the business, especially when it’s in an environment where value is less certain and difficult to measure.

That shift matters for business owners, as understanding what’s driving value now can shape the outcome later.

Read the full article here: https://www.wipo.int/en/web/global-innovation-index/w/blogs/2026/the-value-of-corporate-intangible-assets-worldwide

Is it possible for a business valuation outcome to raise insolvency concerns?

Yes.

In some cases, you go through the valuation process, and there’s effectively no value there.

That’s usually not a valuation issue.

It’s a reflection of the underlying position - the business may already be insolvent, or close to it.

At that point, the focus shifts from “what the business should be worth” to “what’s actually recoverable”.

That’s where valuation plays a different role. Maximising returns to creditors, meeting market value requirements, and ensuring assets aren’t sold below value.

In some cases, I’m engaged by other insolvency practitioners who need an independent valuation of assets under their control in liquidation.

Their obligation is to maximise value, so understanding the true value of those assets becomes critical.

Here are 3 things I tend to look at:

– Is the methodology appropriate?

– Are the multiples reasonable?

– Do the earnings reflect a sustainable position?

Often, they don’t.

You might see one-off revenue spikes or costs that distort the picture. So the work becomes about normalising the numbers to understand what’s really there.

Once that’s clear, the path forward is usually straightforward.

If a valuation outcome doesn’t sit right, it’s worth stepping back and testing the assumptions behind it.