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Business Taxation

Can your company still protect you?

Asset protection is one of the primary reasons companies are used. A company is a separate legal entity and the corporate veil provides protection to the directors, however, in limited circumstances the protection afforded to directors is lost. The traditional instances where director protection is lost were breach of fiduciary duties (i.e. doing what’s in the best interests of the company) and trading whilst insolvent (i.e. being unable to pay company debts as and when they fall due).

In addition to what the Corporations Law (the act that governs company conduct and director responsibilities) provides as exclusions from protection of directors, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has always had the weapon of the dreaded Director Penalty Notice (DPN).