What might be underneath it?

Is it a routine notice — a statement of account, a reminder, an assessment — that simply needs reading in context? Is the ATO asking for information to check something it has seen in its data, rather than accusing you of anything? Could it be about an overdue lodgement or debt, where acting early usually keeps more options open?

What would a CPA do first?

Read it with you: We explain in plain English what the letter is, what it is asking and whether anything is due. Check it against your ATO account: As your registered tax agent we can see what the ATO sees and confirm what is actually outstanding. Work out the response: Whether that is a lodgement, a payment arrangement, an explanation or nothing at all — before the date in the letter. Talk to the ATO for you: Where it helps, we deal with the ATO on your behalf so you are not doing it alone.

Local Knowledge

“I don’t know what this letter from the ATO means”

A letter arrived, your stomach dropped, and you have read it three times.

Talk to a real person See what we’d do first

First — you’re not alone, and there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.

An ATO letter can be frightening, especially if you are not sure what it is asking. Many ATO letters are routine — reminders, statements, requests for information. Some do need action by a date. Either way, not understanding it is normal, and asking someone to read it with you is exactly the right thing to do.

You don’t need the right words or tidy records to talk to us. You need someone who will listen first — not just hand you a number.

1Who

Who this usually is

Anyone who has received a letter, email or myGov message from the ATO they do not understand.
People who have put a letter aside because opening it felt like too much.
Owners who are behind on lodgements or payments and worried about what comes next.

2What

What it looks like day to day

You are not sure whether the letter needs action, a payment, a reply — or nothing at all.
There is a date in the letter and you do not know what it means for you.
You are not sure whether the letter is even genuine.
You feel embarrassed because you suspect something was missed.

3Why

What you might not be seeing

Questions worth asking — we’d rather ask than assume.

Is it a routine notice — a statement of account, a reminder, an assessment — that simply needs reading in context?
Is the ATO asking for information to check something it has seen in its data, rather than accusing you of anything?
Could it be about an overdue lodgement or debt, where acting early usually keeps more options open?

4When

When it tends to bite — and when to act

Now — not because it is necessarily serious, but because dates in ATO letters matter.
Before any date stated in the letter, so there is time to respond properly.

5Where

Where to look first

Check whether the same correspondence appears in your myGov inbox or ATO online services.
If you are unsure whether a message is genuine, do not click links or call numbers in it — the ATO website explains how to verify or report a scam.
Keep the letter (and envelope) together with any related notices.

6How

What we’d do first

1
Read it with you
We explain in plain English what the letter is, what it is asking and whether anything is due.
2
Check it against your ATO account
As your registered tax agent we can see what the ATO sees and confirm what is actually outstanding.
3
Work out the response
Whether that is a lodgement, a payment arrangement, an explanation or nothing at all — before the date in the letter.
4
Talk to the ATO for you
Where it helps, we deal with the ATO on your behalf so you are not doing it alone.

This is how we would start with you — general information, not a do-it-yourself checklist or personal advice.

7Why us

Why it’s us you’d be talking to

Reading ATO correspondence is routine work for a registered tax agent; what feels alarming is often familiar to us — and when it is serious, we say so plainly.
There is no lecture about how it happened. The only question is what we do next.

You talk to Graham Chee FCPA, the principal — the same person from the first conversation onwards, with 25 years in public practice. About Graham
Local Knowledge Pty Ltd is a CPA public practice and a registered tax agent — you can check us on the Tax Practitioners Board public register. TPB register
Finalist, Accountants Daily Australian Accounting Awards — Multiservice Firm of the Year (2025 and 2026) and Marketing Program of the Year (2025).
We show our reasoning in the open, so you can see how we think before you ever pick up the phone. Watch it think

Talk to a real person

Send us a photo or a description of the letter, or just tell us what it says. We will tell you what it means and whether anything is urgent. No judgement about how you got here.

Graham Chee FCPA reads every message and replies personally — usually within one business day.

Tell us where you are — in your own words

No question is silly. No judgement, no jargon, no obligation.

Prefer to pick a time? Book a conversation

How this shows up in your industry

Local Knowledge

Whatever your industry, an ATO letter deserves a calm read by someone who deals with them routinely.

Visit Local Knowledge

Sydney Accountants

Small businesses and individuals with BAS, debt or assessment letters they do not understand.

Visit Sydney Accountants

Sydney Bookkeeping

Letters that often trace back to records or BAS that were behind — fixable once caught up.

Visit Sydney Bookkeeping

Local Knowledge Ventures

Founders receiving ATO correspondence about R&D, employee shares or a company they have just set up.

Visit Local Knowledge Ventures

NDIS Back Office

Providers receiving ATO letters about GST, PAYG or super while also juggling NDIS Commission requirements.

Visit NDIS Back Office

Trust & Assurance

Agencies whose ATO letter arrives alongside trust-account or regulator correspondence — we help separate the two.

Visit Trust & Assurance

Brand & IP

Owners receiving ATO queries about royalties, licensing income or the sale of IP.

Visit Brand & IP

AI Systems

Businesses asked about R&D claims or software spend who need the records explained clearly.

Visit AI Systems

Financial Services

Licensees receiving ATO letters while also managing ASIC obligations — we keep the two straight.

Visit Financial Services

What it depends on

What type of letter it is and what it asks for.
Any date or deadline stated in the letter.
Your lodgement and payment history with the ATO.

Where the judgement stays human

Deciding how to respond to the ATO — what to say, what to provide, whether to seek a payment arrangement or a review — is a judgement on your facts, and one you should not have to make alone.

Questions people in this spot often ask

My accountant only calls at tax time — is that normal?Why is my tax bill bigger than my profit?

Or does one of these sound more like you?

“I don’t know what I’m doing”“My accountant doesn’t call”“I don’t know where my money goes”“I just keep paying tax”“I hate paperwork”

General information current as at 3 October 2026. This is general information only, not personal financial, tax or legal advice.