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What is the best business structure for you?

No matter what stage your business is in or the type of business you operate, it is critical to have the right business structure in place for many reasons, including to safeguard your personal and business assets, minimise risk and tax implications and optimise returns.  Each business structure has its own benefits and risks as well as criteria and regulatory requirements, which should be considered before adopting a business structure that is ideal for your business and personal needs.

Sole traders and partnerships [...]  READ MORE →

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Collecting Money: Which court should I pick?

By Bonnie McMahon an Associate of Matthews Folbigg, in our Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group

When collecting money from a debtor in NSW, it is important to ensure that you are collecting money in the right court.

  • Collecting money under $20,000 – When collecting money which is under $20,000, debt collection proceedings should be commenced in the Small Claims Division of the Local Court of NSW.
  • Collecting money over $20,000 but under $100,000 – When collecting money which is over $20,000 but under $100,000, debt collection proceedings should be commenced in the General Division of the Local Court of NSW. However, there are some circumstances where collecting money up to $120,000 can be done in the Local Court, although you will normally need the consent of the debtor.
  • Collecting money over $100,000 but under $750,000 – When collecting money which is over $100,000 but under $750,000, debt collection proceedings should be commenced in the District Court of NSW. However, like the Local Court, the District Court can hear debt collection matters up to $1,125,000, provided no party objects to the matter being heard in the District Court.
  • Collecting money over $750,000 – When collecting money over $750,000, debt recovery proceedings should generally be commenced in the Supreme Court of NSW.

What happens if you are collecting money by debt collection proceedings in the wrong court?

If you are collecting money in the Supreme Court and you obtain a judgment for less than $500,000, you may not be able to recover costs from the debtor, unless the Supreme Court is satisfied that commencing debt collection proceedings in the Supreme Court was warranted. [...]  READ MORE →

Meeting and greeting, Two engineer or architect meeting for project, handshake after consultation and conference new project plan, contract for both companies, success, partnership.
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GREATER SYDNEY’S 2021 LOCKDOWN: WILL BUSINESSES SINK OR SWIM?

By Anica Cunanan, Solicitor at Matthews Folbigg in the Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group

Greater Sydney is currently in a lockdown and has remained in the dark with respect to whether, and when businesses would receive some relief.

Last year, the Federal Government introduced the JobKeeper scheme to assist with keeping businesses afloat (including employees within those businesses) through of the payment of wage subsidies subject to certain criteria.

The Morrison and Berejiklian Governments have announced that NSW businesses will finally receive some relief as we enter the fourth week of lockdown in NSW. It is evident that regardless of whether lockdown is in fact extended past 30 July 2021, businesses have already experienced a substantial hit. Should lockdown continue to be extended, we may see plenty of businesses struggling to make it through this lockdown. [...]  READ MORE →

Meeting and greeting, Two engineer or architect meeting for project, handshake after consultation and conference new project plan, contract for both companies, success, partnership.
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Debt Restructuring Part 3 – Restructuring plans

This is the third part in a blog series discussing the new debt restructuring regime, which commences on 1 January 2021. This blog discusses the the process of putting forward a restructuring plan to creditors.

The regime will be implemented through substantial amendments to the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (“the Act”) and the Corporations Regulations 2001 (Cth) (“the Regulations“). Relevant links are:

How a restructuring plan is to be proposed is guided by the Regulations (Division 3, Subdivision B). The process is again somewhat similar to a voluntary administration, but instead it avoids the need to call creditors meetings. A regime for the restructuring practitioner to resolve disputes about creditors’ debts is tied into the process. A brief overview of the process follows. [...]  READ MORE →

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Debt Restructuring Part 2 – affects on a company under restructuring

This is the second part in a blog series discussing the new debt restructuring regime, which commences on 1 January 2021. This blog discusses the effects on a company entering debt restructuring, and its creditors.

The regime will be implemented through substantial amendments to the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (“the Act”) and the Corporations Regulations 2001 (Cth). Relevant links are:

Conduct of the company’s business

Section 453L of the Act will prohibit the directors from entering the company into any transactions dealing with the company’s property, unless one of the following applies: [...]  READ MORE →

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Debt Restructuring Part 1 – Introduction, Eligibility & the Restructuring Practitioner

This is the first part in a series of blogs discussing the new debt restructuring regime, which commences on 1 January 2021. The regime will be implemented through substantial amendments to the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (“the Act”) and the Corporations Regulations 2001 (Cth). Relevant links are:

The amendments will include a new Part to the Act – Part 5.3B, titled “Restructuring of a company”. The Part sets out the regime (referred to as a ‘restructuring’) for directors of insolvent companies to propose and enter into a ‘restructuring plan’ with creditors. The process is overseen by a ‘restructuring practitioner’, who must be a registered liquidator (s 456B of the Act). The focus on this process is that it allows directors to retain some control of the company, reducing the costs of having an insolvency practitioner involved in day-to-day operations. [...]  READ MORE →

Winding Up
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Model Behaviour: the Australian version of America’s Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Scheme – Trustees & Creditors

By Jodie Rodrigues, solicitor at Matthews Folbigg in the Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group

On 24 September 2020, the latest instalment in Australia’s insolvency reforms was announced. These reforms have been branded “the most significant reforms to Australia’s insolvency framework in 30 years”.

For information about the proposed insolvency regulations, read Part 1 of this blog here.

 The proposed scheme has been developed to provide relief to small business in light of the economic impact of the coronavirus by way of the additional debt taken on to survive. However, the impact of the proposed mechanisms is wide reaching, and particularly in circumstances where no draft legislation has been released, no consultation has been undertaken, and the plan is to have these amendments in place by 1 January 2021, the reforms may be hazardous for creditors and insolvency practitioners. Read on to find how the insolvency reform will affect you.
 [...]  READ MORE →

Winding Up
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Model Behaviour: the Australian version of America’s Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Scheme – Key Points

By Jodie Rodrigues, solicitor at Matthews Folbigg in the Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group

Part 1: The Key Points

On 24 September 2020, the latest instalment in Australia’s insolvency reforms was announced. These reforms have been branded “the most significant reforms to Australia’s insolvency framework in 30 years”.

And yet the plan, apparently, is to have these reforms in place in 3 months.

Under the Morrison government’s proposal, Australia would adopt a framework modeled on parts of Chapter 11 of America’s Bankruptcy Code. The proposed system would provide two alternative forms of insolvency administration for small businesses with liabilities of up to $1,000,000: [...]  READ MORE →

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Accountants Keeping Clients Afloat During COVID-19

By Ellen Ferris, a Solicitor in Matthews Folbigg’s Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group.

Accountants are being swamped by directors caught up in the effects of a global pandemic and the consequences of shutdowns and quarantine. Accountants’ own businesses are in the same boat.

How to advise clients during this time? The Australian Restructuring Insolvency and Turnaround Association (“ARITA”) has released helpful guidance for accountants seeking to help their clients at this time. These resources can be accessed via the below link: [...]  READ MORE →