Behind on BAS? Here’s How to Get Back on Track

So… it’s been a while since you lodged your BAS. Maybe life got busy, your business was booming, or paperwork just fell off your radar. It happens to many small business owners, sole traders, and tradies — you’re not alone.

Here’s the good news: It’s usually fixable, and the sooner you act, the less chance there is for penalties and interest to keep building.

Book a Free BAS Catch-Up Call

What can happen if you leave it?

• The ATO may charge penalties and interest

• The longer you wait, the more these costs can grow

  
  

But don’t panic — there are options once you lodge:

• Payment plans let you pay off what you owe gradually

• Remission requests can reduce or cancel penalties, though the ATO decides based on your situation

  
  

Here’s how to start:

1. Gather your records. Even if they’re messy, just collect invoices, receipts, and bank statements.

2. Decide on next steps. You can tackle it yourself, or get guidance from me. I’m a Registered BAS Agent and I specialise in small business BAS catch-ups.

3. Act quickly. The sooner you get your BAS lodged and know what you owe, the sooner you can deal with it properly and reduce the risk of extra penalties or interest building up.

Tackling it yourself:

If you decide to bring your BAS up to date yourself, these are the key steps involved:

1. Complete all outstanding bookkeeping for the BAS period/s

2. Reconcile all bank and credit card transactions so balances match your statements

3. Review supplier ABNs and GST registration to confirm GST has been claimed correctly

4. Check expenses where GST is often claimed incorrectly, such as:

   • software and online subscriptions

   • motor vehicle insurance and registration

   • fuel and some government charges

   • bank fees, interest and financial costs

5. Make sure all payroll is up to date, including:

   • wages and PAYG withholding

   • superannuation calculations

   • processing and paying any outstanding super

6. Review clearing accounts, including:

   • wages clearing account

   • superannuation clearing account

   • suspense account

7. Run and check key reports before lodging:

   • profit and loss

   • balance sheet

   • BAS and GST reports

If you are using Xero, once you have completed these steps you will likely be ready to generate the BAS figures and lodge the outstanding BAS.

Here are some resources from the ATO that may assist you:

1. https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/preparing-lodging-and-paying/business-activity-statements-bas/how-to-lodge-your-bas

   
   

2. https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/preparing-lodging-and-paying/business-activity-statements-bas/what-if-you-can-t-lodge-and-pay-on-time

   
   

3. https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/paying-the-ato/interest-and-penalties/penalties/failure-to-lodge-on-time-penalty

And if that feels like a lot:

That is completely understandable. Being behind on BAS can feel overwhelming.

This is where getting help can make the whole thing feel much more manageable. If you’re behind and not sure where to start, book a free 15-minute call. I’ll help you work out what needs to happen next.

As a Registered BAS Agent, I can help you work through what is missing, bring the bookkeeping up to date, prepare the BAS properly and lodge it with the ATO.

What happens next:

Book a call with me and I can help you:

• Work out what you owe

• Lodge your overdue BAS with the ATO

• Set up a simple plan so you don’t get stuck in the same spot again

The sooner you start, the easier it is to deal with

The sooner you start, the easier it is to deal with.

Overdue BAS is more common than most people think, and the hardest part is usually getting started.

Book a free call and I’ll help you work out where things are up to, what might be missing, and what the next step should be.

No panic. No overcomplicating it. Just a clear place to start.

Book a Call with Jess

Learn More about Overdue BAS Help