Client Case Study – Refinance to Clear ATO & HECS Debts with a Clean Slate and Alt Doc Loan
Some clients are like family—and this long-time WhiteStar client is no exception. Having worked with us before, she returned for help again when things became financially complex. As a small business owner, she’d accumulated multiple debts, including a large ATO tax debt and a HECS balance, and needed a fresh start with a new loan structure that made sense for her circumstances..
What She Was Managing Monthly
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$3,628 on their existing mortgage
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$983 toward a large personal loan
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Additional obligations for ATO tax debt and HECS
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Accounting challenges that made full-doc lending tricky
The ATO has also shifted how they treat business tax debts, and they’re not playing nice anymore. (You can read more here: ATO legislative changes). That added another layer of pressure—making this refinance not just important, but urgent.
A Tailored Alt Doc Solution That Worked
Given the client’s accounting issues, a full-doc loan wasn’t possible. But with other supporting income verification, Maria and the WhiteStar team were able to arrange an alt doc refinance that consolidated everything into a single, streamlined solution. This included:
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Clearing $34,000 in ATO tax debt
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Paying out $6,500 in HECS debt
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Replacing existing loans with a new monthly repayment of $4,558—lower than the previous home loan and personal loan combined
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Locking in a more competitive rate under an alternative documentation loan
Before & After Snapshot:
✅ Before: $4,611 per month + ATO + HECS repayments
✅ After: $4,558 per month including all debts cleared
✅ Outcome: Clean slate, lower interest rate, simplified finances, better cash flow, no ATO Debt.
An Unexpected Bonus: $7,000 in Tax Saved
As part of the review, Maria and Katerina also spotted something crucial in the client’s BAS. She had been incorrectly paying GST on services that were actually GST-exempt under the nature of her work. Thanks to their attention to detail, this resulted in over $7,000 in tax savings for the client—money she was able to reclaim.
She summed up her experience beautifully:
“I would like to extend my deepest thanks to Maria Lyons and Katerina Szabo for their outstanding support and dedication. Not only did they go above and beyond in helping me with my refinance and property needs, but they also discovered an error in my BAS—thanks to their keen eye and expertise, I received over $7,000 back in credit to my business. P.S. they’re not even my accountants!”
“This is not my first time working with these two incredible women, and each time they have exceeded my expectations. Their professionalism, care, and attention to detail are unmatched. Amazing—just amazing. Thank you both!”
Refinancing Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
This wasn’t just about clearing debt. It was about helping a trusted client take control again, simplify her life, and set herself up to succeed. We found the right product, worked around documentation challenges, and delivered long-term value—not just a loan.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by repayments or tax pressure, a tailored refinance could give you the fresh start you need.
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