A company is an association incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the ‘Act’). Incorporation gives the company a separate entity, distinct from its directors and shareholders. The company can enter into contracts, sue others, and be sued in its own right.

The Australian Investment and Securities Commission (ASIC) is the Government body authorised to administer the Act and may investigate and impose civil and criminal penalties for breaches under the Act.

As companies are separate legal entities, generally directors are not personally liable for the company’s actions. However, increasingly, ASIC and creditors of companies that have limited assets are pursuing recovery personally from company directors who may have breached their duties under the Act.

In certain circumstances, directors can be held personally liable for losses of the company. Some of these circumstances include:

• Insolvent trading;
• Personal guarantees;
• Breaching directors’ duties;
• Taxation debts and superannuation contributions; and
• Phoenix activity.

Insolvent Trading

The Act prohibits a company from trading whilst it is insolvent.

Because a company is a separate legal entity, directors and shareholders are generally protected from being personally liable for the company’s debts. This protection may be abused when directors allow companies to continue trading and incurring debt despite warnings of potential insolvency.

To circumvent unscrupulous or reckless trading, the Act provides that directors who allow a company to trade whilst insolvent will be in breach of both civil and criminal provisions of the Act and may be liable for its debts.

There are certain defenses available and directors may not be liable if:

• They had reasonable grounds to expect the company was solvent at the time the debt was incurred and would remain solvent after that time; or
• At the time the debt was incurred they did not participate in management due to illness or some other good reason; or
• They took all reasonable steps to prevent the company from incurring the debt.

Arguably, the threat of being personally liable for insolvent trading could cause directors who are facing transient cash flow issues to succumb to the early appointment of an administrator, despite good prospects of survival. To find an appropriate balance between encouraging enterprise and protecting the community, additional protections for directors have been introduced.

The safe harbour provisions are available to directors who take positive steps that are reasonably likely to result in a better outcome for the company than administration or liquidation.

Directors will not be liable for the debts of a company incurred whilst it is insolvent if:

• After suspecting the company is in threat of insolvency, the directors begin to develop a course of action that could reasonably be likely to lead to a better outcome for the company than immediate administration or liquidation; and
• The debts were incurred directly or indirectly in connection with this course of action.

Factors that may establish that a course of action would likely lead to a better outcome include:

• Whether the director properly informed himself/herself of the company’s financial position;
• Whether the director prepared a plan to improve the financial viability of the company such as a restructure; Whether the director retained a suitably qualified person to advise on the restructuring; and
• The taking of appropriate steps to prevent any misconduct within the company that could adversely affect its ability to pay its debts.

Directors generally cannot rely on the safe harbour provisions in circumstances where the company has failed to meet its obligations for employee entitlements, failed to maintain accurate financial accounts and records, or failed to substantially comply with its reporting and filing requirements under Australian taxation laws.

Personal Guarantees

A personal guarantee is a separate agreement between a director and a creditor where the director of a company agrees to pay a debt of a company in the event that the company does not make payment.

This could include a director providing security over personal assets such as a property.

Breaching directors’ duties 

Under the Act, directors have certain duties that must be complied with.

Where a breach of any of these duties is committed and the company suffers a loss, directors can be personally liable.

In these circumstances, civil and criminal penalties under the Act will apply, including paying compensation to the company.

Taxation debts and superannuation contributions

Directors are personally responsible for companies complying with Pay As You Go (PAYG) withholding and Superannuation Guarantee Charge (SGC) obligations.

Where these obligations are not met by a company, a director can be personally liable for non-compliance and will be penalised.

Phoenix Activity

This activity occurs where the directors of a company place it into administration or liquidation to avoid payment of creditors but continue the business under a new company name.

Not only can it result in civil and criminal penalties for directors, it can also result in a term of imprisonment.

Conclusion

Company directors hold a position of power and trust. The risk of personal liability is real but manageable and should not deter you from pursuing business and employment opportunities.

The best ways to meet the obligations of being a director are to become familiar with your duties and to understand the legal obligations and the situations which could give rise to personal liability, to be involved in the affairs and operations of the company and to obtain professional advice and assistance when needed.

If you or someone you know wants more information or needs help or advice, please contact us on (02) 9963 9800 or via our contact form here.