Australian Financial Security Authority
AFSA is a Commonwealth statutory authority that administers Australia's personal insolvency system under the Bankruptcy Act 1966, regulates trustees and debt agreement administrators, and operates the Personal Property Securities Register and National Personal Insolvency Index, serving indebted individuals, creditors, and insolvency practitioners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersCanberra, Australia
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Australian Financial Security Authority does
The Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA) is a Commonwealth statutory authority operating within the Treasury portfolio, established in 1999 and headquartered in Canberra. It is the sole Australian government agency responsible for administering personal insolvency under the Bankruptcy Act 1966, regulating registered trustees and debt agreement administrators, and operating the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR). AFSA manages the National Personal Insolvency Index (NPII), the authoritative public register of all Australian personal insolvency proceedings.
AFSA delivers a suite of formal insolvency products and digital tools: Bankruptcy (a 3-year-and-1-day legal release from most debts), Part IX Debt Agreements (negotiated repayment plans), Part X Personal Insolvency Agreements (flexible arrangements allowing debtors to retain assets), and Temporary Debt Protection (a 21-day creditor enforcement moratorium). These are supported by self-service tools including an eligibility checker, an income contributions calculator, and a Bankruptcy Register Search function. Underlying technology is a government digital services platform hosted at services.afsa.gov.au and afsa.gov.au, delivering public register search, bankruptcy applications, and practitioner-facing portals. An API Channel exists for professional users, though its specification is not detailed in available materials.
AFSA is funded through parliamentary appropriations rather than commercial revenue. Statutory fees apply to debt agreement and personal insolvency agreement lodgements, with a government levy on receipts in administration, and Official Trustee fees set by statute. Bankruptcy applications carry no fee. The agency serves three primary constituencies: individuals experiencing unmanageable debt, creditors pursuing recovery, and registered insolvency practitioners, with secondary services to small business owners via partnerships with the Small Business Debt Helpline, ASBFEO, and the Australian Banking Association. Multilingual support is delivered through Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) coverage across 170+ languages. Headcount sits in the 251-500 band and the operational footprint is national only.
Australian Financial Security Authority firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Australian Financial Security Authority
- Legal name
- Australian Financial Security Authority
- Website
- https://afsa.gov.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- AFSA is a Commonwealth statutory authority that administers Australia's personal insolvency system under the Bankruptcy Act 1966, regulates trustees and debt agreement administrators, and operates the Personal Property Securities Register and National Personal Insolvency Index, serving indebted individuals, creditors, and insolvency practitioners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Australian Financial Security Authority industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Personal Insolvency Regulation
- NAICS
- Public Administration (92)
- SIC
- Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111), Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bankruptcy, Restructuring & Insolvency Law (BPAHAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Insolvency, Restructuring & Bankruptcy Administration (BPAHABAL), Insolvency & Turnaround Advisory (SME/Mid-Market Debtor-Side) (FSAEAFAK)
Keywords
Where Australian Financial Security Authority is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Canberra
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Australian Financial Security Authority business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Government appropriations: Funded through Commonwealth government budget appropriations as a regulatory agency
- Statutory fees and charges: Fees for lodging debt agreement proposals, personal insolvency agreement proposals, and other insolvency administration services
- Trustee fees: Official Trustee fees set by statute for administering bankrupt estates and debt agreements
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | No fee for bankruptcy application |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Statutory fees for debt agreements and PIAs |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Debt agreement administrator fees |
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Australian Financial Security Authority product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AFSA is the Australian Commonwealth government agency that administers and regulates personal insolvency under the Bankruptcy Act 1966. It administers formal insolvency processes (bankruptcy, debt agreements, personal insolvency agreements, temporary debt protection), regulates registered trustees and debt agreement administrators, maintains the National Personal Insolvency Index (NPII) public register, and operates the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR).
Product overview
The Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA) is a government regulatory body that administers personal insolvency processes in Australia under the Bankruptcy Act 1966. Rather than a unified commercial product, AFSA provides a suite of insolvency services and tools including: Bankruptcy (core formal option lasting 3 years 1 day), Debt Agreements (Part IX - negotiated repayment plans), Personal Insolvency Agreements (Part X - flexible debt arrangements), and Temporary Debt Protection (21-day creditor protection). These are supported by digital tools including eligibility checkers, income contribution calculators, and the Bankruptcy Register Search. AFSA also provides access to the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) and manages the National Personal Insolvency Index (NPII). Services are delivered through the Online Services Portal targeting individuals facing financial difficulty, creditors owed money, and registered practitioners/trustees.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Bankruptcy
Quantifiable outcome
- 480,825 PPSR registrations removed during June quarter 2026 to improve register integrity
Companies that use Australian Financial Security Authority
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Australian Financial Security Authority technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Australian Financial Security Authority partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR)coreAFSA operates the PPSR, a national register for security interests over personal property. The register allows businesses and individuals to search and register security interests, with 480,825 registrations removed during June 2026 to strengthen register integrity.
- TreasurycoreAFSA operates under the Treasury portfolio, working with the Australian Government Treasury on policy matters related to personal insolvency regulation.
- Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)coreASIC regulates corporate insolvency in Australia. AFSA refers individuals with company debts to ASIC for corporate insolvency options including restructuring, voluntary administration, and liquidation.
- Small Business Debt HelplinecoreFree government service (1800 413 828) for small business owners in financial difficulty. Provides financial counselling 9:00 am – 5:30 pm AEST, Monday to Friday.
- National Debt HelplinecoreFree hotline (1800 007 007) providing financial counselling services. Financial counsellors offer free, independent and confidential advice to help manage overwhelming debt.
- Rural Financial Counselling ServiceminorProvides free and independent financial counselling to eligible farmers, fishers, foresters and small related enterprises experiencing financial hardship. Call 1300 771 741.
- Australian Taxation OfficecoreATO is a key creditor in insolvency matters. AFSA provides information on how tax debts are treated in bankruptcy and refers individuals to ATO for business tax matters.
- Services Australia (Centrelink)minorServices Australia provides Centrelink payments to eligible individuals. AFSA provides information on how government assistance payments are treated during bankruptcy.
- Legal Aid commissionsminorLegal Aid commissions in each state and territory provide free legal advice and assistance for individuals dealing with debt and legal proceedings.
- Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) NationalminorTIS National provides interpreting services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for over 170 languages. Available by calling 131 450.
- Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO)minorASBFEO helps small businesses resolve disputes and offers Tax Concierge Service to help navigate the Administrative Review Tribunal process.
- Australian Banking AssociationminorABA's Financial Assistance Hub provides information for individuals and businesses experiencing financial hardship, with hardship team contact details for most Australian banks.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Australian Financial Security Authority competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Small Business Debt Helpline: Government-funded service providing free financial counselling to small businesses in financial difficulty. Comparable as a referral partner addressing the same small-business-debt segment AFSA targets through small business restructuring.
- National Debt Helpline: Free national financial counselling service that AFSA actively refers users to. Comparable as a frontline debt-advice provider in Australia addressing the same customer need (overwhelming debt) upstream of formal insolvency options.
Regional players
- Registry of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals (Singapore): Singapore's Ministry of Law administers the personal insolvency regime under the Bankruptcy Act and registers insolvency practitioners. Comparable as a regional peer performing national insolvency-administration and practitioner regulation outside Australia.
Broad incumbents
- Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC): Australia's corporate, markets and financial services regulator, which handles corporate insolvency (the area AFSA refers to). Comparable as a Commonwealth regulator in the Treasury portfolio with overlapping financial-services regulatory responsibilities.
- Australian Taxation Office (ATO): Major Commonwealth agency and key creditor in insolvency matters, often working with AFSA on tax-debt treatment in bankruptcies. Comparable as a large federal statutory agency with statutory collection and information-sharing obligations.
- Treasury (Australian Government): Parent portfolio for AFSA and the policy lead on personal insolvency regulation. Comparable as the overarching economic policy agency that funds and sets direction for AFSA.
Direct peers
- Insolvency and Trustee Service (New Zealand): New Zealand government agency within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment that administers personal insolvency under the Insolvency Act 2006 and maintains the Insolvency Register. Direct functional peer to AFSA in a comparable common-law jurisdiction.
- Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy Canada (OSB): Canadian federal agency that oversees the bankruptcy and insolvency system, licences insolvency trustees and maintains the Insolvency Records Search. Closely aligned with AFSA's mandate under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.
- UK Insolvency Service: An executive agency of the UK government responsible for administering personal and corporate insolvency, enforcing company director disqualifications and maintaining insolvency registers. Directly comparable as a national statutory insolvency regulator with similar functions to AFSA.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Australian Financial Security Authority social profiles
Digital presenceAustralian Financial Security Authority financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Australian Financial Security Authority leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Australian Financial Security Authority funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Australian Financial Security Authority M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Australian Financial Security Authority
What does Australian Financial Security Authority do?
AFSA is the Australian Commonwealth government agency that administers and regulates personal insolvency under the Bankruptcy Act 1966. It administers formal insolvency processes (bankruptcy, debt agreements, personal insolvency agreements, temporary debt protection), regulates registered trustees and debt agreement administrators, maintains the National Personal Insolvency Index (NPII) public register, and operates the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR).
Is Australian Financial Security Authority a public or private company?
Australian Financial Security Authority is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Australian Financial Security Authority founded?
Australian Financial Security Authority was founded in 1999. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Australian Financial Security Authority based?
Australian Financial Security Authority is headquartered in Canberra, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Australian Financial Security Authority make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government appropriations are the primary driver. The others are statutory fees and charges and trustee fees.
Who are Australian Financial Security Authority's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Small Business Debt Helpline and National Debt Helpline. Registry of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals (Singapore) is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and Treasury (Australian Government). Direct peers are Insolvency and Trustee Service (New Zealand), Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy Canada (OSB) and UK Insolvency Service.
Does Australian Financial Security Authority have an API?
No public API is recorded for Australian Financial Security Authority.
What industry is Australian Financial Security Authority in?
Australian Financial Security Authority's product category is Personal Insolvency Regulation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAAAH, Bankruptcy, Restructuring & Insolvency Law, with a secondary code of BPAHABAL, Insolvency, Restructuring & Bankruptcy Administration. Its NAICS code is 92 and its SIC code is 6111.