Quick answer
Answer an assessor's question in four moves: reply the same day, answer the question asked before adding context, back it with a document where one exists, and confirm in writing what you said on the phone. If you do not know, say so and give a time you will find out. Short, specific and consistent answers speed up the file and protect you.
Key points
- Same-day reply, even if only to say when the full answer will arrive.
- Answer the exact question first, then add context.
- Back it with a document; confirm phone answers in writing.
- 'I don't know, I'll check by Thursday' is an acceptable answer.
- Method
- Reply, answer, evidence, confirm
- Tone
- Short, specific, consistent
- Never
- Guess or contradict an earlier answer
Why do questions arrive at all?
Because the file is a set of documents and the assessor is a person trying to reach a decision with them. Wherever the documents leave a gap or disagree, a question appears. A question is not an accusation; it is a request for the missing piece. The sooner and more cleanly the piece arrives, the sooner the file moves.
Owners sometimes read questions as signs of trouble. Mostly they are signs of progress: someone is reading your file closely enough to need more.
What is the four-move method?
| Move | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Reply | Acknowledge the same day | “Got it, I’ll have the answer by 3 p.m. tomorrow.” |
| 2. Answer | Give the direct answer first | “The 11 March credit was an overdue invoice.” |
| 3. Evidence | Point to or attach the document | “Invoice and remittance attached.” |
| 4. Confirm | Put phone answers in writing | “As discussed, confirming that…” |
Four moves, repeated each time. After the third question, it becomes automatic.
How do I answer well on the phone?
Listen to the whole question, then pause. Answer the question asked, in one or two sentences, and stop. Offer context only if it helps. Avoid the temptation to fill silence: the extra sentences are where inconsistencies are born.
If you do not know, say so. “I don’t have that in front of me; I’ll check and email by Thursday” is a perfectly good answer, as long as Thursday arrives. A guess that turns out wrong can be worse than a delay.
Illustrative example. An assessor asks why deposits fell in July. The owner answers, “Two big jobs slipped from July to August because a council was slow to approve a permit. They’re both in August’s deposits; I’ll email the two invoices after this call.” Two sentences, one document, one promise. The assessor writes it down and moves on.
What about written questions?
Answer in writing, with the question quoted so the answer stands on its own. Keep each answer to a short paragraph. Number them if there are several, matching the assessor’s numbering. Attach documents with names that match the topic: “03-Invoice-4417-March.pdf”.
Written answers become part of the file. Re-read before sending: do they agree with what you said earlier, and with the numbers in the statements? Consistency is more valuable than eloquence.
What if the answer is awkward?
Give it plainly, once, with the fix. If a question touches a credit listing, an ATO balance or a poor quarter, use the prepared notes: explaining a bad month and explaining a credit listing both offer short structures that carry over. Do not minimise, embellish or deflect.
A common trap is to answer a hard question with a different, easier one. Assessors notice, and the original question comes back with more weight.
How do I keep my answers consistent?
Keep a simple log: date, question, your answer, any attachment. The ATO’s record-keeping guidance stresses that records should show the purpose and basis of transactions and choices; the same habit applies to your answers on a loan file. If a later question touches the same topic, you can match it. If your position changes, tell the specialist and explain why.
What should I send beyond the question?
Only what it needs. An unprompted dump of extra documents creates new questions. If you think extra context would help, offer it: “I can also send the contract; would that be useful?” Then let the specialist decide.
The earlier stages of the process are mapped in stages and timelines, and the most common causes of delay are in what stalls a file.
What are some examples of strong and weak answers?
Compare two replies to the same question, “Why does the March statement show three direct debits to the same finance company?”
Weak: “Not sure, I think it’s an old thing. I’ll look into it.”
Strong: “Those are two equipment leases and a vehicle loan. All three are on the debt schedule I sent (lines 2, 3 and 5). I’ve attached the three agreements, and I realise the March statement made them look like duplicates because they come out on the same day.”
The strong answer is short, specific, points to a document and takes the assessor’s point of view. It also turns a potential red flag into a closed question.
How do I stay calm under questioning?
Remember that the questions are about the file, not about you. A few practical habits help. Take the question down in writing. Repeat it back in your own words to check you have understood. Answer in plain sentences. If you need to look something up, say so and give a time. If a question touches on something personal, you can answer briefly and factually. And if you realise you gave an inaccurate answer, correct it at once; assessors respect an owner who corrects a mistake far more than one who is found out later.
Who else can help?
Your accountant can answer questions about the numbers and, with your permission, speak to the assessor directly. Your solicitor can help with questions about property, structure and guarantees. Your bookkeeper can supply detail on transactions. Tell the specialist who they are and how they can be reached, so the right person can answer the right question without a relay.
Ready to lodge?
If you are about to begin, lodge a free enquiry. It takes about a minute, involves no credit check at this stage, and goes to one real person, not a crowd of lenders.
Answer the form the way you will answer the questions to come: precisely and consistently. The amount, the purpose, the state and your trading history should all match what you will say on the phone, so the first conversation flows from the start.
Frequently asked questions
What if I don't understand the question?
Ask. 'Do you mean the March deposit or the April one?' is a good question. Guessing wrongly costs more time than clarifying.
Should I answer by phone or email?
Either, but follow a phone answer with a short email confirming what you said. It keeps the file consistent and gives you a record.
What if my answer is bad news?
Say it directly and early, with the context and the fix. Bad news delivered by the owner reads as honesty; the same news discovered by the assessor reads as concealment.
Can I change an answer later?
Yes, if you tell the specialist promptly and explain what changed. Quietly contradicting yourself is the thing to avoid.
How many questions are normal?
It varies. A clean, well-captioned pack may produce few; a messy one produces many. The best predictor of the number is how many oddities were left uncaptioned.