What Insolvency solution should I do?

When faced with serious financial difficulties, the debtor may have various options suggested to him by friends, family or other colleagues in whom he may have confided. Or it may be that his bank manager, one or more of his creditors or his business colleagues suggest what he should do, again assuming that they are aware of his financial circumstances. As in any important decision making process, it’s best to avoid plumping for what might seem an attractive solution at first and the well-meaning but sometimes erroneous advice of friends or colleagues. Continue reading

IVA and Bankruptcy statistics

Back in 2012 we noticed a significant swing away from bankruptcies and towards Individual Voluntary Arrangements or IVAs. It is interesting to look at what has been happening since then and particularly whether that trend has been sustained. The short answer is that it has and the numbers of individuals choosing bankruptcy continues to decline sharply.

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Debt Relief Order changes

Major changes have been announced in the Insolvency regime in England and Wales so as to make access to a Debt Relief Order much easier for people struggling with debt, particularly a certain category of insolvent debtors who were caught in a dilemma whereby they did not qualify for a Debt Relief Order and neither could they afford to pay the costs of bankruptcy. Hence the contradictory term: ‘too poor to go bankrupt’. Continue reading

Couple With Debts

When a couple decides to live together, they usually do it for reasons of love and the last thing on their minds is the financial status of their partner. Because love is often blind each partner may bury their heads in the sand in regard to the other’s financial stability at least for the time being. This can be a big mistake. There is much evidence to suggest that debts are a major problem for couples who decide to co-habit or get married and can be a significant cause of subsequent separation and divorce. Continue reading

Debt Solutions in the UK

If you find yourself deep in debt, there are seven main options which you can consider to address your predicament. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, about 98% of people who decide to do something about their personal debt problems opt for one of these seven courses of action. Which solution appeals to you? Which solution are you eligible to go for? See if your circumstances match any of them.

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IVA Boom in 2014

Figures just released by the Insolvency Service show a significant swing away from Bankruptcies and towards IVAs in the second quarter of 2014 when compared to the same period last year. Second quarter figures for 2014 show that, in England and Wales, IVAs reached a record high of 14,571 an increase of over 20% on the same quarter in 2013 and a historic high for any quarter since the legislation which created the IVA solution was introduced in 1986. Continue reading

Questions for your Insolvency Practitioner

The old cliché ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ can be applied to your personal circumstances when you are encountering financial difficulties. You may be considering going to a financial expert to get advice on what your options are in trying to address your problems. The recognized expert in the UK is an Insolvency Practitioner or IP and the equivalent in Ireland is a Personal Insolvency Practitioner or PIP. Continue reading