Debtfree Magazine Issue#6 2020 by Debtfree Magazine

HOW LONG DOES DEBT REVIEW TAKE? Issue 6 of 2020

EXCELLENCE IS DOING ORDINARY THINGS EXTRAORDINARILY WELL â&#x20AC;&#x201C; John W. Gardner

WHAT MAKES US EXCELLENT? / Unimpaired and automated PDA systems / Integration with top-ranked Debt Counsellor systems / Enhancing Debt Counsellor efficiency and sustainability / Best customer support in the country â&#x20AC;&#x201C; queries are resolved within 24 hours / Strong compliance and best-industry-practice implementation is at our centre

Call Chris van der Straaten Head of Hyphen PDA | 082 557 0437 Or call our friendly support centre on 011 303 0060 - Option 2 or visit our website www.hyphenpda.co.za

Take Back Control Of Your Finances We provide a remedy specifically for over-indebted consumers which involves restructuring of debt payments, lowering interest rates and fees and lengthening payment terms. Debt Counselling could be the best gift you give yourself.

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FROM THE EDITOR

When Poland was invaded at the start of World War 2 the polish soldiers had bicycles. The German soldiers had tanks. In the lead up to the war one country (Germany) had been investing in weaponry and the other had not. It lead to a massive imbalance and Poland fell in just weeks. The spread of Covid-19 into the populous and the strain that is now been evidenced on the health care system feels similar. With hospital staff being some of the most exposed people in the country we should not be surprised that even with protective gear they are getting sick themselves. This means less medical care staff to look after growing numbers of patients; patients who are now starting to fight over beds and oxygen. Even with the delay that the lockdown provided, the health care system is not and has not been ready. They have been riding around on bicycles while Covid-19 has been rolling its tanks towards the SA border. What follows now is going to be very hard.

Often though, it is when we really see the extent of the problem that we are able to finally take the needed action (even if that may be slightly too late). For many who face hard economic times the legal debt collection process can feel like an invading army. Relentless letters, sms, whatsapps, call and even in person visits can batter and browbeat a consumer into having to chose between feeding their family and settling their debts. When the formal sector runs out of regulated credit many then turn to loan sharks in the informal sector, making the problem even worse. Fortunately for South African consumers, the government has been preparing for the financial battle of our times well in advance - since back in 2007. We have even had a dry run of economic woe during the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Great Recessionâ&#x20AC;? of 2008 (Covid-19 will make that look like a picnic). We have the needed supplies ready. We have the processes and the staff. These economic frontline workers are Debt Counsellors, Attorneys and the Courts. This may be one invasion that we are actually ready for. To those front line nurses, doctors and medical staff we say: Thank you for your service. Please stay safe and keep up the amazing work. To those consumers who are now finding themselves wounded by job losses, half time shifts and pay cuts we say: Look to your local Debt Counsellors to help you through these tough times. When the dust of Covid-19 settles in a few years, we will look back on this time with either regret or as the start of something truly significant. Perhaps it was in the midst of all this craziness that you began your journey to become debt free.

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EMAIL TO ENSURE YOU ARE LEGALLY ABLE TO RETURN TO WORK

H OW LONG DOES DEBT REVIEW LAST

HOW TO LEAVE WORK AT WORK

HOW TO TALK ABOUT MONEY PROBLEMS

ARE YOU THINKING OF LEAVING DEBT REVIEW?

SERVICE DIRECTORY

DISCLAIMER Debtfree Magazine considers its sources reliable and verifies as much information as possible. However, reporting inaccuracies can occur, consequently readers using this information do so at their own risk. Debtfree Magazine makes content available with the understanding that the publisher is not rendering legal services or financial advice. Although persons and companies mentioned herein are believed to be reputable, neither Debtfree Magazine nor any of its employees, sales executives or contributors accept

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C O N T E N T S

BREAKING NEWS

EMERGENCY BUDGET BRINGS NO NEW TAXES FOR NOW During the June 2020 emergency budget speech, it was announced that there will be no new taxes for individuals. There was talk of new taxes down the line, to cover current spending, but nothing definitive announced for the moment. An additional R12.6 billion is going towards frontline Covid-19 efforts plus another R21.5 billion will be spent on Covid-19 related matters. R100 billion is getting allocated to create new jobs in an effort to offset the unemployment wave that is about to break and R25.5 billion is getting added to social development. Since tax revenue is going to be so poor and because so many businesses are going to be failing and the economy is going to retract into recession, the extra needed funds will be borrowed ($7 billion) pushing debt obligations up to new heights. At the same time government is going to try limit spending wherever they can (except for R3 billion that will be given to Land Bank to bail them out).

VBS LOOTERS GET ARRESTED After a whistleblower came forward to reveal looting at the Venda Building Society mutual Bank (VBS) the bank was found to be missing Billions, and was placed into curatorship. Now many of the key people (supposedly) involved in the theft and fraud, have been rounded up by the police. It is reported that R1.9 billion was plundered from the VBS coffers by the very people running the show. Those who helped cover up the theft, or helped keep investigators at bay, were rewarded with Millions in bribes and payoffs. 4 years after the story first broke, people are finally being arrested. The Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former chairperson Tshifhiwa Matodzi, CEO Andile Ramavhunga, Treasurer Phophi Mukhodobwane and CFO Philip Truter were all rounded up, since it seems they were the ones who benefitted the most, and knew all about what was going on. Two Public Investment Corporation (PIC) representatives, who sat on the VBS board, Paul Magula and Ernest Nesane have been arrested. The former CFO of SAPS (Phalaphal Ramikosi) has also been rounded up. Ramikosi sat on the VBS board and was part of an audit committee who hid the theft. Former KPMG employee Sipho Malaba has also been rounded up, supposedly for quashing questions by junior KPMG staff about auditing irregularities and concerns. There are many others who supposedly benefited from the looting, and many accusations are flying between politicians and investigators. More arrests may soon follow.

ENRON, STIENHOF AND NOW WIRECARD You may have heard of Enron. You have certainly heard about South African firm Steinhof. Both were involved in massive fraud, hiding the theft of Billions from investors and the public. Now German payment giant Wirecard, has joined the ranks of these infamous frauds. Wirecard is a Germany based payment provider who began trading in 1999. They began their business helping to organise payments for porn and gambling sites during the start of the electronic payment boom, before later expanding to handle payments for other industries. The company listed on the DAX (stock exchange) and is based in Munich which is also home to BMW and Siemens. They handled payments for all sorts of clients such as the soccer club Bayern Munich, Mobile Carrier Orange and even furniture giant Ikea. Audit reporting from the firm said that a quarter of the entire companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s balance sheet was sitting safely in trust accounts in the Philippines. After some investigation, the Philippine bank said that they did not actually have Wirecard as a client, that the money had never been deposited with them. It seems that this claim was made by the company to try and hide the missing Billions. Approximately R39 Billion simply does not exist, it may never have been there in the first place.

MANIPULATING THE RAND The Competition Commission are going after currency manipulators at 28 Banks including local banks Nedbank and Rand Merchant Bank. The scandal involves 38 different traders who work for the various banks who were alleged to have been part of a conspiracy to rig the prices of various currencies (including the Rand). Between 2007 and 2013 the Rand bounced up and down between R7/Dollar and 10.40/Dollar. It seems this was in part or whole due to manipulation by these traders. Two of the bank traders (one who works for Barclays and one who works for Citigroup) have already admitted to what they and others were doing. Another one of the traders (who worked for JP Morgan) has even been found guilty and was convicted last year. The involved traders, supposedly shared secret information among themselves and sometimes even created fake bids to push exchange prices up or down. This enabled their friends to buy or sell at the right time to make huge profits. This made the traders and their banks millions or even billions in profit. If convicted, their employers could now face massive fines of up to 10% of their turn-over.

NCR LOCKDOWN MEASURES COME TO AN END When the Covid-19 Pandemic hit South Africa, and the National Credit Regulator (NCR) saw the coming challenges due to lockdown, they issued a circular which extended or suspended the usual ‘business days’ used to work out timelines in the debt review and PDA space. Anticipating a massive spike in debt review payment reversals, the NCR made allowance for the PDAs to hold consumers funds for 20 business days before payment to credit providers. While this was much safer for PDAs (saving many millions of Rand) it meant that credit providers had to wait longer for payments from debt review clients. The NCR has now announced that they are dropping the protective 20 days all the way back to 5 days as of the end of June 2020. The temporary changes made (in Circular 1) to the ‘business days’ which counted in debt review, came to an end on June 17th 2020. This will be the date used to calculate continuing timelines for applications in the process.

HOW LONG DOES DEBT REVIEW LAST?

INTRODUCTION Many consumers who are thinking of entering debt review wonder, how long is this process? Because each person’s financial situation is unique, a debt review could take only a few months, or it could take several years. Let’s consider some of the factors influencing how long the process could last and some debt counselling industry “norms”.

HOW LONG DOES DEBT REVIEW LAST?

INDUSTRY NORMS There are some ‘common’ repayment terms (how many months it takes to repay the debt) when dealing with debts. These are the normal time periods that banks and other credit providers ask people to repay their debts over. HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES • A pay-day loan will be repaid within a few days at end of month • Car finance could be repaid over 72 months or even 96 months • Small personal loans are often repaid over a year • Large personal loans are often repaid over 6 years • Other types of debt allow you to use the debt and pay off only some before dipping into the debt again such as a credit card or overdraft facility. Though you could settle the debt and are asked for a minimum repayment each month, the debt could in theory go on forever as long as you pay something towards the debt each month. • Home loans (bonds) are often paid off over 25 or 30 years. It is also normal to have account fees which are charged for all debts each month. These can be as much as R60 plus Vat each month. If you have 10 accounts then, you could be paying R600 a month just in account fees.

HOW LONG DOES DEBT REVIEW LAST?

HOW DEBT REVIEW WORKS The general idea behind debt restructuring is to help consumers stretch out the time period required to repay the debt. Rather than stick to industry norms for repaying debt the time period can be extended to as long as is needed. This means the monthly repayment amount can be smaller. Then, because the consumer does not need as much money to repay their debts, they have more money available to cover their monthly obligations. In order to assist consumers avoid lots of extra fees and interest, credit providers often willingly cancel fees entirely and lower the original interest rate. This can end up saving consumers thousands over time. What is interesting is that the debt is not the primary focus of a Debt Counsellor. A Debt Counsellor will actually begin their calculations by first looking at how much the consumer realistically must have to cover their familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs each month. Once they have that figure, they will know how much the consumer has available to allocate towards their debts.

HOW LONG DOES DEBT REVIEW LAST?

DEBT REVIEW INDUSTRY NORMS Debt review proposals (made by Debt Counsellors) are taken to court and put before a Magistrate who decides if he likes the proposals or not. The Magistrate then makes a final court order restructuring the debts. While the National Credit Act says that debt can simply be repaid over any time period that “eventually” settles the debt, many courts like to see something that is fairly reasonable. They do not enjoy proposals that will take too many years to repay. Credit providers also have some preferred time periods during negotiations, before the court hearing happens. With that in mind, it is not uncommon for debt counselling software to work out repayment periods over 60 months (5 years). This is because often the banks find this to be a “safe” or manageable risk period. So, where a debt may have, before debt review, been repaid over 24 months it could now be stretched out and calculated over 60 months.

HOW LONG DOES DEBT REVIEW LAST?

EACH CASE IS UNIQUE Though there are industry â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;normsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; this does not mean that if you start debt review you will be forced to pay off your debts over 60 months. You may have less debt and be able to repay that debt over only a few months. Or your debt may be larger and you may need to pay them off over a longer time period. This is why a Debt Counsellor first has a detailed look at your finances and your monthly needs. This will determine how much is available to repay your debts. They will then negotiate changes to your interest rates and fees to help keep the repayment time period to the shortest possible and practical. Once the court has this information they will make a court order restructuring the debt. If you later begin to earn more (or less) it is possible to talk to all your credit providers to try and adjust the arrangement (which could mean going back to court). The focus is on settling all smaller debts (including vehicles) and then ending the debt review. It is not necessary to repay your entire bond through debt review. It is possible to leave debt review when only a bond is left.

HOW LONG DOES DEBT REVIEW LAST?

YOUR COURT ORDER If you are in the debt review process and have been paying off your debts regularly then you will have received monthly statements from your Payment Distribution Agent (PDA). This helps you track some information about your debts. You can also have a good look at the table included in your personal copy of your debt restructuring court order to see how many months each debt will take to get paid off (as long as you stick to the arrangement). If your matter has not yet gone to court (at the very start of the process) then you can ask your Debt Counsellor for a copy of the proposal they are going to make to the courts. This could give you a rough idea of what the courts may order. If your matter has gone to court and you do not yet have a copy of your court order, ask your Debt Counsellor for one.

HOW LONG DOES DEBT REVIEW LAST?

TIME FLIES If it feels like your debts are taking a long time to get paid off, remember that part of the purpose of debt review is also allow you to cover your monthly costs for your family. To accomplish this it is often most practical to repay your debts over a longer time period. Tracking your monthly progress in repaying your debts against the time periods shown in your court order can help you get a feeling of progress throughout the process. If you do wish to speed up your debt review then you can talk to your Debt Counsellor about paying a little more towards your debt each month if you are able. This will help you finish repaying your debts sooner. One of the joys of debt review is not having to worry about your debts any more. You are able to focus on living and not stressing. Before you know it you will find your debts have disappeared.

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DEBT REVIEW LESSON 1

If you spend a little bit of money each day on lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s little luxuries, the figure can really add up over the whole month.

HOW TO LEAVE WORK AT WORK, WHEN YOU WORK FROM HOME Due to the changes brought about by the national lockdown, many people have found themselves working from home for the first time. Finding the balance between your work and home life can be difficult when first thrust into this situation. What are some ways that you can keep work in its proper place?

HOW TO LEAVE WORK AT WORK

WORK IS IMPORTANT It is very important that your family respect your work obligations and work time. Just because you are working from home, does not mean that you are available to your family 24/7. Your employer is paying you for the time you are meant to be working. If your family members keep distracting you, that is effectively stealing time from your boss. It is important that families discuss the new rules around your work situation. If you have young ones in the family, you might need to repeat this discussion from time to time.

HOW TO LEAVE WORK AT WORK

SET LIMITS Just because you can work all hours of the day, does not mean that you should. You have other important things to deal with that could be neglected if you focus solely on work: your own health, your family’s needs and household chores that need to be attended to. Try to treat remote work like your regular office work. Every morning, get dressed, work from a designated area in the house, take breaks (only when you normally would during the regular work day) and “head home” at the end of the work day. If you treat your work professionally, then you family will follow your attitude and do the same.

HOW TO LEAVE WORK AT WORK

USE TECHNOLOGY WISELY If your eyes are glued to a tablet or phone all day unnecessarily, this could be damaging your relationships at home. Your partner may feel neglected and even begin to resent the time you have to use your device for work. By being aware to not use your phone for work purposes outside of work time, you will reduce this stress for your partner. In general, we tend to look at screens too much. Be sure to take regular breaks (which will be good for your eyes, neck and back). Be aware of the people around you, and even if you are legitimately busy on your device, try to regularly look up to see what is going on.

HOW TO LEAVE WORK AT WORK

WORK IS IMPORTANT BUT YOUR FAMILY IS IMPORTANT TOO Your boss would love it if you worked 24 hours a day, but is unlikely to pay you to do so. So, be sure to work hard for the time that they do pay for, but know when to get changed and relax. Because you are dependent on your job for income, it is important to discuss how you can cooperate as a family, so that you can give provide quality work during office hours. Keep in mind that jobs come and go, but your most important relationships are with your family. So, look up regularly to make sure they are ok. Take short breaks during set times to give them the attention they crave during the work day (especially the young ones). Make technology work for you, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let it use you, then you will be able to put down that device, turn off that computer and enjoy very precious time with your family once the work day is over.

DEBT REVIEW LESSON 2

When shopping, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just look at the items at eye height on the shelves. These tend to be more expensive.

HOW TO TALK ABOUT MONEY PROBLEMS WITHOUT FIGHTING Debt is listed as one of the major causes of stress. Couples can find their relationships under increased pressure due to their debt. Many people find it hard to be honest with their partner or family about their debt situation, finding that the conversation quickly turns into an argument. How can you discuss your debt without getting into a fight?

HOW TO TALK ABOUT MONEY PROBLEMS WITHOUT FIGHTING

MEN AND WOMEN HANDLE CHALLENGES DIFFERENTLY Women often enjoy deconstructing a problem in detail, before moving onto possible solutions. Many women complain that their man doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give them time to really dig into the problem before throwing out solutions. This can leave them feeling like they are not being heard. Men like to look for ways to fix things quickly, as this makes them feel useful to their family. This can lead to them rapidly offering potential solutions, rather than talking about the challenge at length. Some feel that their partner does not value their suggestions, if they still want to talk about the problem and not their good suggestion. With this in mind, it is important that when discussing debt, men allow women enough time to discuss the challenge, to analyze and investigate it thoroughly. They can try to hold off on offering solutions until they have a complete picture of the situation and also how it makes their partner feel. Sometimes their partner may not even want or expect any solution, and may be very happy simply to have discussed the problems they face together. Women should try to be very clear about what they want from their partner, and should not be upset if their man offers ideas and solutions before the matter is fully considered. It can help if she remembers that these suggestions come from a place of concern for the family.

HOW TO TALK ABOUT MONEY PROBLEMS WITHOUT FIGHTING

FIND THE RIGHT TIME Since money problems are naturally a sensitive topic, it is better not to rush through this conversation. Rather choose a time when both parties are relaxed and not when you are busy or preoccupied. Many couples like to do so over a nice meal when both are well rested and can focus on the issue. Talking regularly about your debt, on a certain day of the month or evening of the week can help. By having a regular schedule to discuss this topic, neither partner will feel like they are getting ambushed.

HOW TO TALK ABOUT MONEY PROBLEMS WITHOUT FIGHTING

DON’T PLAY THE ‘BLAME GAME’ It is not uncommon for one partner in a relationship to have more debt than another. It often happens that one partner normally handles all the financial matters for the whole family. They may, out of concern for their partner hide the true extent of their financial problems. Then when all the facts later become known it can cause a lot of stress if one partner blames the other. Though it is not a good idea to hide debts from your partner, the other partner needs to consider why their other half felt the need to hide the info in the first place. Normally it is out of worry or concern that they will (1) upset or (2) stress their mate, so the motive is a good one, if not misguided. Even where one partner has made mistakes and taken on debt that the whole family now has to cope with, it is vital to see what the real problem is. Not who knew what, but rather that there is debt to be dealt with. The debt is the common enemy, and not your partner. Paying off debts together, and helping to build a debt free future can be a rewarding process that draws the family closer together.

HOW TO TALK ABOUT MONEY PROBLEMS WITHOUT FIGHTING

IT’S NOT ONLY ‘WHAT’ YOU SAY When discussing debt, the tone of your conversation can make all the difference between a helpful strategy session and a bitter argument that accomplishes nothing. It is true that it is not only what you say but also how you say it. By choosing kind words and sentences that do not assign blame, you can show that you care, and can avoid a lot of arguments. Giving your partner enough time to express themselves, and realizing that the debt is the problem and not your partner, will go a long way to prevent unnecessary fighting. Rather than starting sentences with “No. I think…” try saying: “Yes and…” Acknowledge what you have heard (sometimes even repeating it, so your partner knows you are listening) before offering additional suggestions to be discussed. Terms of endearment and kind words will draw you together when dealing with debt rather than driving you apart.

HOW TO TALK ABOUT MONEY PROBLEMS WITHOUT FIGHTING

TALK ABOUT YOUR DEBT WITHOUT FIGHTING If we make allowances for each other, remembering that men and women communicate differently, we can avoid fighting about this sensitive subject. If you can find a convenient, regular time to discuss your debt together in a leisurely and calm way, you are less likely to fight. Avoid playing the blame game and focus on the debt as the problem that needs to be tackled together, you can avoid raised voices and angry words. Starting a sentence with “Darling” can help ease the tension when discussing debts. Don’t let debt (which is already a problem) cause other difficulties in your home. Work together to discuss and find solutions on your journey to financial freedom.

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DEBT REVIEW LESSON 3

If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t speed when driving you will be safer and avoid expensive speeding tickets.

ARE YOU THINKING OF LEAVING DEBT REVIEW? Many people who have been in the debt review process may want to leave after some time. This could be because all your debts are now paid up, but could be for a number of other (not so good) reasons. Would it be a good idea to leave the debt review process before all your debts are paid off?

ARE YOU THINKING OF LEAVING DEBT REVIEW?

WHEN YOUR DEBTS ARE PAID UP If you have managed to pay off all your debts through debt review, Well Done! This is no mediocre accomplishment, it takes real determination to stay in the debt review process, through the highs and lows and systematically paying off all your debts. Once your all your debts are settled, your Debt Counsellor will assist you to get a clearance certificate (also known as a Form 19) and they will notify the +- 13 credit bureaus to remove mention of your debt review from their records. This can take a few days. They will also notify the National Credit Regulator (NCR) that all your debts are paid up. Then in the future, if you want, you can start to use credit again.

ARE YOU THINKING OF LEAVING DEBT REVIEW?

BEFORE YOUR DEBTS ARE PAID OFF Some consumers receive calls from greedy collections agents trying to ‘trick’ them into leaving debt review. Others receive poor service from their Debt Counsellor. Others feel that they are not making progress paying off their debts. Some fortunate consumers’ financial circumstances change for the better and they no longer require debt review. Let’s see what could happen in each of these situations.

ARE YOU THINKING OF LEAVING DEBT REVIEW?

BEFORE YOUR DEBTS ARE PAID OFF YOUR DEBT IS NOT GETTING PAID

Consumers who are told by collections agents that their â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;debts are not getting paidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; should consider: since debt review is done via the courts and monitored by the National Credit Regulator (NCR), is it really likely that their debts are not being paid through debt review? They must also remember that collections agents work for a commission on the money they convince consumers to pay. So, if you have been told (by a collection agent) that a debt has not being paid, please first get all the facts by contacting (1) your Debt Counsellor (2) your PDA (3) your attorneys (4) your actual bank and not the collections agent.

ARE YOU THINKING OF LEAVING DEBT REVIEW?

BEFORE YOUR DEBTS ARE PAID OFF POOR SERVICE

If you receive poor service from a service provider, you may normally consider switching service providers i.e. switching one mobile network for another. Perhaps one network has a special deal that you want to take advantage of, so you switch. Switching between Debt Counsellors is not as easy. Your court order mentioned the name of your debt counsellor in the court order for debt restructuring. Credit providers (and the NCR) link your account to a particular Debt Counsellor and may not want to deal with another. If you have been getting poor service from your Debt Counsellor, first make sure that you have realistic expectations if what a Debt Counsellor can actually do for you. For example, you may be getting collections calls about a debt included in your debt review. Don’t blame your Debt Counsellor for this. This is the fault of the collections agent (or credit provider) and not your Debt Counsellor. Your Debt Counsellor can however help you complain to the right people about bad collections agents. If you want better service, then clearly communicate what you expect to your Debt Counsellor. Explain clearly when you would like to receive the information or service you are asking about. If your deadline is unreasonable, this will allow them the opportunity to let you know. Of course, be sure to follow up until you get the level of service you require.

ARE YOU THINKING OF LEAVING DEBT REVIEW?

BEFORE YOUR DEBTS ARE PAID OFF SLOW PROGRESS

Do you feel that your debts are taking a very long time to be paid off? Does it seem like your balances are not decreasing fast enough? First, go and check your debt restructuring court order, this will show you exactly how long it is going to take to pay off each of your debts. This will be similar to the plan your Debt Counsellor originally proposed. Many plans are structured over 5 years in order to keep your monthly debt repayment amounts smell enough to allow you to have enough cash available for your necessary monthly household costs. You may actually be on track to settle your debt over time in a reasonable way, check what the court order says. If you want to speed up your debt repayments, then you will need to pay a little more each month. You should however, be careful of using money that you should be saving for annual expenses though, rather save those funds for when they are needed.

ARE YOU THINKING OF LEAVING DEBT REVIEW?

BEFORE YOUR DEBTS ARE PAID OFF IMPROVED FINANCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

If you have received a salary increase or perhaps if your partner has recently found employment, this could mean that you suddenly have a lot more available funds to pay towards your debt each month. Rather than simply leaving debt review, and losing all the benefits of lower monthly fees and lower interest,Â think about paying more towards your debts each month. This will allow you to manage the adjustment to your new financial situation better, while still paying your credit providers what they want. Talk to your Debt Counsellor about how you can do this, and which accounts can be paid off first.

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ARE YOU THINKING OF LEAVING DEBT REVIEW?

DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T BE IN A RUSH TO LEAVE DEBT REVIEW If you leave debt review suddenly then all your credit providers may simply go back to the old payment arrangements from before debt review, and may even demand money that would have been paid, if you never entered debt review. This can sudden leave you with a very large bill that you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t actually afford. You might lose all the progress that you have made inside of debt review, triggering an increase in your fees and interest. This can cost you thousands of rand, and in some cases has resulted in people losing their assets (like cars and homes) because they have cut off contact with their Debt Counsellor at a vital time, just when they needed their services. Before deciding to leave debt review, you should first consider all the facts together with your Debt Counsellor. When speaking with them, give them all the information about why you want to leave, this will ensure that you only leave debt review when it will help, and not harm you.

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What if...

YOUR CLIENT’S VEHICLE IS STOLEN OR WRITTEN OFF?

Is he really insured, and if so, properly? Could the insurer repudiate the claim because of his debt review status? As he cannot borrow, how does he replace his vehicle? Since he can’t get more credit, how does he replace his vehicle?

Meliorleaf is the first and only specialist in insuring the assets of people in debt review. We genuinely protect your clients… in partnership with you.

CALL US NOW 010 141 2799 | www.meliorleaf.co.za

MAXIMISING INSURANCE RELATED INCOME

PARTNERSHIPS How Meliorleaf partnerships with Debt Counsellors work. We keep you advised regarding your clients to ensure they are covered properly and remain covered. We remunerate you, ongoing, for what you choose to do: Some debt counsellors want to be actively involved in arranging and managing insurance relationships, and we fairly share commissions earned Some debt counsellors are also registered Financial Services Providers. They can advise clients and provide a full broking service, and are entitled to earn the full commission But, Meliorleaf understands that some debt counsellors cannot or do not want to be actively involved. However, they do want their clients to be properly insured: For these debt counsellors, Meliorleaf can provide a fully outsourced turnkey solution. What’s more, we will still provide you with ongoing remuneration on all active policies.

Are you interested in partnering with Meliorleaf? Call Sean or Elmarie today on 010 141 2799 CALL US NOW 010 141 2799 | www.meliorleaf.co.za

These interviews, with some of the most prestigious virologists worldwide summarise findings about lockdown:

Debt Counsellors Collective We made our submission to the DTI on time. Thank you to all members who shared input. If you want your voice to be heard please feel free to email alan@themoneyclinic.co.za

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl-sZdfLcEkÂ www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RAtFBvKrVw www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxHbZ0ylsac

Welcome to our new facebook group members. If you are a Debt Counsellor and would like to contribute to our discussions, debates and conversations then please visit us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/allprodc

www.allprodc.org

Thank you to all front line essential service workers during the lockdown

Catch up on our recent podcasts on the DCASA website: www.dcasa.co.za/faq

www.dcasa.co.za

NDCA are ready to help consumers who are struggling with debt. Visit our site for more information

Form 42

QUESTION How long does it take you to get your Form 42 ready? ANSWER Maximus will send you your Form 42 as soon as it is due automatically in the format you need to submit to the NCR.

DEBT REVIEW AWARDS 2020 NCR REGISTERED DEBT COUNSELLORS, PDAS & CREDIT PROVIDERS CAN SIGN UP HERE

VISIT THE DEBT REVIEW AWARDS WEBSITE

All professionals have professional indemnity if the unforeseen happens. Do you as a professional Debt Counselor have professional indemnity as stipulated by the ethical code?

086 111 2882

TELEPHONE 0861 112 882 FACSIMILE 086 605 9751 MOBILE 082 449 6856 EMAIL andre@in2insurance.co.za

www.in2insurance.co.za

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