If you’re having personal financial problems, it’s important to know where to go for help
you can trust.
And that means speaking to an independent
advisor who can give you options, and help
you make the right decisions for your situation.
But how do you know if an advisor is trustworthy
or not?
The way they look?
That doesn’t really work anymore.
The real difference is in the advice you’re
given.
An untrustworthy advisor may suggest ways
to get you out of debt problems that are not
in your best interest.
Here are some examples of what an untrustworthy
advisor might offer you:
A payment of twenty thousand dollars to get
you out of bankruptcy in as fast as six months.
… organising your affairs so that your property
will be protected if and when you decide to
go bankrupt …
…. or advising that your bankruptcy or debt
agreement will not affect your credit rating.
The real danger in letting an untrustworthy
advisor handle your paperwork, is they could
include false information about your circumstances.
And if you go along with that, you will be
breaking the law.
The consequences of these sorts of solutions
are serious for you, and you need to fully
understand what’s involved with each option
before making your decision.
But there is one place you can go for easy-to-find,
trustworthy info …
…and that’s on the AFSA website.
That’s where you’ll find help on pages
like:
“I Can’t Pay My Debts” and
“Get Help with Debt Decisions” …
… and links to things like MoneySmart, financial
counselling services and lists of registered
professionals that you may consider seeking
advice from.
These are some of the things you can do to
protect yourself.
So, consider your options carefully, and whatever
you decide to do, make sure you receive the
right advice.
