Financial Counselling for Individuals

Why seek financial counselling?

Personal financial pressures and debts can cause stress, lack of sleep and anxiety. At Better Place Australia, our financial counselling service will assist you in tackling your debts and financial pressures. You might feel embarrassment or shame about seeking help. Better Place Australia’s Financial Counsellors are non-judgmental about your circumstances. They’re here to offer you free, confidential and independent advice.

There are many and varied reasons people find themselves facing financial hardship.  No two situations are ever the same. Your circumstances are unique to you and we tailor the advice to meet your needs.

Common situations can include:

• separation or relationship breakdown
• being committed to unmanageable repayments
• loss of income/ reduced income
• mortgage stress/difficulties
• mental illness
• physical health issues
• addiction
• losses from gambling
• experiencing family violence
• difficulty making ends meet.

Our Financial Counsellors provide you with information and options to manage your debts or your budget. Where necessary, this may include supporting you in dealing with your creditor/s.

Who is it for?

Financial counselling can assist if you are:

• behind on your rent or mortgage
• unable to pay minimum monthly payments on credit cards or loans
• overcommitted with debt
• having difficulty paying fines or infringements
• worried about your car being repossessed
• having loan guarantor issues
• contemplating or facing bankruptcy.

The important thing is to seek help quickly. Don’t ignore your debt.

How does it work?

A Financial Counsellor can provide assistance to help you sort out your money troubles.

We will help you stand up for your rights with credit providers, debt collectors and more. Our Financial Counsellors have the experience and knowledge to provide options and strategies for financial difficulty.

A change of circumstances, such as a separation or major financial loss can leave you in a position of not knowing your financial future. A Financial Counsellor can assist you in learning how to budget and how to manage your bills and life expenses.

Our Financial Counsellors can:

• suggest options to improve your financial situation
• assess if you are eligible for government assistance
• negotiate repayment arrangements with your creditors
• explain your options and their consequences, including debt recovery procedures, bankruptcy and other alternatives
• if required, help you apply for a hardship variation
• assist you to prioritise your debts
• assist you to organise your finances and prepare a budget
• refer you to other services if required, such as: a gambling helpline, family support, mental health services, emergency relief, personal counselling or community legal aid.

Before you attend a Financial counselling session

Please have available for your session any documents that you think may be important to help us understand your circumstances.

These documents may include:

• proof of income, such as a Centrelink Income Statement
• list of transactions and/or bills, such as gas, electricity, rent or mortgage payments, other loans or credit card debt
• any other regular bills that you pay
• any legal documents relating to your money/financial commitments
• any other relevant financial statements.

What our service can’t do

Better Place Australia financial counselling can not:

• provide financial advice related to assets
• provide legal advice
• manage assets for you
• provide debt agreement services.

Download the Financial Counselling – Fact sheet.

Read the Examination of Financial Hardship, Debt and Poverty Amongst 1900+ Users of the Better Place Australia Financial Counselling Service. Part of the research of Centre for Better Relationships (CBR).

CBR is the research arm of Better Place Australia.