Paddling into deeper waters

The Darwins may have taken exceptional measures to tackle their debt, but this shame associated with bankruptcy drives plenty of people every year to lesser lengths to avoid it. Sadly, many of these people finish up in expensive debt management plans or individual voluntary arrangements - both alternatives to bankruptcy - that are not always suitable for them. They then end up in a worse scenario, with bigger debts and worries than they started with.

Independent debt advice organisation the Bankruptcy Advisory Service - which does not simply advocate bankruptcy as a solution - says one of its major gripes is the lack of advice about the options available to people in debt. Unclear about what they should do, people either bury their head in the sand or turn to companies that sell debt solutions for help.



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