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Eligibility5 min read

Who Qualifies for Debt Review?

Eligibility guidelines for debt review in South Africa — what over-indebtedness means and how a counsellor assesses your application.

Who Qualifies for Debt Review?

You may qualify for debt review if you are over-indebted — meaning your income is insufficient to meet all credit obligations after reasonable living expenses.

Common qualification indicators

  • Credit card, personal loan and store account repayments exceed your surplus
  • You are borrowing to cover existing repayments
  • Legal letters or collection activity has started
  • Essential expenses leave too little for contractual debt instalments

What a counsellor reviews

A registered debt counsellor examines income, household expenses, credit agreements and whether restructuring can create a realistic plan. This is why an assessment matters more than online quizzes alone.

Who may not be a fit

If your budget already covers debt comfortably, debt review may be unnecessary. If you need only short-term cash-flow advice, budgeting support might come first.

Next step

Use our eligibility checker on the resources page, then book a free assessment with DC Debt Clear for a definitive view.

Need personalised debt help?

Book a free assessment with DC Debt Clear.

Free Debt Assessment

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