General

The laptop lifestyle has made it possible for more and more people today to jet off to a new life overseas for a fresh start while being debt free. That said, you won’t necessarily be able to automatically wipe your slate clean.

You’ve got some debt, and with that comes responsibility. Our advice? Don’t run to avoid it. We can help. No nasty surprises when you return back to Australia.

Going overseas with debt

It’s a normal part of life today to have some debt. We get it! But we’re advocates of going debt free, hence our name ‘The Debt Free Community’ – a resource for all Australians.

There’s some debts you might have, including credit cards, personal loans, home and car loans. Even tax debt, unpaid fines and electricity bills are financial obligations.

They need to be paid, or be sorted out by someone so you don’t have to talk to debt collectors yourself. We can help you so you don’t have to talk to those harassing debt collectors.

Traveling with debt: Can you do it?

Short answer: Absolutely YES you can. You can even move overseas. This doesn’t mean you can just stop paying.

Why? Worldwide tracking. They can find you, and some debt collectors now have international offices. Moreso, they’re super good at finding your friends and family through social media. They can hassle them so it embarrasses you.

There are documented cases of Australians being barred from traveling overseas because they have debt. This is the case with those with unpaid child support bills, or former welfare recipients who have unpaid debt. Technically they’re not allowed to leave our country, and are likely to be refused boarding at the airport.

Expensive lesson right there!

Note: If you are traveling, simply advise your bank. Just so they don’t cancel your card for suspicious activity on your account.

Leaving your debt behind

Nope, don’t do it. You might think that, as you’re now living in another country, that you can simply avoid the Australian authorities and responsibilities.

What if you want or need to come back to Australia? It’s going to be awkward at the Immigration counter.

Even those with a basic HELP debt simply cannot outrun the Australian government by moving overseas. This is also the case with other governments around the world now.

They’re all working together to recoup their debts from university students. It’s getting so much easier to find people.

Real Consequences

There’s some big and serious concerns that we have for those that want to outrun their debt by simply running off to another country. Look – we get it. It’s the easy approach. But it’s NOT the best approach for the long term.

Here’s what could happen:

• You’ll have to deal with debt collectors for months or years
• Depending on the size of debt, some will fly over to find you
• Legal action can commence the moment you return home
• You could be arrested and have your passport seized (That sucks…)
• Your credit report is going to be tarnished big time

Consider that if you want to come home for Christmas, that you might not be able to. At least, not without some tap on the shoulder at the Immigration counter. Too risky I say!

The real solution

If you’re in debt, and you want to run – we would say STOP! It’s not the solution. We can help.

If you’re being chased by debt collectors, and you’re looking for a fresh start and clean slate, then let us help you. Our solution simply works, as it has worked for thousands of people Australia wide.

You don’t have to leave the country. In fact, to be safe, you shouldn’t leave the country until this is all sorted. We can make it 100% safe for you, and then you can jet set around the planet without fear, and enjoy your new life.

Our recommended service can very likely reduce your interest payments, or help create a more flexible solution for you. Even change the schedule so it suits your situation better.

No more threatening letters, text messages or phone calls.

We can sort it out. We’re happy to sort it out.

Let us help you today. We’re ready and waiting!

Drop us a line here: https://thedebtfreecommunity.com.au/contact-us/

This is a slightly morbid post, and our heart goes out to anyone who’s suffered the loss or death of a loved one. No one likes to think about their own death or that of a loved one.

That said, there are measures today that can be implemented so your financial situation is improved. This can reduce unnecessary stress for your family during a difficult time.

A common question we get is: How are debts treated after the death of the debtor? We’ll do our best to answer this with an Australian perspective.

Please note: This is general advice and we recommend seeking the services of a professional solicitor or state trustee for remedial action. Both can provide a personalized approach to your unique situation.

Debt after debt: Who’s now responsible?

The family members of a person who has died with debt generally aren’t responsible for paying the deceased person’s debt in Australia. This is a different case in other countries, such as the United States.

That said, you may be liable if you’re a co-borrower or you signed a guarantee. Passing away with debt could affect someone’s estate, and precisely how much equity is left over for loved ones.

Two types of debt

There’s generally two types of debt in Australia. Secured debt, and unsecret debt.

1. Secured debt is where you’re borrowing against a real asset. This includes a house or car. In the case of a death, where the secured loan cannot be repaid by family or estate, then the lender has the right to reposes the asset. They’ll effectively sell it to recover the money owed.
2. Unsecured debts are other types of loans that aren’t backed by assets. This includes credit cards and personal loans. In the case of the debtor passing away, the lender may be able to obtain court orders to pay off the remaining balance from the estate.

Certainly the second option is a not a good one. I personally think it’s a little morbid and unfair on the family. Luckily, most banks won’t do this, but some will. This is why we’re an advocate of being debt free.

Creditors actually have priority over beneficiaries. That is – the bank is more important than the family of the deceased. Very much unfair! Luckily, most people today do have life insurance.

Family responsibility

There’s a responsibility on you, as the individual, to ensure you don’t put your family through this heartache upon your passing. Some scenarios are out there whereby you can be held accountable for covering a deceased person’s debts.

These include:

1. Those who are signed as a joint account with the deceased (and at least one person is still alive)
2. Those that have signed as a guarantor agreement for the life of the debt
3. If the loan was secured using the asset that the person who’s still alive jointly owns.

Most lenders do have a heart. They understand the difficulty that these situations present. Some will offer some leniency by way of eliminating fees or interests, though under Australian law, they don’t have to do this. Nor should you expect it either. They are debt collectors after all.

The Death of Debt

Here at The Debt-Free Community, we’re advocates of getting (and staying!) out of debt for the lifetime. If you’re concerned about your debt affecting your family, then there are ways to reduce your debt starting today.

You can talk to an adviser. Our recommended team actually offers a 100% FREE phone call with no obligation to go forward. That is – there are no out-of-pocket expenses even if you decide to go a step further with us, just like thousands of Australians have done.

For the first official post on the Debt Free Community. Let’s cover what exactly is Debt so you’ll have a firm grasp on how it relates to you personally.

What is debt

Debt, in relation to this website here, is money owned to a lender. This is generally a bank, a credit union or any other type of financial institution. It’s a deferred payment, money that is owed in the future.

Banks like this as the interest, earns them money. Plus, the lending costs are very minimal, and debtors (you) are very likely to repay the money loaned out.

Debtors and banks have gone back hundreds of years. Thousands of years even. It’s just that today, financial institutions are more sophisticated. The more aware of how to find the right applicants, assess their repayment ability and chase them when the monthly repayments or full balance isn’t repaid.

Being responsible

The responsibility for some people can be easy to handle. For others, it’s much harder. It’s an individual situation, and everyone’s situation is different. That’s why a tailored approach towards getting out of arrears is necessary.

Debts can move hands. That is, if you’re not paying your monthly minimum repayments, the full balance can be sold to a collection agency. So if your bank isn’t calling and someone else is, your debt is now with the next crew.

One thing is for real: debt is here to stay. In our world today, we simply couldn’t live without this at all. The bankers do own the world. A rigged game this definitely is.

But there is a way out of these financial challenges, and we’ll help you as much as we can. Simply use this website to your advantage. It’s what it is here for.

I hope this post has clarified what debt is. How you tackle your debt is up to you. We would recommend using the services here. Just for you, this website can be helpful.

Likewise, our #1 recommendation for Australians is always the National Debt Helpline. You can contact them at: 1800 007 007

Introduction

My name is Joshua, and I’d like to welcome you and provide you with an introduction to The Debt-Free Community for Australia.

This is a website, blog and knowledge-base I curated. A centrally-located hub that will help everyday Australians move towards a Debt-Free lifestyle as I have.

You’ve found here the first post. The first post of many that will be beneficial in helping everyone gather the tools and resources to assist them in dealing with ever-increasing debt.

My knowledge

Over the years, I hope to be of immense value to you here. To provide the best information possible, for you as an individual, or family, to make an informed decision. Allow this to be your resource-base, the sanctuary you need when times get tough.

The content I’ll be providing here will be assisting many people towards a debt-free lifestyle. Naturally, as we don’t know each other personally, I am unable to provide personalized-advice. You can be resourceful in using my site for your reference, and be better equipped to deal with your debt obligations and creditors.

For those with questions, you’re most welcome to use the Contact form provided here.

I look forward to being of value here, as an individual whose knowledge can be of use by so many Australians. We’ve all done it tough, and now it’s time for a refreshing change to the landscape.

My final thoughts

I firstly want to say ‘Thank you’. Firstly, thank you for choosing to find this site, for looking at the first and original post here. Towards researching what my site was always intended to be about.

Secondly, thank you for decided to make a change in your financial life. For choosing to move closer to the path of a debt-free lifestyle. I know it isn’t easy, it’s not exactly hard either. It’s just we need to decide and be committed.

Lastly, I’m here for you. As a friend, a mentor and a resource base. A place where you can get the best information, tools and strategies to cure your debt problems. Once and for all.

It’s all free. Starting today. Welcome to the journey ahead!