An Individual Voluntary Arrangement is a good debt solution in the right circumstances. The Individual Voluntary Arrangement option has however been heavily marketed leading some members of the public to be naturally less aware of the alternatives to an Individual Voluntary Arrangement. In many circumstances these options might be a much better fit for their needs and circumstances.

The many options available can cause more confusion and concern for those who are in debt. Therefore by just knowing of these additional options is not enough.

Throughout this article we will try to explain about some of the important facts and figures that debt advisers look for when working to establish the best debt resolution options for their client. The content is not appropriate for residents of Scotland; they have a different but comparable list of options to choose between.

Your total level of unsecured debt is effective to a debt adviser. Unsecured debts are things like credit cards, store cards, bank loans and overdraft facilities. Secured debts in contrast are tied to an item of value such as your mortgage or hire purchase on a car. Historically the figure of £15000 has been quoted by IVA companies as being the minimum for an Individual Voluntary Arrangement though in more current times some Individual Voluntary Arrangement providers have been prepared to look at lower debt totals.

If your debts are below £15000 you may need to turn your attention to the options of a debt relief order, bankruptcy or a debt management plan.

Your assets matter to debt advisors as well. Assets can include the equity in your property or a vehicle that is owned by you without owing anything for the vehicle.If your assets add up to more than your unsecured debt, the IVA and debt relief order will not be suitable or available, however there are some exceptions. Bankruptcy is likely to threaten the assets themselves, this is why a lot will look at other options such as selling the assets themselves or rescheduling repayments through a debt management plan.

If your level of assets is lower than your amount of unsecured personal debt you may find that an Individual Voluntary Arrangement is worthy of further consideration. You should be aware that you may be required, if it is possible, to release some of this equity for the benefit of your creditors. Anyhow safeguards are built into this procedure that should mean your home is safe assuming that you keep up with your mortgage and IVA payments monthly.

Assessing your ability to make payments towards your debts each month is also necessary for a debt or Individual Voluntary Arrangement adviser. Should it be the case that less or no affordability for such a payment exists it should alert you to the possibilities of bankruptcy or a debt relief order. If any inability to make monthly payments is temporary in nature, the option of making "token payments" for a period may help you to get back into a position where the other options become available later

If the amount you can afford to pay each month is substantial it may mean that creditors will not allow an Individual Voluntary Arrangement to be agreed. This could be the case if it is apparent that your debts could be paid back in a period very much alike to that generally involved in an IVA. In such circumstances a debt management plan may help debts to be rescheduled to allow affordably and fully repaying the debts within a realistic timescale.

Where a practical monthly payment is affordable (a sum of ?150 per month and upwards perhaps), you should look at how long a debt management plan would take to deal with the debts that you have. If it is excessive an Individual Voluntary Arrangement may represent an agreement that will enable your creditors to accomplish a part-settlement and assign you to get back on your financial feet within a few years. In these circumstances bankruptcy will also be an option for you which could potentially have a shorter payment term than an IVA. However homeowners and certain professionals may feel that an IVA offers them greater protections.

Another factor to be contemplated on for debt advisors is the kind of employment the client is in. Insolvency (a bankruptcy, IVA or DRO) may create issues for professionals like accountants who rely on memberships of professional bodies. Police officers and members of the armed forces may need to adhere to certain procedures prior to selecting any of the options. People who have a job in the financial services sector and their role involves cash handling should check their employment contracts.These restrictions do not apply to informal debt management options.