When debt becomes unmanageable, call the debt adjusters

By Mr Bankruptcy

29th October 2025

Millions of people are facing financial hardship due to rising living costs, unexpected major expenses, or changes in their employment. In this sort of environment, bills and debts begin to feel overwhelming.

Fortunately, there’s a team of professional you can call on, who are qualified and ready to help you navigate through financial complexities, working on your behalf to make debt more manageable again.

These are the debt adjustors.

Debt adjustor versus debt advisor

Adjustor v advisor sounds a bit adversarial, but they are both there to help you. However, there are some differences in what services teach one offers, as defined in the Financial Conduct Authority Handbook.

A debt advisor focuses on giving guidance and support to people struggling with debt, helping them to assess their situation before explaining their options. They offer advice on budgeting and money management so that people in serious debt can make their own informed decisions. Many debt charities offer this service. Giving advice to a borrower about the liquidation of a debt due under a credit agreement is an FCA regulated activity.

On the other hand, a debt adjuster is more hands-on. They are a financial professional who works with you to assess your financial situation like an advisor and advise on a realistic repayment plan, but they can also negotiate with creditors on your behalf to discharge a debt. Unlike debt collectors, who represent the creditor, debt adjusters are very much working on your side.

How can a debt adjustor help you?

There are a number of ways in which a debt adjustor can help you, once they have assessed your financial situation, reviewed your income, expenses, and debts and they understand your position.

Negotiating on your behalf with creditors for a lower interest rate, an extension to a repayment period, a freeze on charges until you’re back on your feet, or even a waiver on charges. Their aim is to negotiate a full and final settlement of your debt obligations to the satisfaction of both sides.
Setting up a debt management plan (DMP) where you make one affordable monthly payment that’s distributed among your creditors. This is an informal arrangement which doesn’t involve the courts.
Referring you to an insolvency practitioner for formal options such as individual voluntary arrangements (IVA), debt relief orders (DRO) or bankruptcy, which I’ve talked about here.

What an adjustor can’t do, though, is impose a repayment plan on a creditor or write off debts without legal proceedings. And they can only offer formal insolvency services if they are also licensed insolvency practitioners.

Choosing the right support

If you’re considering working with a debt adjustor, ensure they are reputable. In the UK, we operate under the regulation of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which ensures ethical practice and transparency. Always check credentials and avoid services that charge high upfront fees or make unrealistic promises.

Long term peace of mind

Debt adjustors provide an important service in these difficult times; they are proactive, client-focused, and offer greater flexibility than formal insolvency routes. They can be especially helpful if you want to avoid court proceedings.

Their aim isn’t just a quick fix, easing immediate financial problems. They help both individuals and businesses to avoid insolvency and regain lasting financial stability.

And it’s not just about the numbers. Debt adjustors can give you emotional reassurance, because living under the burden of unmanageable debt takes a toll on your mental wellbeing and on the people around you.

Asking for help is a sign of strength. If you’re struggling with debt, reaching out to a qualified debt professional can be the first step towards your financial recovery.

James Rosa Associates

James Rosa associates specialise in providing tailored financial reconstruction with a bespoke and practical approach to both individuals and businesses as well as civil and commercial mediation services.

We work together with different professions, drawing upon the expertise of specialists to build a uniquely tailored solution for our clients’ needs, ensuring that they receive the highest level of service right across the board. Under the same roof we offer debt advice (or counselling) support as well as debt adjusting.

With our supportive, non-judgemental approach, we also offer a full range of advice and professional services to individuals and business owners/directors facing unmanageable debt, who are actively looking for a solution. We can also help anyone involved in a civil or commercial dispute.

Our range of services include:

For your further peace of mind, we are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN665061) to produce bespoke solutions that work in the best interests of our clients, who are always at the centre of everything we do.

Find out if you qualify for a free consultation

We try to help as many people as we can. If you’re ready to face an unmanageable debt, contact James Rosa Associates, ring 0845 6807217 or email enquiries@jamesrosa.co.uk. You may qualify for one of our limited number of free consultations.

Turning Downturns into Breakthroughs: The Modern Guide to Thriving in Recessions

By Brittany Fisher of financiallywell.info

29th October 2025

Image: Freepik

Economic slowdowns can feel like the ground is shifting beneath your feet—but recessions don’t erase opportunity; they just change where it lives. When uncertainty rises, adaptability becomes your most valuable asset. This isn’t about panic or perfection; it’s about preparation. With the right mindset and strategy, you can not only endure tough times but emerge stronger and more focused than before.

Quick Summary

A recession isn’t the end of growth—it’s the start of adaptation. You survive by cutting waste, learning faster, and positioning yourself where stability still exists. Liquidity, learning, and leverage: that’s the playbook.

Why Recessions Reshape, Not Ruin

Downturns reorganize opportunity. Entire industries recalibrate; others quietly accelerate. The key is to act before the rebound. Focus on what remains essential—skills, relationships, and habits that compound. You can’t control the storm, but you can control your response.

FAQs

Q: Should I hold cash or invest?
Balance matters. Keep an emergency fund—then seek undervalued, future-oriented assets. Resources like Morningstar provide accessible guides on evaluating risk and diversification.

Q: What about job security?
Reassess your skills every quarter. Markets shift; your capabilities must too.

Q: Can freelancing help?
Absolutely. Sites such as Fiverr and Upwork can become short-term stabilizers when traditional work slows.

Q: Is this the time to learn?
Always. Economic pressure accelerates innovation. The most adaptable survive.

The Resilience Checklist

Use this as a 10-step sanity filter when planning your month:

Cut one recurring cost.
Track spending with a simple app like YNAB.
Build a “rainy-day” fund equal to 3–6 months of expenses.
Add one new marketable skill this quarter.
Update your résumé and digital portfolio.
Reconnect with mentors or ex-colleagues.
Diversify income streams (teaching, consulting, part-time).
Exercise and maintain sleep quality.
Set micro-goals: one improvement per week.
Revisit your plan every 30 days. Adaptation compounds.

Learn to Leverage Change with Education

When stability vanishes, skills become the true currency. Enrolling in an online degree in business can expand your opportunities across industries, offering exposure to accounting, management, and communication. The flexibility of online study also makes it easier to maintain full-time work while studying—helping you future-proof your career without stepping away from income.

Table: Short-Term Actions for Long-Term Stability

Table: Short-Term Actions for Long-Term Stability

Focus Area	Immediate Step	Long-Term Payoff
Money	Automate small recurring savings	Freedom from panic-driven spending
Learning	Take a course on Coursera	Competitive, transferable expertise
Network	Message 3 dormant connections	Professional visibility
Health	Schedule daily outdoor walks	Clearer thinking, emotional balance
Mindset	Journal wins, not worries	Anchored optimism

Regaining Financial Control with James Rosa Associates

Sometimes the most stabilizing move is expert guidance. James Rosa Associates offers one-on-one financial planning and debt advice that helps people regain control and reduce anxiety. Their approach combines structure with empathy—helping individuals rebuild confidence while managing their money more effectively.

How-To: Build Your Recession Resilience Routine

Define your “bare minimum” lifestyle cost.
Create a one-page crisis plan: what to cut, who to contact, what skills to activate.
Turn uncertainty into learning momentum—podcasts, open courses, or newsletters.
Add accountability—share your weekly goals with a trusted friend or mentor.
Celebrate micro-victories. Survival is progress; progress is power.

Glossary

Liquidity – Accessible cash or quickly convertible assets.
Diversification – Spreading income or investment risk.
Resilience – Ability to recover from shocks with minimal lasting damage.
Upskilling – Learning new, job-relevant abilities.
Cognitive Load – Mental energy used when making complex decisions.

Product Highlight

For organizing your finances, habits, or studies, platforms like Notion offer customizable dashboards that help you see your entire life system at a glance. Pair it with trackers like Toggl Track to monitor time investment on learning or income-building projects.

Thriving in a recession isn’t about waiting for better conditions—it’s about creating them. Streamline your finances, keep learning, and strengthen your support systems. When the recovery begins, those who adapted fastest will lead the next chapter.

Brittany Fisher has been a Certified Public Accountant for over two decades, with expertise in taxes, personal finance, and financial literacy. She founded Financiallywell.info, her own website dedicated to providing valuable insight and advice about managing money. Through her work, Brittany strives to empower individuals with the skills and understanding needed to make sound financial decisions – from budgeting and saving to retirement planning and beyond.

Breaking the Debt Cycle: How negotiation can help you take control

By Mr Bankruptcy

1st October 2025

If you are tired of feeling trapped in a never-ending cycle of debt and dream of financial freedom and peace of mind, then you’re not alone.

I see many people who are struggling with debt that never seems to leave them alone. Just when they get out of one situation, something else happens in their life that knocks them back where they started.

But there can be a brighter future. Talking can be one of the most powerful tools you have to break free from the debt cycle and take control of your financial situation.

Understanding the debt cycle

The first step I encourage clients to take towards escaping their debt trap is to recognise the problem. The debt cycle is a doom loop in which an individual struggles to pay off their debts, with high interest rates, fees, and charges adding to the debt. This can lead to feelings of anxiety, stress, and hopelessness. I know because in the past I’d been there.

A typical debt cycle starts with an initial Debt. This can be a single amount you borrow for a particular reason. Often, it’s the result of an accumulation of debt through credit or store cards, loans, or other credit arrangements.

Then you start struggling to keep up with repayments, or even missing a payment, which leads to additional fees and charges; the debt grows as creditors charge more interest, making it even harder to pay off.

Finally, you get to the debt collection stage, when creditors or debt collectors pursue you for payment, putting an unbearable strain on your health and wellbeing as well as your finances.

How can negotiation help?

Negotiation offers a fresh perspective on debt management. A third-party can work with both you and your creditors to come to a mutually acceptable solution.

A negotiator can help in a number of ways:

Communication. A negotiator provides a structured environment in which to discuss your financial situation with creditors, helping to prevent misunderstandings and miscommunication.

Cooperation. A negotiator can facilitate compromise on both sides to agree a lower interest rate, a longer repayment period – even reducing the overall amount owed – to make it more manageable to pay off. Take a look at some of the amounts I’ve saved clients through negotiation.

Creating a plan. Negotiation helps you develop a realistic plan to pay off debts, taking into account your income, expenses, and financial goals.

Some benefits of negotiation

Negotiation offers several benefits over traditional debt management approaches. It’s far less confrontational than court proceedings (often very collaborative) , reducing stress and anxiety. You retain more control over the outcome, as you can be actively involved in the conversation and decision-making, giving you more agency.

It can also lead to faster resolutions too, because a negotiator helps parties work together to find a mutually beneficial solution.

The process

The negotiation process typically involves the following route:

Initial Consultation. You meet a negotiator to discuss your debt situation and explore options (but they have to be authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for debt counselling and debt adjustment).
Creditor engagement. They contact your creditors to inform them of the process and invite them to participate.
Negotiation sessions. You and your creditors meet with the negotiator to discuss and negotiate repayment terms, or more commonly, the negotiator can take over the discussions on your behalf, updating you of their progress as things develop.
Agreement. If an agreement is reached, it gets documented and signed by all parties.

Breaking the debt cycle

By working with a debt advisor/negotiator, you can break the debt cycle and start rebuilding your financial stability by reducing debt amounts and settlements. Negotiating can secure lower interest rates or waived fees and come up with an agreement for a more realistic repayment plan, one that’s achievable within your budget without being too punitive.

The debt cycle can be overwhelming, but talking can offer a beacon of hope in your darkest hour. By working with a debt advisor/negotiator, you can retake control of your financial situation and break free from the cycle of debt.

Finding the right support

If you’re struggling with debt and want to learn more about negotiation, consider reaching out to a reputable and qualified practitioner or other debt specialist. With the right support, you can stop debt from dictating your life and start to build a brighter financial future.

At James Rosa Associates, we’ve helped countless clients achieve financial freedom by negotiating with their creditors.

Using a comprehensive and personalized approach, we empower clients to take back control of their finances. We assign a dedicated client director to each case, offering the services of experienced, professional negotiator who treats you like an individual, giving you expert advice at every step of the process.

We offer a full range of advice and professional services to individuals, business owners and directors who face unmanageable debt and who want to regain control of their lives. We also help individuals involved in civil or commercial disputes.

In addition to negotiated settlements our range of services include:

We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN665061) to work with clients to produce bespoke solutions to fit their specific circumstances.

Do you qualify for one of our free consultations?

We know how unmanageable debt can affect lives and want to help as many people as we can.

If you feel ready to tackle your problem debt, or want to end dispute in a swift and cost-effective way, contact James Rosa Associates, ring us on 0845 6807217 or email us at enquiries@jamesrosa.co.uk. With no obligation we can explore whether you qualify for one of our free consultations.