Debt relief deal turns into bankruptcy trap for 20-year-old

A 20-year-old service industry worker says his attempt to resolve credit card debt through a debt consolidation company instead escalated into bankruptcy proceedings and high-cost borrowing, in a case that has raised concerns over the practices of some debt relief intermediaries. The man, identified as Sam, told Sing Tao Probe, a sister publication of The…

One in four young people gamble to pay bills

Eight in ten gamblers aged 18-24 (83%) will bet more frequently in 2026 due to major sporting events like the World Cup, with a quarter (25%) doing so to help cover essential bills, according to new research from Nationwide. By comparison, less than half (37 per cent) of those over 55 expect to gamble more.…

Freedom Debt Relief Review 2026

Freedom Debt Relief is the debt-settlement arm of Achieve, formerly known as Freedom Financial Network. Like most debt settlement companies, Freedom Debt Relief works with unsecured debts, including credit card bills, medical debt and personal loans. The company doesn’t work with secured debt (like auto loans) and it can’t help with debt from taxes, utility…

Why Australia’s HECS-HELP system is under pressure

Rising costs At first, HECS-HELP fees increased steadily but not alarmingly. That changed in 2020 with the introduction of the Job-ready Graduates Package, a sweeping reform that more than doubled fees for many humanities subjects, while the cost for STEM, nursing, education and health courses were reduced. “Previously, the system broadly aligned costs with expected…