debts? Before you know it you'll be in trouble
Sleepless nights because you don't know how to pay the bills. Financial problems arise faster than you think. The Social Fund of the AOb helps members with money problems. “I was ashamed and panicked.”
Picture: Type tank
The Social Fund of the AOb receives a total of three to five requests from members per year for financial support. “We process an average of four of these,” says Elles Tenten, chairman of the fund. She emphasizes that it always concerns a loan. “It is membership money, we take it very seriously and always check whether people can pay it back. There is no limit on the loan, but in principle we want people to pay it back within three years. Although it remains tailor-made per person.”
Members who have been members continuously for one year, can make an appeal to the fund. They must, however, meet a number of conditions (see box). Tenten: "They really have to expose their buttocks, because we ask them to fill in a form with all income and expenses and also come on a home visit."
Tenten has seen various situations over the years. “Sometimes they are people who have problems keeping records or who get into trouble because of a divorce. We also see illness and suddenly having to get by on less pay. Or people who have taken out a loan that they cannot repay, but that does have a high interest rate. I see it can happen to anyone. People with varying incomes, or a lower income. But also dual earners.”
Recent research by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) shows that on 1 October 2020, 614.270 thousand households had registered problem debts in the Netherlands. Just over 314 thousand households were in arrears with the BKR foundation, which monitors all loans. Making ends meet can also be a challenge, according to a poll shared by Nibud at the beginning of this year. Almost a third of the more than 1900 respondents indicated that they had difficulty with this. A share that is comparable to the percentage before the corona crisis. Statistics Netherlands also examined the groups that have a greater chance of having problematic debts in 2018. People who end up in unemployment benefits have an inflow chance of 7,1 percent and a divorce also increases the chance of getting into debt by 7,9, XNUMX percent.
trepidation
A teacher of Dutch and social studies (73) can have a say in this. She also appealed to the Social Fund and received a loan of two thousand euros. “My mother always said: An accident comes in three. Suddenly everything went wrong. I was already divorced, the car broke down, I had a big accident where I broke my hip and then there was a huge tax bill.” The teacher had to repay six thousand euros because it had been withheld incorrectly. “They were going to seize my wages. I was really in trouble, because after the divorce I was in a rented house in the free sector, had two children studying and my ex didn't pay alimony. How different it was before when I lived in a detached house in the south of the country. I was ashamed and absolutely dislike borrowing.” She had to cross a huge threshold after she read the ad in the Education magazine of the Social Fund. “I was ashamed, but I wrote a letter anyway, because I also wanted to sleep more peacefully and knew that I needed help.”
I was divorced and broke my hip, the car broke down and I got a huge tax bill
Chairman Tenten of the Social Fund notices that it sometimes takes too long before applicants have overcome their hesitation to call for help. “Often the problem has already grown over their heads and they have their backs against the wall.”
After a screening, this teacher was also awarded a loan of 2500 euros. This amount was paid directly to the Tax Authorities from the Social Fund. “I was allowed to repay 150 euros per month and that was doable. It took me just under two years and I am very happy with the fund. You can really just stand for something unforeseen. It immediately provided air and the debt was kept within bounds in this way.”
Before AObmembers seek help, the problem has often already grown over their heads
The mutual solidarity of the fund is a great asset, Tenten believes. “It is important that we maintain and do this within the union.” The Dutch teacher's financial tension is now gone and she is enjoying her retirement. “It's not like I can make crazy financial leaps, but there are no debts.”
