A monthly payment IVA normally lasts 5-6 years. However it may be possible to settle the Arrangement early if a lump sum can be raised.
Included in this article:
- How to settle and IVA early
- What amount of cash is required?
- Where can the money you need come from?
- Can you use a windfall you have received?
Want help to start an IVA? Give us a call (0800 077 6180) or complete the form below to speak to one of our experts
How to settle an IVA early
Once a monthly payment IVA starts it usually lasts for 5-6 years. It is however possible to reduce this period. The Arrangement can be settled early with a lump sum.
While the Arrangement is running you can offer to pay your creditors a one off cash payment. In return they then agree that no further monthly payments will be required.
Once the cash is handed over the Arrangement is completed. The outstanding debt is written off and you are no longer bound by its terms.
Settling your IVA early means you have no further annual reviews of your circumstances. In addition any subsequent increases in income or windfalls you receive are yours to keep.
How much cash is needed to settle an IVA early?
The key question is how much cash will be required to settle the IVA. There is no one answer to this. The amount required is different in each case and will depend on your specific circumstances.
As a rule of thumb you will need to pay an amount equal to the total of your outstanding monthly payments. So for example if you are paying £200/mth and have 24 months to go you would need to offer £4800 (£200 x 24).
You circumstances may have changed meaning you are no longer in a position to maintain your IVA payments. In this situation your creditors may be prepared to accept a lower amount.
The amount required to settle your IVA must first be agreed with your IVA company. Most will consider a sum equivalent to your outstanding payments. However others may demand more.
Where can the money you need come from?
The cash required to settle your IVA early can come from a number of places. However it cannot be money that your creditors would normally be entitled to.
As such, the most common source is a gift or loan from a family member or friend. Money offered in this way is only available to your creditors to settle your Arrangement. In the absence of such an agreement they would not be able to get their hands on it.
If you are a home owner it may be possible to release equity from your property. If you can raise cash in this way your creditors will often be prepared to take this to settle the Arrangement immediately
Remortgaging to settle an IVA will require the assistance of a specialist broker. Call us (0800 077 6180) or complete the form below for help with this.
Can you use a Windfall to settle your IVA?
If you receive a windfall during your IVA it will normally have to be paid into the Arrangement in full. The injection of the extra funds does not reduce length of the agreement and you have to continue making your payments.
That said some windfalls can be used to to settle an IVA early in specific circumstances. One example of this is a redundancy payment. If you lose your job you may be able to offer the redundancy money you have received to settle your Arrangement.
However this will only be the case if it is clear you will be unable to get a new job (perhaps due to ill health or your age). Where you can get back into employment it is very different. You will be allowed to keep some of your redundancy money to maintain your living expenses and IVA payments. The rest will have to be paid into the Arrangement.
It is not usually possible to settle an IVA early after receiving a windfall. This money usually has to be paid into your Arrangement on top of your normal monthly payments.
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Hi there, I have been in an Iva for a little over 10 months. My brother has offered me the remainder in full £17,500. Would It be possible to do this as early as 10 months in? Thank you.
Hi Alexa
It all depends on the terms and conditions of your Arrangement. Some IVAs have clauses saying that settlement offers will not be considered within the first 18 months. However if you are looking to pay the remainder of the balance in full I would of thought most IVA companies would want to help you. You will need to speak to your company and ask them.
Please let me know how you get on.
Hi,
I started my IVA April 2018 paying £350 a month. I have made 20 payments so far £7000. My Total Unsecured Debt is £41,436.00
I have just been made redundant and I have offered £14,350.00 to the creditors (Early Payment), is this figure too low and what are my chances or options?
Hi Brian
Whether or not you can settle using all or part of your redundancy money will depend on the terms and conditions of your IVA. Normally these will state that you can’t simply use the money to make an offer to settle.
As standard you will be allowed to keep the equivalent of 6 months of your normal take home pay. Any excess will have to be paid into the IVA. Then with the lump sum you retain you maintain your living expenses and the ongoing IVA payment. If you get a new job you then continue paying your IVA as normal. If by the end of the 6 months you have not found a job you can take a further payment break or the IVA might have to fail.
The only time your IVA company will entertain the idea of taking a lump sum from your redundancy money to settle in full is if it is clear you will have little or no prospect of getting another job.
Hi,
My grandmother has offered to pay my remaining monthly contributions as a lump sum so I can exit my IVA early. However the funds are from a joint account with my grandad but my grandfather is no longer alive. Would this be a problem when providing proof of funds and ID so they can do there checks?
The money in the account is not from inheritance as it was in the account before my grandfather passed away. I don’t want to risk it if they see this as inheritance. Even though nothing has been Inherited as it is a gift from my grandmother.
Thank you in advance
Hi Stephanie
To answer your first question I can’t see there being a problem with providing the proof of funds. You would simply need to explain that one of the account holders is no longer alive and so only the ID of the other can be provided.
In terms of the question of inheritance this should not come up. These are funds owned by your Grandmother in her account. I assume she retained full ownership of them after your Grandfather passed away. Given you did not personally inherit the funds then there is nothing to worry about.