Section 79(1) of the National Credit Act asks whether the preponderance of available information indicates that you are, or will be, unable to satisfy in a timely manner all the obligations under all your credit agreements - having regard to your financial means, prospects and obligations, and your probable propensity to repay as shown by your history of debt repayment. These ten questions map to those criteria.
This is an indicator, not a determination. This questionnaire shows you which of the statutory indicators are present in your situation. It cannot and does not decide whether you are over-indebted - under section 79 that determination is made by an NCR-registered debt counsellor or a court, on all the available information. Anyone offering you a verdict from a web form is misleading you.
Ten questions
1. Are you using credit to pay for living expenses - groceries, fuel, school fees?
Financial means and obligations - section 79(1)(a)
2. Have you taken new credit in the last six months specifically to pay existing credit?
Financial means and obligations - section 79(1)(a)
3. In any of the last three months, did you have to choose which accounts to pay because you could not pay all of them?
Inability to satisfy all obligations in a timely manner - section 79(1)
4. Do your total monthly debt repayments exceed what is left after your living expenses come out of your net income?
The regulation 24(7)(a) arithmetic test
5. Are you paying only the minimum on revolving accounts, with balances that are not coming down?
Probable propensity to repay - section 79(1)(b)
6. Have you fallen into arrears on any credit agreement in the last six months?
History of debt repayment - section 79(1)(b)
7. Have you received a letter of demand, or been contacted by attorneys or debt collectors?
Enforcement risk - section 86(2) and section 88(3)
8. Is your overdraft permanently drawn, never returning to zero?
Financial means - section 79(1)(a)
9. Would an unexpected R3,000 expense force you to borrow?
Financial means and prospects - section 79(1)(a)
10. Do you expect your income to fall, or your obligations to rise, in the next twelve months?
Register of registered debt counsellors: ncr.org.za
OurPower is not a debt counsellor and is not registered with the National Credit Regulator. This page is general information about South African debt review law, not financial, legal or debt counselling advice. Debt review is not the right answer for everyone. Only an NCR-registered debt counsellor or a court can determine whether you are over-indebted. Legislation verified 2026-08-15. Sources: National Credit Act 34 of 2005 and the National Credit Regulations.
Click here to join our telegram channel and stay up to date with load shedding and related news!
