Debt settlement scheme
If you as a private individual have serious debt problems, a debt settlement scheme can give you the opportunity to gain control over your finances.
A debt settlement is a scheme between you and your creditors where you pay as much as possible of your debt over a limited period, so that all or parts of your remaining debt will be deleted. Debt settlements schemes may also be used for debt to the public sector.
You can contact NAV for financial advice and debt counselling.
A debt settlement scheme may be either an out-of-court agreement or a legal scheme (debt settlement scheme according to the Debt Settlement Act). As a main rule, you may not apply for a debt settlement scheme in accordance with the Debt Settlement Act before you have tried to enter into an out-of-court agreement with your creditors.
Out-of-court debt settlement scheme
If you wish to apply for an out-of-court debt settlement scheme, you must present the same application to all your creditors.
If the Tax Administration is one of your creditors, we’ll consider the application in accordance with the rules that enable us to grant a payment agreement or to delete (waive) all or parts of the claim. Different rules apply depending on the type of claim, and there are some claims that we cannot waive.
If you wish to apply for an out-of-court debt settlement scheme for tax and duty claims, you must
- know who you owe money to and how much
- have an overview of your income and expenses
- propose a stipulated budget showing how much you’re able to pay your creditors
- propose a time period for the debt settlement scheme
- present the same proposal for repayment to the Tax Administration and other creditors
The Tax Administration can help you if you need
If you have claims relating to maintenance payments and other claims from NAV, Helfo and the Guarantee Fund for Fishermen, the Collection Agency for Child Support and Overpaid Benefits can offer a payment agreement, but we cannot waive all or parts of the claims.
Applications regarding waiving all or parts of claims relating to maintenance payments or other claims from NAV, Helfo or the Guarantee Fund for Fishermen must be sent to where the decision was made, which is NAV, Helfo or the Guarantee Fund for Fishermen.
You can contact the Collection Agency for Child Support and Overpaid Benefits
- for more information regarding out-of-court debt settlement scheme
- if you need an overview of your maintenance payments and overpaid benefits
Legal debt settlement scheme
If you wish to apply for a debt settlement scheme in accordance with the Debt Settlement Act, you must send an application to open negotiations to the enforcement officer (Namsmannen).
The enforcement officer is part of the police and has the authority to collect claims using enforcement actions. They are also responsible for assisting you regarding a legal debt settlement scheme.
Read more about the legal debt settlement scheme and how to apply to the police.