Small Business Wellbeing
We welcome all small business owners (employing up to 20 FTE) and other small business support services to our Small Business Wellbeing resources page.
Financial counsellors are qualified professionals providing free, confidential and independent support to small business owners who are in financial difficulty. They focus on the person and their whole situation, understanding that person also has a business.
What we do:
- Identify and assess options to mitigate financial difficulty
- Understanding it is the small business owner’s responsibility to identify and acknowledge their debts –
- Focus on debts owed – these may be business and/or personal, and the business may be active or have ceased trading
- Explore whether each debt is legally owed – where appropriate challenging the debt
- Assist with referral for legal or other advice for more complex situations.
If you would like to book an online briefing session for your team on Money Check Up, please click the ‘Book now’ button.
Small Business Wellbeing resources are provided below for your reference, download and use.
Details of the range of small business financial counselling services available and how to get in touch.
Select a language:
Series of factsheets to assist small business owners in navigating common issues.
Topics include:
Helpful videos about common issues for small business owners
Short (1-2 minute) videos covering common issues facing small business owners – what you can do for yourself and how a small business financial counsellor may be able to help.
Topics include:
Practical suggestions on some common situations that small business owners may need to address. What to ask, and what to look out for.
Choose a topic:
If you have any questions about the program or the above resources, please feel free to contact us.
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About the program
Financial counsellors are qualified professionals providing free, confidential and independent support and advocacy to individuals experiencing financial hardship. Their work is person-centred and strengths-based; they listen to your story and help with options that respond to your needs and preferences. By identifying options, the financial counsellor empowers you to make better choices and improve your situation.
Financial counsellors mostly operate from non-profit agencies and work under credit licence and financial services licence exemptions which permit them to access financial information and negotiate with creditors on your behalf (with your consent). Practical assistance of this kind is of great value in resolving confusion and relieving you of stress.
Financial Counselling Victoria (FCVic) is the peak body for all financial counsellors operating in Victoria.
All qualified financial counsellors may assist people who are sole traders or partners in a small business depending on their organisation’s casework policy. Small business financial counsellors work with a wider range of small business structures, including sole traders, partnerships, companies and trusts.
Financial counsellors do not provide, but can assist with referrals to other services for –
- Business advice or prepare business plans or business strategies
- Accounting and provision of, for example, assessments of business profitability/viability
- Tax strategy advice and preparation of tax returns
- Bookkeeping and management of the business cash flow or accounts
- Legal work and legal advice
- Financial planning and investment advice
- Therapeutic counselling
- Promises or activities that indicate they are acting as agents or quasi employees of the business by directly undertaking activities related to business operational matters.
FCVic acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government.