How to check an advisor's plan is realistic, not just hopeful

Most advisors start with the numbers you tell them and build a plan around those numbers—but if your income varies, your expenses shift, or you've been too hopeful about what you can cut, the plan fails within weeks. The real test is whether an advisor has actually stress-tested your plan against your actual month, not the ideal month.

Ask them to walk you through the worst-case month

A realistic plan should account for the months when things go wrong. Before you commit, ask your advisor to show you what happens if your income drops by 20%, or if an unexpected cost hits mid-month—a car repair, a school bill, load-shedding damage. A vague answer like "you'll just have to manage" is a red flag. A solid advisor will map out specific adjustments: which payment gets delayed, which discretionary spend gets cut first, or whether the plan needs a buffer month built in.

Ask them to share a worked example of how the plan adapts if you miss a payment or income is late. If they can't show you that flexibility on paper, they haven't actually tested it. Also ask whether they've built in a small monthly buffer for the unplanned—most people need 5–10% breathing room or the plan becomes unliveable. A realistic budget is one you'll follow; a perfect budget you can't sustain is useless.

Verify they're registered and ask for client references

Check whether they're registered with the National Credit Regulator (NCR) as a debt counsellor. You can search the NCR register on their website using the advisor's name or business registration number. This registration means they've met minimum qualifications and are subject to conduct rules. It doesn't guarantee competence, but it does mean there's a formal route if things go wrong.

Beyond the register, ask your advisor for contact details of two or three clients they've worked with in the last year—ideally people with circumstances similar to yours (irregular income, multiple debts, or a recent job change). When you phone them, don't ask whether the plan was perfect; ask whether it was liveable. Ask whether the advisor checked in after the first month to see what actually happened versus what was forecast. Ask whether the plan was adjusted when reality didn't match the forecast. Most plans need tweaking in month two or three; if a client says their advisor never followed up, that's a sign the plan wasn't stress-tested.

Look for evidence they've dug into your actual spending

Before they show you a plan, they should have asked you detailed questions about your last three months of bank statements. Not to judge, but to spot patterns. Which expenses are truly fixed, which are discretionary, and which are "discretionary but painful to cut"—like school fees or medical costs. They should ask about annual or irregular expenses: vehicle licence, insurance premiums, school uniforms, family commitments. If they've built a plan without reviewing your actual spending, they're guessing.

Ask them to explain where each saving or adjustment in the plan came from. If they say you can cut groceries by a third, ask them to show you how they calculated that. If they've assumed you'll stop all entertainment spending, ask them what happens when that's unrealistic for month four. The advisor worth paying is the one who can point to your statements and say "here's where I see slack, here's where cutting hurts, and here's what I think is possible." That specificity—grounded in your actual month—is what separates a realistic plan from wishful thinking.

When you're ready to move forward, search Strove's verified debt counsellors in your area; they'll have reviews from people who've already tested their plans in real life.