Debt and Divorce

When people get divorced, there are many unforeseen expenses that may lead you into financial difficulty. Household expenses essentially double, which alters your current financial situation and causes major money problems regardless of how much money someone makes or how well they managed their finances while they were in the relationship. Not only that, but you will still…
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RRSP Contributions And Filing Your Income Tax

You can make RRSP contributions during the first sixty days of 2016 and claim these contributions on your 2015 income tax return. Most years the RRSP contribution deadline is March 1, however because 2016 is a leap year the RRSP contribution deadline is February 29, 2016. The main benefits of contributing to RRSPs are; you can build an asset for retirement…
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Are consumer proposals ever rejected by creditors?

When you file a consumer proposal, your creditors are entitled to vote for or against the acceptance of your consumer proposal. Creditors have 45 days to vote on whether they will accept the terms that you offer them as settlement on your debt in full. When clients hear that, their first instinct is to worry….
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Bankruptcy May Not Be Right For You

When an individual is drowning in debt, often times the first option contemplated is filing personal bankruptcy. Although this option will allow you to find relief from creditors, a bankruptcy isn’t always the right option for everyone. Upon filing bankruptcy, your credit rating goes to an “R9” with the credit bureau and remains so for…
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New Insolvency Information Product From OSB

The Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (OSB) has published new information products to assist consumers in making informed decisions when seeking assistance to resolve serious financial difficulties.  This information can be found here and includes: A new webpage for consumers, What is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee?, which provides information and answers to frequently asked questions about…
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Advantages of Filing a Consumer Proposal

Filing for a consumer proposal is a legal process, done through a bankruptcy trustee. It will provide an insolvent person with a number of meaningful advantages and protections that are much more effective than any kind of credit counselling arrangement or informal payment plan agreed to by one or more of your creditors. Informal agreements or credit…
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Insolvencies Up Again According to March 2016 Statistics

The Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy Canada has recently released their statistics for the month of March 2016. Insolvencies in Canada increased by 8.8 percent from the previous month, and up 1.8 percent compared to a year ago. Bankruptcies increased by 10.4 percent, consumer proposals up by 7.2 percent. For the 12 month period ending March…
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Financial Recovery After Divorce

One of the leading causes of divorce in Canada is financial mismanagement. And one of the leading causes of bankruptcy is divorce. The effect of family support obligations, the division of family assets, and the loss of income can have a devastating effect on both parties going through a separation. When I meet with people who…
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When should you consider a consumer proposal instead of a bankruptcy?

When you make a consumer proposal, you compromise your total debt. That means that you pay a portion of your debt that you and your creditors agree upon. Therefore your payments are higher than a bankruptcy. In terms of time, consumer proposals last 60 months, while bankruptcies last nine months (if you don’t have surplus…
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