Before you can determine if you can trust an Ontario bankruptcy trustee, you first have to understand what an Ontario bankruptcy trustee is and what his or her role in a bankruptcy or consumer proposal is.

An Ontario bankruptcy trustee is an individual or a corporation that is licensed by the Superintendent of Bankruptcy. Bankruptcy trustees are regulated federally. The role of an Ontario bankruptcy trustee is to administer bankruptcies and proposals, administer the estates of the bankrupts, hold in trust and subsequently distribute the assets of the bankrupt. The bankruptcy trustee must follow the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA).

The bankruptcy trustee is to be impartial and act in the best interests of both the bankrupt and the creditors. The same is true whether you are filing a consumer proposal or a bankruptcy. In the case of a bankruptcy, the bankruptcy trustee can oppose your discharge if you have not fulfilled your obligations under the bankruptcy. These obligations can change over the course of your bankruptcy and/or as a result of undisclosed information at the time you filed for bankruptcy. In layman’s terms, if you incorrectly estimate the value of an asset, forget to tell the trustee that you have a particular asset or in the middle of your bankruptcy you get a better job, this may change your monthly payment in bankruptcy and the length of time you are bankrupt – the bankruptcy trustee will make this determination.

In the case of a consumer proposal you don’t have an ongoing obligation to the bankruptcy trustee like you do in a bankruptcy. With that said, the bankruptcy trustee assesses the proposal they will offer your creditors based on extracting maximum value for your creditors.

So the answer to the question “can you trust an Ontario bankruptcy trustee” is yes. They are a licensed, regulated officer of the court. However, now that you know the role a trustee plays in a bankruptcy or consumer proposal, it may not be wise to approach him or her directly, no matter how warm and fuzzy the advertising is.

Consumer proposals and bankruptcies are good options for getting out of debt and starting off on a fresh footing, but before jumping to this conclusion it is important to consider all of your financial options. Working with a qualified financial consultant that is experienced working with debt consolidation, mortgages, debt settlements, consumer proposals and bankruptcies will make you aware of these options. A financial consultant who is hired by you to represent your financial interests will ensure that you can be open and honest about all of your finances, ask questions that won’t impact you and assess a host of different financial choices. He or she can also line you up with the appropriate professionals (this includes bankruptcy trustees if necessary) and represent you through the process. This takes the burden off of you and ensures that you walk away with the best possible deal. In the case of a consumer proposal you could save thousands of dollars.

If you are struggling with a financial problem and would like to review your financial options contact DebtCare Canada at 888-890-0888 or visit www.debtcare.ca.