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Category: Debt Relief

  • Debt Relief Strategies to Help You Fall Back in Love with Your Bank Account

    Debt ReliefThis time of year, it is hard not to get swept up in the spirit of the season. Hearts and cupids in every store window and Valentine’s Day commercials for flowers and jewellery make it almost impossible to ignore. And perhaps there is love in your life – but when that isn’t an emotion you have towards your bank account it might be time to get your butt in gear and start fixing those finances.

    Check out this list of debt relief strategies to help you fall back in love with your bank account!

    1. If you feel as though you can handle your debt on your own, start with a budget and decrease your spending on unnecessary items and increase the amount you put towards your debt each month. This strategy can take time, but if your debt isn’t overwhelming it can be highly effective.

    2. For more complex debt, debt consolidation might be the answer. Simply stated, this means consolidating all of your debts into one, single, easy to manage monthly payment. This also means that you save on interest – a major bonus! This option is best suited to those with a stable credit history as it requires being approved for a secured or unsecured loan.

    3. Consumer proposals have also become very popular debt relief strategies. A consumer proposal involves applying to your creditors to reduce your debt and accept a regular monthly payment. Since this has to be handled by a licensed administrator, and thus can’t be done on your own, this option requires careful preparation with a debt consultant who will independently represent you in your proposal.

    4. Bankruptcy has always been an important avenue for debt relief for those with debt that has become insurmountable. When you are regularly missing payments, choosing between various bills and which ones will be paid, or are receiving calls from collection agencies all the time, your financial situation is likely in dire straits. A bankruptcy is not for everyone, but meeting with a debt consultant (not trustee in bankruptcy) can help you determine if it is the best choice for you. A bankruptcy gets rid of those debts and you are required to make a monthly payment in bankruptcy, giving you the chance to stop the collection calls, stop the interest and get back on a firm financial footing.

    When debt seems to be haunting even your dreams (or rather nightmares), stop worrying and start strategizing. Take advantage of the debt relief strategies out there that can help banish those bad dreams and help you fall back in love with your bank account.

    For more about debt relief and how to achieve it please call DebtCare Canada today at 1-888-890-0888.

  • Debt Relief: Creating a Weekly Financial Checklist

    Debt ReliefWe can all use a little help sometimes, and when it comes to financial planning, some of us are more likely than others to need that helping hand. If you are struggling with debt and need some debt relief, there are countless ways that this can be done – but sometimes it starts with a little push at home. Thinking about debt relief and actually finding it are often two different things, and so it is helpful just to have a starting point.

    Here is that starting point. Use this debt relief weekly financial checklist for September and see just how much you can accomplish on your own! Take some time at the beginning of each week and work through these points.

    First week of September: Sit down and create a budget. Include all of your monthly expenses (and we mean all) and all of your monthly income. Make a chart that will help you better determine where your extra cash is going, and think about the best ways to bring that expense number down. Set out jars with cash for each category of expense and live strictly on cash for the month, setting aside the amount that meets your expenses, but on a budget.

    Second week of September: Check your credit report. When you start to pay off debt and subsequently rebuild your credit, one of the most important things that you can do is check your current credit status. This is actually something that you should do a few times a year, not only to see where you stand credit-wise, but also to ensure that all information contained within your credit report is accurate. If it is not, you need to deal with discrepancies immediately.

    Third week of September: Devise a long-term plan to pay off your debt. If most of your debt is in the form of credit cards, think about paying off the one with the highest interest rate first – after all, it is the one that is actually costing you the most money.

    Fourth week of September: Go back to that chart created at the beginning of the month and see how well you were able to stick to it. Take any money accumulated from leftovers in the jars and put it right onto your debt. Give yourself a pat on the back, and get ready for next month!

    If your leftover cash wasn’t what you had hoped, or following the budget was just a bit too difficult, it might be time to head to a professional for some help. DebtCare has you covered. Call us today at 1-888-890-0888.

  • School For Debt Relief #3: Rebuilding Credit

    Debt ReliefThe beginning of the school year is behind us; students have settled in and teachers have found their groove. This final blog in our school for debt relief series will help get you back on track for the rest of the school year. Once you have worked out your debt repayment plan, stopped the collection calls and gotten your finances righted, it is time to think about rebuilding credit.

    If your debt became problematic in the past, it is highly probable that your credit has taken a hit. Thanks in part to things like missed or late payments, having too much credit or a bankruptcy or consumer proposal, your credit is now very likely at the low end of the scale and you may be finding it very difficult to secure any sort of financial funding. If this is where you currently find yourself it is important to understand that rebuilding your credit takes time, but it is possible.

    Here is our list of the top ways to help rebuild credit.

    Apply for a secured credit card. With a secured credit card, you make a deposit on the card which the creditor then holds as a guarantee. This deposit, usually equal to your credit limit, lets you make regular purchases with the card without the lender worrying about security. Having a secured credit card shows up on your credit report, letting other creditors know that you are being responsible with your credit and not spending outside your means.

    Make at least the minimum payment. This is crucial, as it may be what brought your credit down in the past. It is always a smart practice with a credit card to try and pay off the entire balance each month – that way you don’t accrue any interest and can’t get in over your head. That being said, if you cannot make the payment in full make sure that you pay at least the minimum, or just a little more if possible. Any missed or late payments will just get that score decreasing again.

    Don’t apply for too many credit products. Applying left, right and centre for credit is going to make you look like you are a credit seeker – and this implies that you cannot meet your monthly needs. Also, do not have too many credit products. Just because you have cards with high limits without using them doesn’t mean that your credit will be good. Keep limits low.

    Review your statements regularly and check your credit report annually. To avoid mistakes and to ensure your payments are always made on time, review your statements monthly and report any errors immediately. This is also a good rule of thumb with your credit report – it should be checked for errors and those errors reported on at least a yearly basis (but not too often either).

    Just because you have had trouble with credit in the past doesn’t meant that it has to haunt you for the rest of your life. Use these tips to help rebuild credit. And remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day; rebuilding credit takes time – just be responsible and think before you spend.

    For more information about rebuilding credit or for debt relief please contact DebtCare Canada by calling 1-888-890-0888 or visit www.debtcare.ca.

  • School for Debt Relief #2: Bankruptcy vs. Consumer Proposal

    Debt ReliefThis week we are back in the classroom with the second blog in our school for debt relief series, this time to talk about the difference between a bankruptcy and a consumer proposal. These are two very popular forms of debt relief, but before you jump in it is best to fully understand each option. If you feel as though you are drowning in debt and don’t foresee a solution in the future, one of these options may be just what you need.

    In Canada, hundreds of people each year choose to deal with their debt through a bankruptcy or consumer proposal. That being said, the two are very different, so we’ve broken things down to help you better understand how these forms of debt relief can help.

    Bankruptcy:

    Bankruptcy is the legal process that discharges you from most of your debts. This may involve the distribution or selling of some of your assets to pay creditors, but this depends on your own individual situation. The first time you file for bankruptcy, if you do not have any surplus income, you can qualify to be discharged (meaning you have fulfilled your obligations) within 9 months. If there is surplus income, you can be discharged in 21 months. When you file you are required to report to your trustee on a monthly basis, make monthly payments and complete two credit counselling sessions. If, over the course of your bankruptcy, your financial situation changes to the point that surplus income exists, you will be required to pay additional monthly payments until your trustee is satisfied. Once you become discharged, your debts are gone and your obligations are over.

    Things you need to know: once you file you can only be discharged by your trustee – it is up to their discretion to decide when obligations have been met. Additionally, attempting to obtain credit after you have filed (and after being discharged) can be significantly impacted. This is because you are now deemed high risk by creditors.

    Consumer Proposal:

    A consumer proposal is also a legal process which discharges you from your debts, but in a different way. In a consumer proposal, your creditors agree upon a repayment amount, usually significantly less than what you owe, and then you make monthly payments for a set number of months. This pays off only unsecured credit (credit cards, lines of credit, personal loans), but not secured debt (mortgage, car loans).  Once you have fulfilled your obligations (monthly payments), you are debt free and out of the consumer proposal. That being said, like a bankruptcy, a consumer proposal can impact your ability to secure credit in the future.

    Both of these options are valuable if you find yourself struggling with debt. Each option has its pros and cons, and so speaking with a professional debt consultant is the best place to start.

    For more information about debt relief and bankruptcy versus a consumer proposal please contact DebtCare Canada at 1-888-890-0888 or visit www.debtcare.ca.

  • School for Debt Relief #1: Harassing Collection Calls? Know Your Rights

    Debt ReliefWith September behind us, and the school year in full swing, it is the perfect opportunity to take some time for yourself. So, what better time to give yourself a new start than right now? If you are in debt, this school for debt relief blog is for you. This first blog in the series will look at collection calls and help you better understand how to stop them.

    When you are receiving harassing phone calls from a collection agency it can be very stressful. Each time you pick up the phone can bring with it the anxiety that comes from knowing that you still have not managed to make that payment. But what can you do? If the money is not readily available, not answering or avoiding the calls is probably the best course of action, right? Wrong! This will likely only make the problem worse.

    Here are some things you need to know about your rights when it comes to collection calls. Firstly, when an organization calls you concerning a debt, they are likely calling from a collection agency – an organization hired by your creditors to collect a debt. These calls can sometimes get quite aggressive, so it is crucial to know your rights and better understand what is fair and what is not.

    In Ontario there are laws which outline the appropriate behaviour that collection agencies must adhere to when making collection calls. First off, you must receive a notice in writing regarding the debt.

    When can they contact you? Here are some of the restrictions put in place by law:

    A collection agency cannot:

    –        Contact you more than 3 times in the course of 7 days without your consent

    –        Contact you on Sunday, except between 1 and 5pm

    –        Contact you on any day between 9pm and 7am

    –        Contact you on a statutory holiday

    –        Use threatening, profane, intimidating or coercive language

    –        Use excessive, undue or unreasonable pressure

    –        Contact a spouse, family member, friend, etc. regarding the debt unless that person has guaranteed the debt or you have given permission for that person to be contacted.

    If you feel as though your rights have been violated you do have some recourse for action. Sending a letter to the agency stating why you feel they have acted inappropriately, or, if the behaviour persists, filing a complaint with the Ministry of Consumer Services are two options to consider.

    In the end, the only real way to stop collection calls is to pay your debt. If this is something that you feel you may not be able to achieve on your own it might be time to seek out some professional help. A debt solutions company can present you with the various options and help you get debt relief and stop those calls.

    For more information about debt relief or to put a stop to the collection calls please contact DebtCare today by calling 1-888-890-0888.

  • Summer Debt Relief: Tips to Reduce Your Debt

    Debt ReliefOver the summer many families find that debt rises with the temperatures; vacations, weekends away, daily outings, etc. can all leave the wallet feeling very light. If you entered the summer drowning in debt, the worst thing that you can do over the summer is add to that. Instead, use this time to make some financial changes and reduce you debt rather than continuing to build it up. Here are our summer debt relief tips to help you regain control of your finances.

    Debt relief tip #1: Go over your finances and set a budget. Look at how much you spend every month on bills and see where you can save. And be realistic. Don’t deny yourself every luxury – you won’t be able to stick to it. For example, if you eat out 5 nights a week, don’t cut this out altogether, you are bound to cave in at some point. Instead try and limit these treats to once a week, or even once every 2 weeks.

    Debt relief tip #2: Avoid making only minimum monthly payments. Most of your monthly payment is just interest, very little of the principle balance being paid off as a result. Check out your monthly statement – most will give you a timeline showing when your balance will be paid off if only monthly payments are made – this might shock you – and hopefully motivate you to reduce your debt!

    Debt relief tip #3: Contact your creditors and see if they can offer a lower interest rate, especially if you have received offers from other companies offering an interest free period and free transfer (just be sure that you can pay off the balance before the interest free period is up). This option though is often only good for those with good credit – if your credit is less than stellar or if you routinely miss payments, there isn’t much motivation for your creditors to reward you with a lower interest rate.

    Debt relief tip #4: Seek the help of a professional. Once you get deep into debt, it can seem impossible to climb back out. But it is possible. If you have tried to reduce your debt but just can’t seem to make any progress, it might be time to call in the professionals, ones with experience helping Canadians get debt relief. Debt consolidation, consumer proposals or bankruptcy are all viable options to reduce your debt, and can all end up significantly reducing the amount of debt you currently carry.

    Don’t let summer spending get away from you. Instead, try to reduce your debt instead of increasing it with these tips and others. For more tips about debt relief and how to reduce your debt over the summer, please contact DebtCare by calling 1-800-890-0888 or visiting www.debtcare.ca.

  • Collection Agency Harassment: How to Stop the Calls

    collection agency harassmentCanadians have become so accustomed to carrying debt, and for some being in debt has become the norm. It is true that the vast majority of Canadians do have debt and when debt accumulates to the point where you are defaulting on monthly payments, the debt you have can be the source of considerable stress. This is especially true if your creditor has sent your debt to a collection company resulting in collection agency harassment!

    Collection agency harassment comes in many forms, but the most common is phone calls demanding payment for uncollected funds. These calls can come during the day, in the evening, on the weekends – when you are at home and at work. If you have been receiving these calls, or are nervous that they may begin in the very near future, it is best not to avoid the issue. The calls are not going to stop just because you don’t answer the phone – if anything they will increase in frequency. The collection agency may also pursue other methods to make contact with you that can be the source of embarrassment.

    In provinces like Ontario collection agencies are regulated by the appropriate ministry. In Ontario that ministry is the Ministry of Consumer Services (MCS). Reading your province’s legislation that deals with the regulation of collection agencies is your first step towards stopping collection agency harassment. If an agent called you at a time he or she wasn’t supposed to or disclosed information about you or your debt to a third party such as a family member or co-worker, you may file a complaint with the government to stop the collection agency harassment.

    Formulate a plan to deal with the debt. It won’t go away by itself and as long as it sits in collections it will accumulate very high interest, can be damaging to your credit and the collection agency will continue to pursue you. Speak with a financial consultant who has experience stopping collection agency harassment for help and also to learn about programs that can help you deal with the root problem – the debt itself.

    There are several very effective forms of debt relief in Canada, most common among them are debt settlements, consumer proposals, debt consolidation, mortgage refinancing and bankruptcy. All of these approaches have different benefits. While a consumer proposal can reduce your debt and freeze interest, it can also impact your credit in the short-run. While mortgage refinancing will enable you to rebuild credit faster, you will have to pay closing costs and interest to use your home equity to consolidate your debt. Only a skilled financial consultant can help you to review your options and help you choose the one that will best help you achieve your personal financial goals.

    If you are facing collection agency harassment it might be time to get the ball rolling and seek out debt relief from a professional organization experienced in dealing with collection agencies and helping individuals get rid of their debt. Get control of your debt – don’t let your debt control you!

    For more information about debt relief to stop collection agency harassment please contact DebtCare Canada today by calling 1-800-890-0888.

  • Finding Debt Relief from Holiday Credit Card Bills

    Credit cards are scary because they are easy to run up and then difficult to pay down. Did you know that last year it was reported that the average Canadian is carrying over $40,000 in unsecured debt? If you are one of these Canadians then you probably had credit card debt before you even started holiday shopping! Now the holiday shopping credit card bills are rolling in and you are likely thinking that you could really use some debt relief.

    Credit card debt presents the following challenges:

    1. Damage to your credit. Even if you are making your minimum payments credit cards can still damage your credit. Did you know that if you let your credit card balance get close to the limit, or if you go over the limit, it reduces your credit score? Yes, it is true, and not only does it reduce your credit score it also causes a message to appear on the credit report that indicates that the proportion of the credit card balances are too close to the credit limits.
    2. Minimum monthly payments are too small. Credit card companies set your minimum monthly payment at 1-3% of your balance. This is simply too small. If you make only minimum monthly payments on credit cards it can take many years to pay down the balance.
    3. Monthly compound interest. Unlike loans, credit card interest compounds monthly (12 times per year). This means that interest is added to your balance each month. When you combine the fact that your interest compounds monthly with the fact that your minimum monthly payment on your credit card is likely set at 1-3% of your balance, the effective cost to borrow using your credit card is significantly higher than the interest rate on your credit card.

    Credit card debt can quickly become overwhelming because once it accumulates it can become really difficult to pay off. Most people do not have the kind of cash flow needed to really get those credit card bills paid off.

    Getting debt relief from your holiday credit card bills can be achieved three ways:

    1. By paying off the debt by liquidating your savings, getting help from family or winning the lottery. Unfortunately this is an option that most folks don’t enjoy.
    2. By consolidating debt through:
      1. A loan with the bank – you will need good credit for this option.
      2. A mortgage refinance – you will need a home with equity for this option.
      3. By taking advantage of an alternate financial program.

    If you don’t have good credit or assets then an alternate financial program may be the best choice for you.  An alternate financial program will enable you to make a single monthly payment, as in a debt consolidation, and will stop the interest from accruing on your credit cards. Sounds like a great solution right? Well, really the right solution will depend on your personal financial circumstances. Before making any of the above choices your best bet is to speak with a financial consultant who is hired by you, one who can offer you unbiased financial advice so that you can get debt relief from your holiday credit card bills and start off the year on fresh financial footing.

    For more information about finding debt relief contact DebtCare at 416-907-2582 or visit www.debtcare.ca.

  • Debt Relief in Canada Blog Series Part 1 – Is a Consumer Proposal the Answer?

    Debt relief in Canada is a subject that is constantly in the news for many reasons, whether it is the government reporting on the fact that Canadians are carrying historically high levels of debt, reporting on debt reduction companies and what to watch out for, reporting on changes to CMHC lending guidelines to stop those who are loaded with debt from buying homes that they really can’t afford, and more…

    Unfortunately, most people who have too much debt don’t realize that they have a problem until managing minimum payments starts to become challenging, resulting in a debt problem turning into a debt emergency. There are many options for debt relief in Canada, but each one is different, and the right one for you will really depend on your own personal circumstances.

    Making a consumer proposal is one option for debt relief in Canada, but the question is: is a consumer proposal the answer?

    A consumer proposal is a type of proposal that is made to your creditors and is administered by a bankruptcy trustee who represents both you and the creditors that are included in your consumer proposal. Consumer proposals are crafted based on your ability to repay your debt realistically. Consumer proposals are repaid monthly, usually over a period of 3-4 years. With that being said, a consumer proposal can be paid off sooner if your financial situation changes. Consumer proposals are removed from your Equifax credit report 3 years from the date that they are paid in full, which provides a further incentive for those who are in a consumer proposal to pay it off early. Because consumer proposals allow you to make a single monthly payment that fits within your budget and enables you to rebuild your credit faster, consumer proposals are a very popular option for debt relief in Canada.

    Since consumer proposals are based on your ability to make a monthly payment and not on your total debt load, oftentimes consumers can reduce their overall debt through a consumer proposal. In a simple, very general example, if your total unsecured debt is $20000 and you can afford to pay $200 per/month for 5 years based on your budget and the consumer proposal guidelines, the total value of the consumer proposal would be $12000, meaning you would reduce your debt by $8000. Each case is different, and your consumer proposal must be fair to your creditors as they have a say as to whether or not they will accept it.

    When you make a consumer proposal, your creditors will receive your consumer proposal by mail and have 45 days to respond and vote as to whether they accept or reject your proposal. If a creditor does not respond to the consumer proposal within 45 days, they lose the ability to vote and the proposal is considered accepted. In addition, if the majority of your creditors accept the consumer proposal, it will be approved.

    Consumer proposals are suited to individuals who have higher incomes, as they are subject to surplus income in bankruptcy.  When a consumer has surplus income his or her payment in bankruptcy will be much higher and this is what makes a consumer proposal a more attractive option for a higher income earner. Consumer proposals are also better suited to an individual who has some secured creditors and to someone who has the ability to repay a good portion of his or her debt but simply cannot manage the contractual payments that they currently have with creditors.

    For more information about options for debt relief in Canada or to see if you qualify for a consumer proposal please call DebtCare at 416-903-4000 or visit www.debtcare.ca.

  • How to Get Tax Relief from Back Taxes

    Back taxes can be a nightmare and if you have back taxes, there is no doubt that you could use tax relief. Trying to get tax relief from the CRA directly is very difficult. There are financial programs available through DebtCare Canada to achieve tax relief on your back taxes. In this short video, Michael Goldenberg, president of DebtCare Canada, discusses how you can get tax relief from your back taxes. This is a must see!

    If you would like more information about how to get tax relief from your back taxes contact DebtCare at 416-907-2582 or visit www.debtcare.ca.