Would you go on trial for murder without a lawyer? We think it is safe to assume that the answer is no! Why? Because the stakes are high and the Crown attorney is a professional appointed by the Attorney General/Minister of Justice to enforce the law. Little old you can’t go up against a trained, seasoned trial lawyer!

If you wouldn’t go on trial without a legal representative, why in the world would you ever go to a Trustee in Bankruptcy to seek help with your debt without financial representation?

Like a Crown attorney, a Trustee in Bankruptcy is an officer appointed by a government official. Their duty is to administer bankruptcies and proposals under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. Part of that duty is to ensure that your creditors get the fairest possible financial outcome.

The law itself protects people when filing a bankruptcy or proposal, not the Trustee in Bankruptcy – they are simply administering legislation. While many advertise the benefits of contacting them about a bankruptcy or proposal, the law itself sets the stage for the benefits while the Trustee simply administers the process you are legally entitled to.

Part of this process means evaluating your assets, investments, income and liabilities and determining how much money your creditors receive. In instances of consumer proposals, the Trustee receives payment based on a percentage of the proposal. Some have questioned whether this model poses a conflict of interest because a larger proposal = a larger fee.

Also important is the fact that different Trustees administer files differently. While some deploy due diligence to verify the information in your application at the sign up stage, some have administration departments that do so after the fact. It is not uncommon, after a bankruptcy, for the bankrupt to receive communication from the Trustee that some information was incorrectly disclosed, meaning that you owe surplus income in your bankruptcy or that something that you thought would be protected won’t be!

Where your financial future is concerned, the stakes are too high and that is why you should never go to a Trustee unrepresented. Do you need a lawyer? No, but you definitely need an experienced financial professional to guide you through the bankruptcy or consumer proposal process.

Why is this different? Because you pay this professional directly! They are hired to represent and counsel you. Part of this counsel means working with you to structure your financial information and even bring it forward to a Trustee on your behalf. They will help you make sure that there are no holes in your application or unnecessary information that could cause you problems.

If you are thinking about a bankruptcy or consumer proposal, do your due diligence. Both are effective solutions for dealing with debt, you just want to ensure that you end up with the fairest possible terms.

For more about effective representation in the bankruptcy or consumer proposal process please contact DebtCare Canada today by calling 1-888-890-0888.