Tag: blog

The Ira Smith Trustee Team wishes you a happy, healthy and secure 2021 New Year.

Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. is absolutely operational and Ira, in addition to Brandon Smith, is readily available for a telephone consultation or video meeting.

Brandon’s Blog posts introduction

What a year 2020 has been. I am sure that we are all glad that it is almost over. I always like to end the Brandon Blog posts calendar year by looking back to see which of my blog posts were the most read by people. As you will see, not all were necessarily written in 2020. This is also not a list of the best blog posts as I don’t rate mine that way. I let my beloved readers do that by looking at what they read. Also, I send an annual survey to my subscribers to make sure that what I write about covers off what they have told me they are interested in reading about.

In Brandon’s Blog, I talk a bit about my philosophy in how I write blog posts and then go on to describe the 2020 picks.

What are blog posts?

Blog posts permit me and my company to describe my views, ideas, and stories online concerning the world of Canadian insolvency and debt matters. They can, and I hope they do, aid you in your understanding of the subject matter I write about. I love providing value to my readers in this way.

I also hope that it drives traffic to my website, increases people’s recognition of the Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. brand, imparts the feeling of trustworthiness in our brand and ultimately phone calls and new work for my Firm. This is what is called content marketing.

You can find multiple blogs for any industry, business, hobby or topic.

What makes good blog posts?

Before putting “pen to paper“, I put myself in the shoes of the blog readers. I try to make certain I understand why someone would want to keep reading my blog posts and why would they return to read more. Since I write and post two blogs per week, I am conscious of the fact that I don’t want to have my Brandon Blog posts cause visitors to my blog posts and my loyal readers “blog fatigue”.

In addition to what I hope you find to be easy reading, I also incorporate the use of audio and video. Every Tuesday’s blog has an audio version at the bottom to listen to. Every Thursday blog has a video that you can watch also. In that way, if you don’t feel like reading that day, you can listen or watch and listen. I hope that readers find that helpful. At least nobody has complained yet!

I also believe that my blogs need to respond to the questions people are actually searching online for an answer to. You will see that when I describe the 2020 Brandon Blog posts in the review below.

I also believe that it is not very helpful to readers if all I do is give a technically correct answer to someone’s question. I really believe that I also have to offer realistic, easy to implement solutions to a problem someone is asking about while keeping the blog post interesting.

I believe that excellent blog posts are interesting to the reader, offer educational yet practical content for my audience and hopefully show off good writing skills.

How do I write my Brandon blog posts?

I try to stick to a formula in writing blog posts. It is not the case that each blog reads the same. Rather, it is the process I use to come up with the blog topic and then write is streamlined. I have to be efficient because my real job is being a licensed insolvency trustee helping individuals, entrepreneurs and their companies solve their debt problems is really my full-time job.

Writing two blog posts a week would be impossible if I didn’t have a system that allowed me to be the most efficient possible. So here are the steps I use to pick and write my Brandon Blog posts:

1. I plan my blog post by picking looking for topic ideas. To do this, I look at what is happening in the news, the insolvency industry, I review recent court decisions and look at other resources. Maybe most important, I look at Google search analytics to see what kinds of insolvency questions are people looking online to get answered. Then I settle on my topic from the various blog post ideas that I have come up with.
2. Once I select the topic from the various ideas, I then select the long-tail keyword and other keywords that seem to be popular around it. I then draft a summary of what details I think the blog content should have.
3. Then I draft the content based on the summary and my independent research. I review it and make whatever changes are necessary.
4. Then I create the blog post title that I hope will not only be informative but will also capture readers’ attention. I certainly do not want any vague headlines. Normally, writing introductions and blog post titles are the last things I do, once I am happy with the content.
5. I then select images. The visual assets are very important too. I also make audio podcasts and videos to improve the content of my blog posts. I hope that in this way, I can show some wit and humour and give readers an alternative to hold their interest besides reading. We all have to read a lot of things, so if my audio or video lets you rest your eyeballs while still getting the information and details, that is a good thing.
6. Regular readers will notice that my videos have become more sophisticated over the past few years. I have gone from just images and audio off-camera videos to on-camera videos complete with subtitles. As part of being efficient, I don’t have the time to be on camera. Thankfully Ira Smith is not camera shy and helps me out in this way.
7. I then look at the finished blog post’s structure and formatting to make sure that things like post headlines and the post content are quality content. I also have to make sure that everything can be found by Google, Bing, YouTube and other search engines by making sure that the search engine optimization has been done properly. The meta description for the Brandon blog posts is also very important to be done correctly. It won’t be any good if nobody can find my blog content!

I stick to these steps every time. I want to end up creating an awesome blog for my visitors and subscribers. In the very beginning, blogging was tough work. Today, I do this by second nature, so, now, they are for me simple steps.

Top 10 insolvency-related Google searches in 2020 leading people to Brandon Blog posts

Some searches follow a theme. I have grouped similar search terms together. These are in addition to the ones you would normally expect like a consumer proposal, personal bankruptcy, corporate bankruptcy and restructuring and turnarounds. In the section below this one, I detail which Brandon Blog posts people find when they use these search terms.

So without further ado, from Google Analytics, here are the top 10 things people searched for that led new visitors to my Brandon blog posts:

1. 40 park lane circle, 40 park lane circle toronto, 44 park lane circle, 40 park lane circle owner, 40 park lane circle owner, who owns 40 park lane circle – These two properties in Toronto’s Bridle Path area apparently still garner a great deal of interest.
2. what happens to mortgage when you die canada, joint mortgage death of spouse canada – Many people are concerned about what happens to debt when you die in Canada – From the work that we do as an Estate Trustee, I fully understand why. As a licensed insolvency trustee, I have also administered many times the bankruptcy of an insolvent deceased Estate.
3. how to negotiate with 407 – Many times in consumer insolvency files, people owe a large debt to 407 ETR. Please excuse the pun, but where the “rubber meets the road”, is when the person is refused renewal of the vehicle license permit because of this outstanding debt. That is normally the time when people want to find out about how they can negotiate with 407 ETR. More often than not, the only way to settle or purge this debt is through either a consumer proposal or a bankruptcy.
4. form 31 proof of claim, how to complete form 31 proof of claim canada, proof of claim form example canada, how to fill out a proof of claim form canada – In order to participate in an insolvency proceeding and be entitled to be paid a dividend should it be declared, is by filing a proof of claim. The form can be confusing for 1st time proof of claim filers and especially for people not used to dealing in insolvency matters. Many times these people need help in completing a form 31 proof of claim.
5. i need financial help immediately canada – Although people search this long-tail keyword every year, this year the volume of searches has risen dramatically. It is no wonder that since March 2020 the coronavirus pandemic has caused this keyword to be searched for more than usual in any prior year.
6. 4 pillars class action – This keyword search term refers to a class-action lawsuit in British Columbia
   Pearce v. 4 Pillars Consulting Group Inc., 2019 BCSC 1851.
7. is spouse responsible for credit card debt in canada – This is related to the debt and death keyword search term above regarding mortgages and death.
8. commercial tenancies act – In Ontario, the Commercial Tenancies Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. L.7 sets out the provincial law for commercial tenancies. This is another keyword search term that has increased in 2020 due to COVID-19.
9. if your parents die with debt who pays it canada – Suffice to say, more debt and death.
10. goldie cranston – This one surprised me. Goldie Cranston is the sister of the late Canadian figure skating champion, Toller James Montague Cranston, who died intestate in 2015.

The Brandon Blog posts the top 10 insolvency-related Google searches in 2020 lead people to

Here are the Brandon blog posts that the top 10 insolvency-related (but not including the obvious ones I listed above) Google searches and other search engines produced in 2020 led people to:

• The 40 Park Lane Circle search terms leads people to our December 3, 2013 blog titled “Park Lane Circle – People Who Live In Glass Houses Can’t Change The Rules” and our March 31, 2015 blog titled “40 Park Lane Circle, 44 Park Lane Circle Toronto For Sale: Are Financial Problems Contagious?“. The first one deals with the receivership sale of this Toronto mansion. The second blog is about the financial problems of the owner of number 40, Mahvash Lechcier-Kimel and the owners of 44, Norma and Ronauld Walton.
• The death and mortgage search terms leads you to our October 9, 2019 blog titled “What Happens To Mortgage When You Die Canada: Debt Philosophy Explained“. In this blog, I talk about what happens to the mortgage debt, the mortgage and the related real estate when the death of an owner happens.
• Searching how to negotiate with 407 brings up my November 19, 2015 blog “407 ETR Debt Settlement: Our Newest Guilt Free Way To Do It“. In this Brandon Blog, I describe an Ontario court case and show how an insolvency process can eliminate the 407 ETR debt.
• The”how to complete form 31 proof of claim canada” and related search terms turns up my October 3, 2018 blog titled “Form 31 Proof of Claim: How To Complete A Proof of Claim“. In this blog, I describe the importance of completing and submitting a proof of claim and provide a real step-by-step example of how to complete it. There is a link in the blog to the example, which is stored on a different server. That example is being clicked on daily since it was uploaded.
• The immediate financial help search term leads the person to my September 6, 2017 blog post “I Need Financial Help Right Now: What You Need To Do When You Need Financial Help Immediately And Say A Prayer For Immediate Financial Help While You Are At It“. I recently wrote an update on this theme for COVID-19 Canadian Government support programs in my blog titled “The I Need Financial Help Immediately Canada Plan To Become Financially Strong.“
• The 4 Pillars search produces my November 25, 2019 blog “How Does Debt Relief Work: Apparently Not Great 4 Everyone“. You can read it to find out all about the class-action lawsuit Pearce v. 4 Pillars Consulting Group Inc.
• The deceased spouse and credit card debt search will lead you to several of my blog posts :

August 7, 2019 – Credit Card Debt After Death In Canada: Who Is Responsible?

October 23, 2019 – Legal Effects When Only One Spouse Files For Bankruptcy In 2019 And Beyond

March 4, 2020 – Do You Inherit Debt In Canada: CRA Says Yes To Property Transfers

August 12, 2020 – What Happens If You Die Without A Will In Ontario? Read Our Intense Analysis

Hopefully, the titles of these blog posts are self-explanatory. I invite you to read any that may pique your interest.

• The commercial tenancies search will produce my coronavirus related June 22, 2020 blog “Commercial Tenancies Act Ontario: New Fix For Your Unruly Landlord’s COVID-19 Commercial Lease Termination“. In that blog, I describe how Ontario Bill 192 amending the Commercial Tenancies Act works. As with everything, the devil is in the details.
• Your parents die with debt long-tail keyword search produces my June 25, 2018 blog “What Happens To Debt When You Die Canada: Are You Free Of Debt“, in addition to several related ones already described above.
• Last but not least, those who search the name “Goldie Cranston” will find my blog “Dying Without A Will In Ontario: Distribution To Heirs Not Easy“. In that Brandon’s Blog, I discuss the issues around dying without a will and the fight between the siblings of the late Canadian figure skater, Toller Cranston.

Blog posts summary

I hope you enjoyed this Brandon Blog posts review of 2020. I started with the most searched terms that led visitors to my blog posts but not including the obvious ones relating to insolvency assignments. Like with any blog post, if you feel it provides value, please feel free to share any of my Brandon Blog posts to your social network.

Hopefully, you find that I provide enough information that makes them actionable blog posts, i.e. I provide a solution that you feel comfortable that you can put into action right away for yourself. Or perhaps, it motivates you to call me and ask some follow up questions. Each one may not give you a step-by-step guide, but they should give you enough information to start taking positive action to improve your financial situation.

If you are worried because you or your company are facing significant financial challenges and you think bankruptcy is your only option, call me. It is not your fault that you are in this situation. You have been only shown the old ways that do not work anymore. The Ira Smith Team uses new modern ways to get you out of your debt troubles while avoiding bankruptcy. We can get you debt relief freedom.

The stress placed upon you is huge. We understand your pain points. We look at your entire situation and devise a strategy that is as unique as you and your problems; financial and emotional. The way we take the load off of your shoulders and devise a debt settlement plan, we know that we can help you.

We know that people facing financial problems need realistic lifeline. There is no “one solution fits all” approach with the Ira Smith Team. Not everyone has to file bankruptcy in Canada. Most of our clients never do. We help many people and companies avoid bankruptcy.

That is why we can develop a restructuring process as unique as the financial problems and pain you are facing. If any of this sounds familiar to you and you are serious about finding a solution, contact the Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. team today.

Call us now for a free consultation.

We will get you or your company back on the road to healthy stress-free operations and recover from the pain points in your life, Starting Over, Starting Now.

The Ira Smith Trustee Team wishes you a happy, healthy and secure 2021 New Year.

Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. is absolutely operational and Ira, in addition to Brandon Smith, is readily available for a telephone consultation or video meeting.