Tag: Debt

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WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR CREDIT SCORING? THEN CHOOSE YOUR FACEBOOK FRIENDS WISELY

credit score, credit scoring, Facebook, Facebook credit score patent, Facebook friends, loan, social media, credit ratings, social network, credit score, loan applications, financial danger zone, trustee, debt, social media, starting over starting nowWhat does credit scoring have to do with your Facebook Friends?

To improve your credit scoring, you are going to have to choose your Facebook Friends more wisely. Many people believe that when it comes to social media, it’s a numbers game and whoever has the most, wins. As a result they will “friend” anyone who asks. They don’t care who they are or why they want to be Facebook friends; the only thing that matters is that their number of friends keeps going up. That may now be a very dangerous game to play. Those Facebook friends that you’ve been amassing may be a liability if you apply for a loan.

It’s well known that Facebook mines data from its users for the purposes of pushing targeted advertising. However, Facebook now has a patent for authorizing and authenticating a user based on their social network on Facebook. Although this patent can be used for several benign functions like helping with search queries, it also states very clearly that it could be used to approve a loan based on a user’s social connections. In other words, the new Facebook algorithm can be used by lenders in determining your credit scoring when applying for a loan or mortgage.

The Facebook credit rating patent

“When an individual applies for a loan, the lender examines the credit ratings of members of the individual’s social network who are connected to the individual through authorized nodes,” the patent reads. “If the average credit rating of these members is at least a minimum credit score, the lender continues to process the loan application. Otherwise, the loan application is rejected.” So your Facebook Friends credit scoring, affects yours too!

Lenders are already using social media when considering your loan application

In case you find this shocking and futuristic, social media strategist and University of Sydney academic Laurel Papworth says that lenders in 36 countries are now using Facebook data as part of their tools for approving or rejecting loan applications. This puts a lot of power in the hands of your Facebook friends, especially when you consider that according to CNN there are 83 million fake profiles.

So do you really know your entire list of Facebook friends well and better yet, their financial situation and credit scoring? It’s time to take a serious look at your Facebook friends and start trimming the fat. Who you don’t actually know, and who you do know with poor credit scoring, can hurt you.

If you have been rejected for a loan – take action now!

If you have been rejected for a loan application because of a poor credit scoring, chances are that you are in a financial danger zone. The best thing you can do is contact a professional trustee as soon as possible. The Ira Smith team is here to help you conquer debt and live a financially healthy life Starting Over, Starting Now.

 

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BACK TO SCHOOL: TEACH YOUR KIDS ABOUT MANAGING DEBT

back to school, debt, living paycheque to paycheque, student loan, financial plan, credit score, RRSPs, RESPs, life insurance, budgets, trustee, starting over starting now, how to manage debt, managing debt, personal debt in Canada, dealing with debt, how to get help with debtManaging debt or talking about sex?

It’s commonly believed that all parents dread having the “sex” talk with their kids, but a recent study from BMO shows parents would rather talk to their kids about sex than their financial situation and managing debt. Imagine that! Canadians are stressed about money and probably feel ill-equipped to educate their kids about finances and managing debt.

Personal debt in Canada

According to a new national study conducted by Leger:

  • Canadians struggle with regret over financial decisions
  • Argue over spending
  • Feel pressure to keep up with friends or colleagues
  • Bend the truth to friends and family about their financial situation in order to save face

A Bank of Montreal study reports that:

  • More than 33% of all Canadians are ashamed of the debt that they have
  • Almost 40% say they stress over debt levels multiple times a day

There’s no doubt about it, money and managing debt is the top source of stress in our lives. Why are we so financially stressed? Why are Canadians stressed over debt and have so much trouble managing debt? Here are 10 of the most common reasons:

  1. Expenses are greater than your income
  2. You worry about job security
  3. You’re living paycheque to paycheque
  4. You’re fighting with your spouse/partner about money
  5. You’re paying bills late
  6. You use your home equity like an ATM machine
  7. You’re counting on an inheritance to solve your money problems
  8. You’re late on student loan payments
  9. You’re helping out your parents and your kids
  10. You don’t have a financial plan

Dealing with debt

It’s time to become financially literate and educate your kids, not just about the birds and the bees, but about finances and managing debt. Foresters recently offered 5 tips to get smarter about your finances:

  1. Learn everything you can about your finances, including your mortgage terms, bank interest rates and credit score
  2. Start with the simple things like contributing to RRSPs, setting up RESPs for your kids and protecting your family’s financial future with life insurance
  3. Keep track of every penny you spend for a couple of months and look for ways to cut back and start saving. Even a small commitment to saving will make you feel better about your finances
  4. Look ahead 10, 20 and 30 years. Imagine the life you want and what it will take to make that happen
  5. Talk to your kids regularly about money, involve them in household budgeting, open bank accounts for them and encourage them to save for things they want

How to get help with debt

All of this is great advice to avoid financial problems, but if you are already in serious financial difficulty and don’t know where you will begin on how to manage your debt, you need professional help now. Contact Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. Don’t ignore your debt issues. Face them head on and with the help of the Ira Smith team you’ll be on your way to conquering debt Starting Over, Starting Now.

 

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CANADA’S MIDDLE CLASS: DO YOU YOU QUALIFY?

Middle class, middle-class, middle class lifestyle, student debt, housing prices, trustee, living paycheque to paycheque, bankruptcy, starting over starting nowCanada’s middle class is a huge topic these days. There’s been a lot of talk recently about the growing gap between Canada’s affluent and middle class. Before we can begin to understand what’s happening to Canada’s middle class, we must first be able to define it.

“One of the troubles with the term middle class is it’s so elastic and there’s not a clear-cut definition,” said Charles Beach, an economist and Queen’s University professor emeritus. Beach says surveys have shown most Canadians consider themselves part of the middle class without quite defining what it is. “There is no consensus definition of ‘middle class,’ nor is there an official government definition,” said the memo, obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act.

The New York Times defines the middle class as families earning between $35,000 and $100,000 a year. This would seem to hold true in Canada as well. According to Employment and Social Development Canada:

  • The middle 60% of families earned an average of $53,500 after tax in 2011

According to Statistics Canada:

  • The total median 2012 income for families, defined in this case as all couples with or without kids, was $81,980

The problem is that it’s now difficult to make middle class. Paul Kershaw, policy professor at the University of British Columbia reports:

  • The typical 25 – 34-year-old is now making wages that are 11% lower than they were for the same aged person in 1976, even though their education levels are higher
  • The typical older worker is making wages that are 3% – 7% higher than a similar person did 30 years ago
  • House prices have nearly doubled in that time, meaning more wealth for the older person and more debt for the younger person

“It takes longer now to do anything that looks like a middle-class lifestyle,” says John Myles, professor emeritus of sociology at University of Toronto, as young people stay in school longer than in generations past, get more credentials, start careers later, get married later and buy homes later. And the gap between the affluent and the middle class is growing.

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives report finds most affluent families in their 20’s have net worth over $500,000, more than most middle-class families save over decades. Real estate is typically the reason the affluent are able to meet such a high net worth at such a young age. Their parents buy a property for them, help purchase the property and/or give the down payment. In addition the affluent are starting off life with no student debt as their families were able to fund their educations. Conversely, those striving to make middle class are often buried under a mountain of student debt. This in and of itself is problematic enough, but it also delays being able to purchase a house. And with the cost of housing rising exponentially (the average price of a detached house in Toronto is now over $1 million), the gap between the affluent and the middle class will continue to grow.

Many trying to make a middle class lifestyle are struggling financially, living paycheque to paycheque and need professional help. Trustees are experts in dealing with debt. The Ira Smith Team has a cumulative 50+ years helping people and companies facing financial crisis or bankruptcy that need a plan for Starting Over, Starting Now. Call today. Stop struggling and start enjoying life again.

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HOW ADVANTAGES OF CONSUMER PROPOSALS SAVES YOU FROM DEBT SETTLEMENT COMPANIES

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HAPPY CANADA DAY!

The advantages of consumer proposals with a Trustee can save you from debt settlement companies. Here’s how.

Continue reading “HOW ADVANTAGES OF CONSUMER PROPOSALS SAVES YOU FROM DEBT SETTLEMENT COMPANIES”
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WHY GOOD DEBT HAD BEEN SO POPULAR TILL NOW

debt, debt problems, good debt, mortgage debt, student debt, student loans, trustee, paycheque to paycheque, starting over starting nowIs there really good debt? Debt is a four letter word and it’s strangling many Canadians. Even if you have what people refer to as good debt, if you are having difficulty servicing it, then you have debt problems, no matter how you classify the debt itself. However, many believe that mortgages and student loans are good debt.

Let’s have a look at mortgage debt. Mortgages have been considered good debt because they allow you to buy an appreciating asset which you can then sell at a considerable profit. According to the Royal Bank of Canada:

  • Canadians have taken on $80-billion worth of mortgages, personal loans and credit card debt in the past year
  • Household debt totalled $1.82-trillion in January
  • Most of the growth came from new residential mortgages, which rose 5.4% per cent in January compared to a year earlier, to nearly $1.3 trillion
  • Non-bank lenders, which represent about one-fifth of mortgages, drove the residential housing market over the past year, with outstanding mortgage debt rising 6.3% compared to 4.3% cent among banks

The Globe and Mail received a memo from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) stating that it was “concerned about reduced household flexibility resulting from elevated debt levels as well as diversion of capital into residential housing investments.” Ten to twenty years ago Canadians were able to buy into an affordable housing market that greatly appreciated. However, with detached housing prices rising above $1-million in Toronto and Vancouver, it’s increasingly difficult to buy into the housing market and unlikely that level of appreciation will ever be seen again. So if you have a reasonable down payment and you can handle the monthly mortgage payments within your budget, then you can handle this debt and therefore it is good debt.

Let’s have a look at student loans. Student loans have always been considered good debt. In years past a university degree guaranteed you a good job upon graduation. However, in today’s world we have record numbers of unemployed and under-employed graduates with a mountain of student debt. Statistics Canada’s Survey of Financial Security reports that student debt grew 44.1% from 1999 to 2012, or 24.4% between 2005 and 2012. And, one in eight Canadian families is carrying student debt. The average student is having a great deal of difficulty paying off their student loans and according to the Canada Student Loans Program, most students take nearly 10 years to pay off their loans – with some taking the maximum 14.5 years. Under this scenario, is it really good debt?

The reality is that both good debt and bad debt can strangle you. Returning to financial health requires the help of a professional. Struggling from paycheque to paycheque is no way to live. Contact Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. With immediate action and a solid financial plan we can set you on a course to a debt free life Starting Over, Starting Now.

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SENIORS DEBT RELIEF: GRAY DEBT ON THE RISE

seniors debt reliefSeniors debt relief introduction

The need for seniors debt relief is gaining more attention in Canada. Seniors in our country are having a very rough time. “A financially secure retirement is becoming the exception, not the norm”, says Lee Anne Davies, CEO of Agenomics, a consulting firm specializing in money management and ageing. We’ve spoken about the plight of our seniors in several blogs:

Seniors Acquiring More Debt Delays Retirement

What Do The Golden Years Really Look Like?

Help For Seniors In Debt

Senior Credit Card Debt Relief Or Declare Bankruptcy

Advice For Seniors With Credit Card Debt

Solve It Without Bankruptcy

However gray liabilities are on the rise and this problem is not going away any time soon. According to the Vanier Institute:

  • Bankruptcy rates for those aged 55 to 64 have increased by more than 600% over the last twenty years.

Agenomics reports:

  • The insolvency rate for those aged 65+ increased by 1,747% over the last twenty years.
  • The elderly, in particular, were 17 times more likely to become insolvent in 2010 than they were in 1990.

These are only two sources of the many who have written on this issue.

Why are elderly liabilities on the rise?

Mortgages: People nearing retirement are taking on mortgages thinking that the property will appreciate substantially and quickly, providing them with a nest egg or retirement income when they sell. Others are mortgaging their homes to help out their kids.

There really isn’t any seniors debt relief available from a secured creditor, such as a mortgagee, who holds a valid charge against your property.

Lifestyle Debt: Many retirees are still living the same lifestyle as they were during their working years, but now they don’t have to money to fund it and as a result are falling into debt. Usually, the type of debt that signifies lifestyle debt would amount owing to numerous credit cards. This would be unsecured debt from which relief is available. However, the necessary lifestyle changes that seniors debt relief would require would be significant, as the credit card liabilities have risen from spending more than the seniors earn.

Payday Loans: The number of elderly taking out payday loans is on the rise. Now retired, they may not qualify for traditional loans so they are falling prey to payday loan companies. Relief is available for unsecured payday loans, but like credit cards, the solution will involve lifestyle and spending changes.

Are you struggling financially, you require seniors debt relief (or not so grey relief) and don’t know where to turn? Contact Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. today. Our approach for every file is to create an outcome where Starting Over, Starting Now becomes a reality, beginning the moment you walk in the door. Call us today and take the first step towards living a debt-free life.

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CREDIT SCORE RATING: YOU HAVE A GREAT ONE BUT YOU WERE STILL REJECTED

credit score rating, credit score, credit scores, debt, credit, debt service ratio, small business loan, personal bankruptcy, bankruptcy, bankruptcy alternatives, starting over starting now

Credit score rating is an important part of what lenders look at when you apply for a loan, but it is not the only thing. We all know that credit score rating is used to determine your credit worthiness, but what you may not know is that your credit score rating is not the only factor used. Even with a great credit score rating, you may still be rejected when applying for credit. How is this possible?

In order to have a good credit score rating you must be able to show that you have the means to repay credit. However, your ability to repay credit may change depending on your income and your debt load. Using mathematical formulas, something called a debt service ratio (DSR) is calculated. Your DSR shows what percentage of your monthly income goes toward paying off debt. You may be managing your debt today, but if your DSR shows that with additional credit responsibilities you may have trouble meeting or managing your existing expenses, your credit application may be rejected. The same applies to an entrepreneur who’s looking to finance his/her small business with a small business loan. The credit worthiness of the individual has to be taken into account, as that’s who the lender is really loaning the money to, either directly or by way of a personal guarantee.

If you offer collateral as security in exchange for credit, the value of your collateral must be established. An asset that you think has great value may not be worth what you think it is in the eyes of the lender. Typically real estate and guaranteed investments are better forms of collateral than your jewelry, car, machinery or equipment.

Unfortunately many people are carrying too much debt but are fearful of the bankruptcy process, so they attempt to borrow more money in order to either consolidate their loans or for a specific need. Adding more debt is not the answer. Personal bankruptcy is an option, but not one to be feared. And, there are bankruptcy alternatives to be considered as well. Don’t run away from debt. Contact the Ira Smith team. We can help you deal with debt and Starting Over, Starting Now you can be well on your way to a debt free life

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40 PARK LANE CIRCLE, 44 PARK LANE CIRCLE TORONTO FOR SALE: ARE FINANCIAL PROBLEMS CONTAGIOUS?

40 Park Lane Circle, 44 Park Lane Circle Toronto

40 Park Lane Circle, 44 Park Lane Circle Toronto for sale, 44 Park Lane Circle, 40 Park Lane Circle, debt, budget, collection agencies, trustee, financial plan, starting over starting now
40 Park Lane Circle, 44 Park Lane Circle

40 Park Lane Circle, 44 Park Lane Circle Toronto for sale: it seems that life in Toronto’s very exclusive Bridal Path is not always what it appears to be. We tend to categorize the people who own these properties as “the rich and famous” while in reality some of them are “not so rich and infamous”. Two Bridal Path properties have garnered quite a bit of attention #40 Park Lane Circle which used to be owned by Mahvash Lechcier-Kimel and #44 Park Lane Circle which used to be owned by Norma Walton and Ronauld Walton.

Are financial problems contagious?

Are financial problems contagious between 40 Park Lane Circle, 44 Park Lane Circle Toronto for sale or just the entire street? Of course not; but when you get caught up in a high flying Bridal Path lifestyle and have to support a massive property like either one of these, or any other property that the average person would describe as a mansion, it’s very easy to accumulate enormous amounts of debt, leaving you to house rich and cash poor. And, if the spending is not controlled and the debts keep piling up it can be easy to lose everything.

Everyone needs a realistic and proper budget

A realistic and proper budget should be an important part of your life. It will keep you from overextending yourself while trying to keep up with your next-door neighbours. Without a proper budget, it’s very easy to get caught up in a cycle of overspending – bigger houses, faster cars, and exotic vacations. The lure of luxury is intoxicating, especially in the low-interest-rate environment we currently live in; but what happens when you wake up and find letters from creditors in the mail demanding payment? How many of those demand letters do you think found their way to the mailboxes of these two luxury Bridle Path?

Call us for a no-cost consultation

So whether you are in over your head with debt due to the ownership of a massive property or for other reasons, such as you’re living a lifestyle that you can’t afford and are being hounded by creditors and collection agencies, now’s the time to contact a professional trustee today. The Ira Smith team can set you back on a path to financial health with immediate action and a solid financial plan. Starting Over, Starting Now you can live a debt-free life.

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DEATH OF A DEBTOR: WHO’S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEBTS?

death of a debtor, paycheque to paycheque, debt, debts, trustee, student loans, financial disaster, Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, Starting Over Starting NowWhen you think of death of a debtor, you can’t help but be reminded of Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize winning play written in 1949 and still timely today. The play was essentially an attack on the American dream of materialism as embodied by the central character, Willy Loman. His entire life he lived paycheque to paycheque, waiting for his big break that never came. All the while the debts kept piling up. One day Willy Loman was fired and as a result he took his own life leaving his family to deal with the death of a debtor.

From time to time, we are consulted regarding insolvent estates of deceased persons.

When the death of a debtor occurs, who is responsible for the debts?

  • Although some creditors may try to collect from the spouse or other family members, debts do not transfer by virtue of marriage or death unless the debt is “joint” in which case the survivor will be required to pay the balance of the account.
  • Debts are normally paid out of the assets of the estate of the deceased before distributions are made to heirs (before any money can be distributed to heirs, all the proven debts must be paid).
  • If the estate is insolvent (the assets of the estate are not sufficient to pay the debts), then the order of payment is normally prescribed by provincial legislation.
  • If warranted, the executors can make application to Bankruptcy Court for an order allowing them to assign the deceased’s estate into bankruptcy. In that event, then the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada), the federal legislation, will prescribe the order of payment.
  • If there is no money in the estate to pay the debt and if the debt is only in the name of the deceased person, the credit grantor will be left with no option but to write off the debt as uncollectible.

Some debts may be extinguished upon the death of the debtor:

  • Insured mortgages
  • Insured loans
  • The Canada Student Financial Assistance Act provides for some student loans to be repaid by the federal government in the event of the student’s death or permanent disability.

Make sure you know and understand the state of your finances before you have to deal with death of a debtor. If you’re living from paycheque to paycheque and on the edge of financial disaster, contact a professional trustee today. The Ira Smith team can help you solve your financial problems with immediate action and the right plan so that Starting Over, Starting Now you can enjoy financial freedom.

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CANADIAN PARENTS PAYING STUDENT LOANS

Canadian parents paying student loans, student loans, bankruptcy, debt, trustee, starting over starting nowCanadian parents paying student loans is much more common than you’d think. That was never the plan. Your child was supposed to get a university degree with the help of student loans, graduate, land a good paying job and pay off their student loans. The reality of the situation is quite different. Firstly it’s a misconception that student loans cover the costs of a university degree. Student loans may cover a portion of tuition costs. Statistics Canada says undergraduate students paid an average of $5,772 in tuition fees in 2013 to 2014. But that average rises, depending on the field of study: law studies cost an average of $10,039 while undergraduate studies in dentistry cost $17,324 during that same year. This may seem manageable, but this only tells a small part of the story. When you factor in the costs of books, living expenses and transportation, according to a recent Bank of Montreal study the total current cost for an undergraduate university degree can exceed $80,000 and is expected to surpass $140,000 by the time a child born in 2014 is old enough to enroll.

The second misconception is that a university degree is a guarantee of a good paying job. The reality is that it’s a very competitive market out there and many students aren’t making enough to repay student loans. Instead Canadian parents paying student loans is becoming an all too common story. In addition they’re paying for books and living expenses, even if it means sacrificing their financial stability. They’re delaying retirement, working more and borrowing money, potentially putting themselves in financial jeopardy.

There appears to be very few options when it comes to repaying student loans and that is another reason that leads to Canadian parents paying student loans. Even bankruptcy doesn’t discharge student loans until seven years after you’ve left school. In exceptional cases after five years you can apply to the court for special consideration (e.g. a disability which prevents you from working).

Canadian parents paying student loans may be in a financial danger zone. If you’re experiencing serious debt issues as a result of student loans or any other reason, you need professional help today. Contact Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. With a cumulative 50+ years of experience dealing with diverse issues and complex files, the Ira Smith team delivers the highest quality of professional service. Starting Over, Starting Now we can help you solve your financial problems.

Call a Trustee Now!