Tag: financial trouble
Alternatives to bankruptcy
Our insolvency clients, be they personal or corporate, usually want to start a consultation by asking us bankruptcy questions. However, I first start by obtaining a full understanding of the person’s or company’s financial challenges, so that we may consider all of the realistic options before discussing the topic of bankruptcy. I first wish to find the best alternative to bankruptcy.
I am finding now that many families, even high earners, are struggling in the “new economy”. We’ve spoken about their plight in our blogs:
There is yet another group that is now in great danger of bankruptcy – families whose previously very healthy income has taken a serious downturn and are now struggling to maintain a lifestyle they can no longer support. These families need to act fast and consider their alternatives to bankruptcy before it is too late to take remedial action. The natural inclination is to tough it out and hope for better times, but serious financial times demand serious financial decisions, not a hope and a prayer. As these families wait for better times to come they are burning through whatever savings they have, going further into debt by living off credit and will eventually run out of both money and credit.
This is not the best approach. At the first sign of financial trouble, these families should seek the advice of their legal counsel or accountant. These trusted professionals will be able to refer the families in financial trouble to a trustee in bankruptcy that they trust. With the trust factor bridge now in place with the trustee, that trustee can review the situation and provide the families with their realistic alternatives to bankruptcy.
If you’re struggling to support a lifestyle you can no longer afford, take immediate action and contact a professional trustee and explore your alternatives to bankruptcy. There are alternatives to personal bankruptcy – credit counselling, debt consolidation and consumer proposals. However, regardless of the choice that’s right for you, a balanced budget is always part of the equation. As we’ve stressed before, a balanced budget is to financial health what a balanced diet is to physical health. You’ll have to take a realistic look at your lifestyle and a serious look at your big ticket items – luxury home(s), exotic vacations, luxury cars, designer clothes and expensive entertaining and start living within your budget in order to benefit from one of the alternatives to bankruptcy .
The Ira Smith team approaches every file with the attitude that corporate or personal financial problems can be solved given immediate action and the right plan. Contact us today and Starting Over, Starting Now you can be on the path to a debt free life.
http://youtu.be/qcr1ga9Jtw4
pingler
Financial trouble; today’s cashless purchasing options can lead you there. Gone are the days when people walked around with big wads of cash in their pocket. Things have changed so dramatically that now we often find ourselves with no cash at all.
We have wallets full of reloadable coffee cards and credit cards and technology has now enabled us to make payments with our smartphones. The problem is that keeping track of our spending has become very difficult. If we are not on top of our spending and making sure that we are not spending more than we earn, financial trouble will find us.
In the good old days we paid for everything with cash. We knew exactly what we were spending and sticking to a budget was much easier. Impulse buying was virtually impossible. Shopping digitally or with plastic is somewhat unreal. And, it’s becoming easier and quicker. Paying with smartphones is becoming more and more prevalent and smartwatch payments will soon be readily available.
Even shopping with plastic has gone high tech; we no longer sign credit card receipts; we tap and we’re done. It really doesn’t feel like a financial transaction anymore. You see something that appeals and wave a smartphone at it or tap a credit card and it’s yours. We’re spending more on purchases that are virtual and we’re losing control of our spending – hence financial trouble.
I know it’s old fashioned, but try using cash for a while. Any time you make a purchase, take real money out of your pocket. You may find the impulse to buy is not quite so great. Credit cards and digital payments are convenient, but it’s very easy to lose control and you may find yourself in financial trouble.
If you’re now in financial trouble because you’ve lost control of your spending, you need professional help. Contact Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. as soon as possible. The earlier you deal with debt, the more options you’ll have. We approach every file with the attitude that your financial problems can be solved given immediate action and the right plan so that Starting Over, Starting Now you can take the first step towards a debt free life.
Seniors in debt or baby boomers in debt, remains a hot topic of conversation and that’s no surprise considering the latest findings. Equifax reports that Canadian consumers continued to increase their debt burdens, but seniors in debt, being consumers 65 and older, had the greatest increase since last year.
According to a new CIBC poll, 59% of retired Canadians say they’re carrying debt. And 19% of those say that their debt level has increased over the past year, while 36% report their debt level has stayed the same. Seniors in debt, defined as those Canadians over the age of 65, have the highest insolvency and bankruptcy rates in the country, according to a report by the Vanier Institute for the Family. Among those retired Canadian seniors in debt, a Harris/Decima poll for CIBC found:
- 37% are juggling two or more debt payments a month
- 39% are carrying credit card debt
- 30% have debt on their line of credit
- 16% are carrying debt on their mortgage, and
- 14% have loan debt
As this is a really important issue, we devoted several blogs to seniors in debt – What Do The Golden Years Really Look Like?, Why Are The Majority Of Seniors in Debt?, and Should Seniors Try and Pay Off Their Debt Or Declare Bankruptcy? Another option for seniors trying to start over is a consumer proposal.
Should seniors in debt consider a consumer proposal? Consumer proposals are a very good option for seniors in debt who are retired. Since most people in financial trouble don’t have many assets, the most common reason for filing bankruptcy is to prevent a wage garnishment. Since retired seniors with credit card debt, or other debt, don’t have any wages, there are no wages that could be potentially garnished. And, it is very difficult, if not impossible, for a creditor to garnishee a pension. Therefore a consumer proposal may be the right choice for retired seniors in serious financial trouble. You may also hear the question in layman’s terms: should seniors file a debt proposal to gain protection? What is really meant is one of the bankruptcy alternatives, the consumer proposal.
If you are one of the may seniors in debt experiencing serious debt issues, contact a professional trustee as soon as possible. Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. will evaluate your individual situation and create a solid financial plan for moving forward so that Starting Over, Starting Now you can live a debt free life and enjoy your retirement. Contact us today.
Watch for our next blog when we’ll be discussing the debt issues plaguing baby boomers.
We are constantly bombarded with messages about the dangers of credit card debt, but no one is talking about Lines of Credit (LOC). The reality is that Lines of Credit and credit cards are just financial products. They are not in and of themselves problematic; how we use or abuse them is the issue. A Line of Credit can be just as dangerous to your financial well-being as a credit card.
What is a Line of Credit? A Line of Credit is a type of loan that lets you borrow money up to a preset limit.
How does a Line of Credit work? You can withdraw or transfer funds from your Line of Credit at any time by:
- Making a withdrawal at your financial institution or at a banking machine
- Writing a cheque
- Telephone or online banking
Once you pay off or pay down your Line of Credit, you can access the funds up to the limit you are allowed. You pay interest on the amount that you borrow from the day you take the money out of your Line of Credit and you must make a minimum payment on the balance every month.
How do you get a Line of Credit? You can apply for a Line of Credit at a financial institution. They will determine your credit worthiness and your credit limit (how much you will be allowed to borrow on your Line of Credit).
Financial institutions have been promoting the use of Lines of Credit and it’s not a big surprise; they make money when you borrow money. And although Lines of Credit do come with lower interest rates than most credit cards, they can be just as dangerous to your financial future. The lower interest rates have lulled many people into making purchases that they may not have otherwise made. Then the reality of paying off the Line of Credit becomes a reality and where is the money going to come from?
According to Equifax, “More and more Canadians, it seems, are turning to their credit line, with balances increasing across the country”.
David Chilton, author of The Wealthy Barber and The Wealthy Barber Returns has very strong, negative opinions about Lines of Credit. “LOCs are the “worst thing” that’s happened to Canadians in the last 20 years. If I was prime minister, I’d shut them down.” Chilton said at a 2011 conference of the Canadian Pension & Benefits Institute as reported in the National Post newspaper. “It’s unbelievable how people are abusing these things.”
Borrowing without a solid repayment plan will get you into financial trouble every time. Are you experiencing serious debt issues as a result of your Line of Credit or credit cards? Contact Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. today. Starting Over, Starting Now we can help you live a debt free life.