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WHAT DOES RECEIVERSHIP MEAN FOR 1 BETTER GUARANTOR BANKRUPTCY DISCHARGE

We hope that you and your family are safe, healthy and secure during this COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

what does receivership mean

What does receivership mean: Receivership is for secured claims

What does receivership mean? A receivership is an enforcement proceeding that helps secured creditors recover secured debts on debtor defaults on loan payments from troubled companies. There are two types of receivers and receiverships: Privately-appointed receivers and court-appointed receivers.

As you can tell from the title of this Brandon Blog, I am not going to be writing about receiverships. You can take a look at my April 14, 2021, Brandon Blog titled “WHAT IS A RECEIVERSHIP? OUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO RECEIVERSHIP SOLUTIONS” to read all about what receiverships are.

What does receivership mean? It is a remedy for secured creditors.

I want to go through two more concepts quickly, and then I will get to what I really want to talk to you about today.

What does receivership mean: Bankruptcy vs. receivership

Despite the fact that receivership and bankruptcy sometimes get used interchangeably, they are not the same thing. A bankruptcy proceeding and a receivership proceeding are both legal actions conducted under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada) (BIA) and governed by the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (OSB). According to the BIA, either a receiver or a bankruptcy trustee in Canada needs to be a licensed insolvency trustee, whose license is granted and whose actions are supervised by the federal government’s OSB.

Here is where the similarities end. In a receivership, a secured creditor would either hire a receiver privately or ask a court to place a company into receivership and appoint one to liquidate the collateral they have against the debtor. According to the Canadian bankruptcy process, either the person or company voluntary files for bankruptcy with a licensed insolvency practitioner, or one or more unsecured creditors apply to the Court for the appointment of an insolvency trustee to administer the bankruptcy Estate.

Licensed insolvency trustees are needed in both cases. The receivership procedure is a secured creditor’s remedy and bankruptcy is an unsecured creditor‘s remedy. To read up more on the bankruptcy process, look at my September 30, 2020, Brandon Blog “DECLARE BANKRUPTCY: A COMPLETE GUIDE ON WHAT IS IT LIKE TO DECLARE BANKRUPTCY“.

What does receivership mean? Not the same as bankruptcy.

what does receivership mean
what does receivership mean

Employee Rights in Bankruptcy Protection and Bankruptcy⁄Receivership

Bankruptcy protection can be gained to try to make a troubled company stable and then return the company to profitability by filing pursuant to either the BIA or the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA), employees retain their right to unpaid wages, vacation pay, and severance or termination pay. There is no difference between filing and not filing. They are unsecured creditors of a troubled company, and the company directors are personally responsible for amounts owed to employees.

For the company in receivership or bankruptcy, the employees do have greater rights. The receiver of a company in receivership must register with Service Canada under the Wage Earner Protection Program Act (WEPPA) for the Wage Earner Protection Program. This program provides some compensation to eligible employees who are owed money by a bankrupt or receivership company.

To read more about WEPPA, take a look at my February 10, 2020 Brandon Blog, “SEVERANCE PAY ONTARIO & BANKRUPTCY-BARRYMORE FURNITURE UNPAID WORKERS ANGRY“.

So what does receivership mean to an employee with unpaid wages? It means they can claim a priority and get paid by Service Canada.

What does receivership mean: Receivership – a typical appointment

Now I will get to what this Brandon Blog is actually about. In Canada, it is the norm for secured creditors advancing loans secured against company assets, to also take a personal guarantee on the same debt from the principals of the company. In all entrepreneurial companies in Canada, that is at least the president running company affairs. If the lender-secured creditor suffers a shortfall from the liquidation of the company assets, the lender then looks to the guarantor(s) of the company debt to make good on the lender’s loss. Many times the company president/guarantor has no choice but to file consumer bankruptcy.

I was involved in a bankruptcy discharge hearing for one of our personal bankrupts in April 2021. He caused his company, being its sole Director, to file for bankruptcy with another Trustee. That same Trustee was also appointed as the company’s private receiver by the secured creditor. The company president provided the secured creditor with a personal guarantee.

Realizing that they would suffer a shortfall from the company situation, rather than suing on their personal guarantee, they approached us to consent to act as the Trustee in a Bankruptcy Application against the company president. We consented and the company president ultimately consented to a Bankruptcy Order being made to put him into bankruptcy with my Firm as the Trustee.

what does receivership mean
what does receivership mean

What does receivership mean: The bankruptcy of the guarantor

We administered the consumer bankruptcy. There were some assets to realize upon which we did. One realization required court approval as we were selling seat licenses and the right to purchase tickets for the Toronto Maple Leafs to a related party. The bankrupt person’s largest single consumer creditor was Canada Revenue Agency for unpaid income tax. The company in receivership was also a creditor as the president owed the company money. The secured creditor of the company was also an unsecured creditor of his in his personal bankruptcy for the personal guarantee on the shortfall.

The known creditors each filed their respective proof of claim in his bankruptcy, including the company by its privately-appointed receiver. We believed that the company by its receiver was a creditor for the amount of the shareholder loan owing to the company. The proof of claim they filed was for a much larger amount. As Trustee, we neither admitted nor disallowed any proofs of claim filed in this bankruptcy estate. The Trustee would have to take a cold hard look at the receiver’s proof of claim at some future date it is determined that a dividend will be paid to the creditors in this bankruptcy estate, which is highly unlikely.

What does receivership mean: The receiver opposes a bankruptcy discharge

Only one unsecured creditor opposed the bankrupt’s discharge. That was the receiver, or more correctly, the company in receivership by its privately-appointed receiver. The Trustee had not opposed. The lender, as an unsecured creditor, did not oppose either along with the other consumer creditors.

As I mentioned, in April 2021, the discharge hearing was held before the Master sitting as Registrar in Bankruptcy Court. The court raised a novel issue. Does the receiver have the standing to oppose the bankrupt’s discharge? The court allowed the hearing to be completed and allowed the parties to file further submissions, subsequent to the hearing, on this issue. Submissions were received from us, the
Trustee and from the Receiver in mid-May, 2021. The bankrupt took no position on the issue.

what does receivership mean
what does receivership mean

Does the Receiver have standing to oppose the bankrupt’s discharge?

Here is what I wrote to the court.

The security documents under which a privately-appointed receiver is appointed will determine if an unsecured amount owing by a bankrupt debtor is an asset secured by security held by a creditor over the assets of another party. If so, then the privately-appointed receiver has the right to file a proof of claim in the debtor’s bankruptcy as part of attempting to realize upon that asset forming part of the secured creditor’s collateral.

In doing so, the privately-appointed receiver is acting as Agent for the secured creditor. If the privately-appointed receiver files a proof of claim in the bankruptcy that is not disallowed by the licensed insolvency trustee administering the bankruptcy estate, then, in order to oppose the discharge of the bankrupt, the privately-appointed receiver must also be able to be the Agent for the debtor in receivership.

If the security under which the privately-appointed receiver is appointed allows for that receiver to operate the business of the debtor in receivership, then that receiver has the ability to be an Agent of the debtor in receivership and bring a claim in the name of that debtor.

In this matter, of the various pieces of security held by the secured creditor, only the General Security Agreement (the “GSA”), allows a receiver appointed in writing under it to operate the business of the debtor company. Under the GSA, the privately-appointed receiver has the ability to act as both Agent of the secured creditor and Agent of the company. The appointment letter appointing the receiver confirms that the appointment is under all security held, including the GSA.

Therefore, my opinion was that although we have concerns about the amount being claimed, the receiver has the ability to both file a proof of claim in this bankruptcy and oppose the discharge of the bankrupt as an Agent of the company. I believed it aided the administration of this bankruptcy to allow the receiver to oppose because it is able to draw the attention of the court to conduct of the bankrupt of which the court otherwise might not be aware of.

Finally, I advised the court that if there still was concern that it is formal defect or irregularity section 187(9) of the BIA, the court can determine that such formal defect or irregularity will not invalidate the opposition to the discharge of the bankrupt.

What the bankruptcy court decided

The court accepted our submission and agreed with it. The court continued to be skeptical of the amount of the company’s proof of claim filed by the receiver. The court noted that as Trustee, I reported that the bankrupt has fulfilled all statutory duties. Income and expense statements were provided and there was no surplus income payable.

On a general perusal of the Trustee’s s. 170 report, the Trustee does not report any significant misconduct or concerns but reserved its rights as to its position on the discharge pending the hearing and matters disclosed therein. In the court’s view, the Trustee’s non-opposition to discharge is a factor favouring the bankrupt’s discharge. After considering all facts, the court gave the bankrupt an absolute discharge from bankruptcy.

what does receivership mean
what does receivership mean

What does receivership mean summary

I hope that you found this what does receivership mean Brandon Blog helpful in describing the role of a privately appointed receiver especially in opposing the discharge of the bankrupt guarantor of the company’s secured debt. Problems will arise when you are cash-starved and in debt. There are several insolvency processes available to a person or company with too much debt. You may not need to file for bankruptcy.

If you are concerned because you or your business are dealing with substantial debt challenges, you need debt help and you assume bankruptcy is your only option, call me.

It is not your fault that you remain in this way. You have actually been only shown the old ways to try to deal with financial issues. These old ways do not work anymore.

The Ira Smith Team utilizes new modern-day ways to get you out of your debt difficulties with debt relief options as an alternative to bankruptcy. We can get you the relief you need and so deserve. Our professional advice will create for you a personalized debt-free plan for you or your company during our no-cost initial consultation.

The tension put upon you is big. We know your discomfort factors. We will check out your entire situation and design a new approach that is as unique as you and your problems; financial and emotional. We will take the weight off of your shoulders and blow away the dark cloud hanging over you. We will design a debt settlement strategy for you. We know that we can help you now.

We understand that people with credit cards maxed out and businesses facing financial issues need a realistic lifeline. There is no “one solution fits all” method with the Ira Smith Team. Not everyone has to file bankruptcy in Canada. The majority of our clients never do as we know the alternatives to bankruptcy. We help many people and companies stay clear of filing an assignment in bankruptcy.

That is why we can establish a new restructuring procedure for paying down debt that will be built just for you. It will be as one-of-a-kind as the economic issues and discomfort you are encountering. If any one of these seems familiar to you and you are serious about getting the solution you need to become debt-free, contact the Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. group today.

Call us now for a no-cost consultation.

We hope that you and your family are safe, healthy and secure during this COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

what does receivership mean
what does receivership mean
Categories
Brandon Blog Post

LICENSED INSOLVENCY TRUSTEE VAUGHAN: THE COMPLETE GUIDE FOR YOUR HAPPY DEBT FREE L1FE

We hope that you and your family are safe, healthy and secure during this COVID-19 pandemic.

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. Through the use of video meetings, we can help you even if you do not live close to our office in the Jane Street Hwy. 7 area. It is just like we are coming to you!

The bankruptcy trustee in Vaughan: We transformed into a licensed insolvency trustee Vaughan

The bankruptcy trustee in Vaughan went through a metamorphosis similar to a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. The term “bankruptcy trustee” turned into a “licensed insolvency trustee“. The licensed insolvency trustee designation was mandated to all licensed trustees by the Industry Canada Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (OSB). The OSB licenses and supervises the activities of all licensed insolvency trustees across Canada. This includes us as a licensed insolvency trustee Vaughan, Ontario.

The purpose of this Brandon blog is to offer an overview of our role in the Greater Toronto Area with our licensed insolvency trustee Vaughan insolvency trustee firm head office.

The purpose of this Brandon blog is to offer an overview of our role in the Greater Toronto Area with our licensed insolvency trustee Vaughan insolvency trustee firm head office.

Role of a Licensed Insolvency Trustee Vaughan (formerly called Trustee in Bankruptcy Vaughan)

A licensed insolvency trustee Vaughan can fulfill various roles. It all starts with providing a no-cost consultation for a person or company that finds themselves in a troubling financial situation that worries them about their prospects for a bright financial future.

Due to the various roles, a licensed insolvency trustee Vaughan can play, we are also known as “receivers”, “trustee in bankruptcy” or “financial restructuring professionals”. We are appointed when a company or person is financially distressed and either has no other options to get out of financial difficulty and is unable to pay its bills. A licensed insolvency trustee is the only party licensed by the Government of Canada to perform a federal government-approved debt settlement plan, being a consumer proposal consolidation.

As a licensed insolvency trustee Vaughan firm, there are different roles we can play.

licensed insolvency trustee vaughan
licensed insolvency trustee vaughan

Find the right option with the help of a Licensed Insolvency Trustee Vaughan

Personal situation insolvency

For individuals who are insolvent, we can provide and act in the following:

  • A no-cost initial consultation to provide advice about debt relief.
  • Credit counselling. to help with your household budget and determine if you really need one of the available debt relief options.
  • Consumer Proposal – Toronto and GTA – Act as Consumer Proposal Administrator to conduct a Consumer Proposal Process for people who owe $250,000 or less in unsecured debts (not including any debts registered against their home) who wish to eliminate their debt and wish an alternative to bankruptcy so that they can avoid filing bankruptcy. This is a government-approved interest-free debt settlement plan that can be paid over as much as five years.
  • Division I Proposal – Toronto and GTA – This process is not quite as streamlined as a consumer proposal, but it is for people who wish to eliminate their debt while avoiding personal bankruptcy.
  • These 2 proposal remedies are the only accredited government debt relief programs in Canada.
  • Personal bankruptcy – Toronto and GTA – As a licensed insolvency trustee Vaughan, we can of course assist anyone who wishes filing for bankruptcy. In your no-cost consultation with us, we first get to know you and your financial situation in order to determine if you qualify for one of the bankruptcy alternatives. If not, we will discuss the entire bankruptcy process with you, including the cost of bankruptcy. If you wish to proceed, we will accept your assignment in bankruptcy.

All collection activities against you cease when you make an assignment in bankruptcy, or file a debt settlement restructuring proposal. Legal action against you may include wage garnishment, collection calls, or a legal action against you. You get legal protection as a result of the stay of proceedings afforded by an insolvency filing.

The two most common types of debt we encounter in our personal insolvency practice are credit card debt and income tax debt. We have successfully handled for clients serious negotiations with Canada Revenue Agency in order to achieve debt settlement for people with a financial history of income tax debt.

Corporate insolvency

For companies, and especially entrepreneurial family businesses that are insolvent, we can provide and act in the following:

  • A no-cost initial consultation to provide advice about debt restructuring options.
  • Restructuring & Turnarounds.
  • Business analysis, business review and monitoring.
  • Receivership – Toronto and GTA – Only a licensed insolvency trustee can act as a receiver on behalf of a secured creditor. As a licensed insolvency trustee Vaughan, we act as a privately-appointed receiver on behalf of a secured creditor. We also act as a court-appointed receiver upon the application to a court by a secured creditor or other stakeholders.
  • Winding-Up and Liquidator – Toronto and GTA – For solvent companies that wish to wind up operations through a legal process, we act as either privately appointed or court-appointed Liquidator.

    licensed insolvency trustee vaughan
    licensed insolvency trustee vaughan

Selecting The Right Licensed Insolvency Trustee in Vaughan

Experience and professionalism

You might not find the expertise to solve your financial difficulties with someone just around the corner. You can start your search for the right Trustee by visiting the website of the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals. Both Ira Smith and Brandon Smith are members of the Canadian Insolvency and Restructuring Professional Association. It shows an individual’s commitment to staying up to date with all the latest industry advancements by belonging to this organization. Check the website of the OSB to ensure that the Trustees you are considering are not suspended or under file management by the regulator.

Interacting with them on many levels is essential

As a beginning, they must be able to quickly understand your needs and desires, as well as provide you with a realistic plan that can be followed. If you have issues or concerns, they also need to be available to you. Look for their interest in you. How enthusiastic are they about their industry? Do you really feel their compassion for you? Do you feel you are going to get along on an inter-personal basis with this person?

That’s exactly how you measure enthusiasm. The most effective solutions and suggestions will be offered by a knowledgeable insolvency trustee. You may not find this type of person within walking distance of your home or workplace.

licensed insolvency trustee vaughan
licensed insolvency trustee vaughan

Licensed insolvency trustee Vaughan: Are you able to agree on the same concepts?

It is not a totally free service to engage a professional trustee. The complexity of your situation could affect the bankruptcy cost. Your trust in a bankruptcy trustee is diminished if you feel they view you as just another dollar sign. Look for those who seem to have similar values to you. It may not be the closest to your home to find such a licensed insolvency trustee.

Websites for licensed insolvency trustee Vaughan

Searching for “bankruptcy trustee near me” or “licensed insolvency trustee Vaughan” on a search engine today will bring up various websites to visit. How does the website make you feel? What bankruptcy FAQs do they provide? Can you see pictures of the people you would deal with? From their blog, do they demonstrate that they have a deep knowledge base?

licensed insolvency trustee vaughan
licensed insolvency trustee vaughan

You can meet with more than one Trustee

Unless you sit across the table from him or her, you won’t know which one is the right fit for you. Comparing two bankruptcy trustees is a good idea. You want to be able to compare two or more for your own validation purposes. The one you feel best about is the one to go with. Trust your gut!

3 Best Licensed Insolvency Trustees in Vaughan, ON

Throughout the years my firm has been inspected for 50 points, including reviews, ratings, reputation, history, complaints, satisfaction, trust, cost, and general excellence. The results have allowed us to rank consistently among the top 3 Best Licensed Insolvency Trustees in Vaughan, ON.

Licensed insolvency trustee Vaughan summary

I hope that you found this licensed insolvency trustee Vaughan Brandon Blog helpful in describing our role as debt professionals and my thoughts on how to go about choosing the one you think is the best fit for anyone in a financial crisis. Problems will arise when you are cash-starved and in debt. There are several insolvency processes available to a person or company with too much debt.

If you are concerned because you or your business are dealing with substantial debt challenges, you need debt help and you assume bankruptcy is your only option, call me.

It is not your fault that you remain in this way. You have actually been only shown the old ways to try to deal with financial issues. These old ways do not work anymore.

The Ira Smith Team utilizes new modern-day ways to get you out of your debt difficulties with debt relief options as alternatives to bankruptcy. We can get you the relief you need and so deserve. Our professional advice will create for you a personalized debt-free plan for you or your company during our no-cost initial consultation.

The tension put upon you is big. We know your discomfort factors. We will check out your entire situation and design a new approach that is as unique as you and your problems; financial and emotional. We will take the weight off of your shoulders and blow away the dark cloud hanging over you. We will design a debt settlement strategy for you. We know that we can help you now.

We understand that people with credit cards maxed out and businesses facing financial issues need a realistic lifeline. There is no “one solution fits all” method with the Ira Smith Team. Not everyone has to file bankruptcy in Canada. The majority of our clients never do as we know the alternatives to bankruptcy. We help many people and companies stay clear of filing an assignment in bankruptcy.

That is why we can establish a new restructuring procedure for paying down debt that will be built just for you. It will be as one-of-a-kind as the economic issues and discomfort you are encountering. If any one of these seems familiar to you and you are serious about getting the solution you need to become debt-free, contact the Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. group today.

Call us now for a no-cost consultation.

We hope that you and your family are safe, healthy and secure during this COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

licensed insolvency trustee vaughan
licensed insolvency trustee vaughan

Categories
Brandon Blog Post

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONSUMER PROPOSAL AND BANKRUPTCY: THE PROVEN CANADIAN WAY TO GET DEBT FREE

difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy
difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy

We hope that you and your family are safe, healthy and secure during this COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

If you would prefer to listen to the audio version of this Brandon Blog, please scroll to the very bottom of the page and click play on the podcast.

Difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy: Know your options

Regular readers of my Brandon Blog know that there are a lot of steps you need to go through to financially reorganize your life. I have written before different blogs on various aspects of both consumer proposals and bankruptcy. The purpose of this Brandon blog is to discuss in one place, the difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy.

Many people opt for one of these options because life has thrown them a curveball, they no longer have the cash flow to pay off their debts and want to start fresh. There are some great benefits to filing bankruptcy. They include eliminating creditors and debts, getting control over your personal finances, and having a stress-free life, Starting Over, Starting Now. But if you’re considering a first-time bankruptcy, or the bankruptcy option even if you are familiar with the Canadian bankruptcy process from a prior time, you should consider the pros and cons of a consumer proposal, the only government-approved debt settlement plan in Canada. It will be good for you to know the options that I explain below.

Consolidation loans vs consumer proposals

What’s the distinction between a consumer proposal and a debt consolidation loan? The consumer proposal process is an insolvency procedure that allows you to resolve all the amounts you owe to your unsecured creditors via an arrangement with your creditors. It does this without needing you to file bankruptcy. A consumer proposal can only be carried out by a licensed insolvency trustee. A consumer proposal allows you to get rid of all the amount owed by repaying only a part of your financial obligations over time.

A consolidation loan means that you still have sufficient assets and income and a good enough credit score, in order to borrow the total amount you owe. The loan must carry an interest rate lower, and hopefully much lower, than the average interest rate of your combined total debt. You use the loan proceeds to repay 100% of your debts. You now have only one loan with a monthly payment you can afford. Taking out a consolidation loan is not an insolvency process.

difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy
difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy

The main difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy

The consumer proposal is a fundamental part of our personal insolvency system. It is an insolvency procedure controlled by the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada) (BIA) that allows individuals who owe $250,000 or less (not including any financial debts secured against their principal home). It permits you to pay a portion of your financial debts with time, yet eliminate all of them if fully executed. It is an alternative to declaring bankruptcy. It is an alternative to bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy is also a fundamental part of our insolvency system under the BIA. However, rather than restructuring, in personal bankruptcy, the person surrenders all of their non-exempt assets to the licensed insolvency trustee for the benefit of the person’s creditors. Once the bankrupt person has fulfilled all of their duties, they are entitled to receive a discharge from bankruptcy, subject to the Trustee or a creditor opposing it.

Personal bankruptcy involves the liquidation of the bankrupt’s assets in return for the eventual elimination of their unsecured debts. It is not considered a restructuring like a consumer proposal is.

Difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy: The process of filing a consumer proposal vs bankruptcy

You start by talking to a Trustee who will provide you basic guidance on both a consumer proposal and also bankruptcy. The Trustee will likewise inform you specifically just how each process functions. If at the end of that discussion you inform the licensed bankruptcy trustee that you really feel good in wanting to take the next steps with them, the Trustee will provide you with their intake form. When the form is completed, you send it to the Trustee, including supplying any kind of backup documents asked for, the Trustee can then provide you advice for your unique financial difficulties.

If you choose a consumer proposal, the licensed insolvency trustee will prepare the necessary filing documents for you to sign. This includes assisting you with preparing the best possible proposal that works for both you and your creditors. You then meet with the Trustee to sign the documents. The Trustee then files the documents electronically with the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (OSB). The OSB then issues the Certificate evidencing the filing and the formal process begins.

After seeing your completed intake sheet, the Trustee will advise on whether or not a consumer proposal would work for you, or if your best or only option is filing for bankruptcy. Similarly, in bankruptcy filings, the Trustee prepares all the required filing documents for your signature. The Trustee explains all of them to you, you sign them and the Trustee then electronically files the filing documents with the OSB. The OSB then issues its Certificate evidencing the bankruptcy and that formal process begins.

You initially meet with the licensed bankruptcy trustee, in-person, by video or phone, to share details of your personal situation, and working together, you determine whether a consumer proposal, an alternative to filing bankruptcy, or personal bankruptcy is the best option for you. With COVID-19, we have been holding all of our no-cost consultations and meetings by phone and video. We can do the sign-up process by video and email. We have found this is very convenient for our clients as they are not required to take the time to attend our office in person.

As you can see, the process of filing a consumer proposal vs bankruptcy is not that different. For filing, there is not really a difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy.

difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy
difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy

Major difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy

Is there a major difference between consumer proposals and bankruptcy? Yes. So far in this discussion, there have not really been major differences. But there really are as the consumer proposal is akin to filing for bankruptcy protection while the other is bankruptcy. Both provide legal protection from creditors. But a consumer proposal gives a person what the media calls filing for bankruptcy protection. When you file for bankruptcy, that calls for the liquidation of non-exempt assets.

Both bankruptcy and a consumer proposal can be excellent options for somebody who is experiencing a challenging financial position. A consumer proposal is an excellent choice for individuals who have the ability to make monthly payments to their creditors totalling less than the amount they owe, yet eliminating all their debts, while keeping the equity they have in assets they wish to keep. Bankruptcy is an excellent choice for those who are bewildered by their financial obligations, and who don’t have a consistent income, making it actually hard or impossible to manage making payments at any level to their creditors.

While both bankruptcy, as well as a consumer proposal, can supply a financial clean slate, there are a few vital distinctions.

In a consumer proposal, you normally get to keep all of your assets. In a bankruptcy, if you have equity in assets that you want to keep, you or someone friendly to you has to pay that equity to your Trustee for the benefit of your creditors. Otherwise, you need to surrender all non-exempt assets to the Trustee for the Trustee to sell them and then put the cash towards the claims of your creditors. The assets covered by your bankruptcy exemptions do not need to be surrendered.

In bankruptcy, you also have the issue of needing to obtain your bankruptcy discharge. If either the Trustee or one or more creditors object to your discharge, then you will not get your automatic bankruptcy discharge and you will have a discharge hearing in Court. You may also be subject to surplus income payments in a bankruptcy, which you will need to make to your Trustee (21 months for a first time bankrupt, 36 months for a second time or more bankruptcy).

The amount to offer your creditors in a consumer proposal has to be a better amount than they would receive from your bankruptcy. After doing the calculations I spoke about above, including any surplus income obligation, you will better understand what amount needs to be offered to your creditors.

Another difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy is that there is a benefit of a consumer proposal in that you can spread the monthly payments for the amount determined over a term of up to 60 months, interest-free. In a bankruptcy, you are typically required to make any required payments over the term of your bankruptcy, which is much shorter than in a proposal. Therefore the consumer proposal allows you to term out a slightly higher settlement over a longer period of time. This makes the monthly repayment less complicated on your cash flow as well as your budget plan.

Once your consumer proposal is (deemed) accepted by the creditors and (deemed) approved by the Court, you just need to make your promised monthly payments to the Trustee. The Trustee handles making payments at regular intervals to your creditors. Once you have completed the payment promised under the consumer proposal, you receive your Certificate from the Trustee showing that you completed the consumer proposal. That is it. No discharge hearing can be opposed and no extra surplus income payments. It is already accounted for in the amount offered to your creditors in your consumer proposal.

The cost difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy

When doing a consumer proposal, the fee of the licensed insolvency trustee is included in the payment you negotiate with your creditors. As I mentioned above, the calculation of what to offer in a consumer proposal does not include what the fee and costs are. Rather, it is compared to what the unsecured creditors can expect in bankruptcy.

However, if you were to file bankruptcy, the fee is based on the surplus income you may have to pay (based upon a criterion that includes income and family size) and also any assets that you are required to assign over to the Trustee. You might also have to make month-to-month contributions to cover the fee and costs if your income and non-exempt assets are insufficient to pay for the bankruptcy proceedings.

If there is no surplus income or assets, you, or someone on your behalf, will need to pay the bankruptcy fee which will be approximately $1,800 plus HST.

difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy
difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy

Difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy: What’s worse? Credit rating impact of a bankruptcy vs consumer proposal

Both a consumer proposal and bankruptcy are insolvency proceedings under the BIA. Therefore both will negatively affect your credit rating. In a consumer proposal, your credit rating will show as an R9 on your credit report while you are making payments. Once you have completed your consumer proposal, your credit rating will be an R7 for 3 years after completion.

For a first-time bankrupt, if you were to file for bankruptcy, your credit report will show an R9 rating for 6-7 years after being discharged.

The difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy summary

I hope that you found this difference between consumer proposal and bankruptcy Brandon Blog interesting. Problems will arise when you are cash-starved and in debt. There are several insolvency processes available to a person or company with too much debt.

If you are concerned because you or your business are dealing with substantial debt challenges, you need debt help and you assume bankruptcy is your only option, call me.

It is not your fault that you remain in this way. You have actually been only shown the old ways to try to deal with financial issues. These old ways do not work anymore.

The Ira Smith Team utilizes new modern-day ways to get you out of your debt difficulties with debt relief options as alternatives to bankruptcy. We can get you the relief you need and so deserve. Our professional advice will create for you a personalized debt-free plan for you or your company during our no-cost initial consultation.

The tension put upon you is big. We know your discomfort factors. We will check out your entire situation and design a new approach that is as unique as you and your problems; financial and emotional. We will take the weight off of your shoulders and blow away the dark cloud hanging over you. We will design a debt settlement strategy for you. We know that we can help you now.

We understand that people with credit cards maxed out and businesses facing financial issues need a realistic lifeline. There is no “one solution fits all” method with the Ira Smith Team. Not everyone has to file bankruptcy in Canada. The majority of our clients never do as we know the alternatives to bankruptcy. We help many people and companies stay clear of filing an assignment in bankruptcy.

That is why we can establish a new restructuring procedure for paying down debt that will be built just for you. It will be as one-of-a-kind as the economic issues and discomfort you are encountering. If any one of these seems familiar to you and you are serious about getting the solution you need to become debt-free, contact the Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. group today.

Call us now for a no-cost consultation.

We hope that you and your family are safe, healthy and secure during this COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

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Brandon Blog Post

CONSUMER PROPOSAL VERSUS BANKRUPTCY: MASTER THIS KNOWLEDGE AND BE SUCCESSFULLY DEBT FREE

We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy.

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

If you would prefer to listen to the audio version of this consumer proposal versus bankruptcy Brandon’s Blog, please scroll to the very bottom and click play on the podcast.

consumer proposal versus bankruptcy
consumer proposal versus bankruptcy

Consumer proposal versus bankruptcy introduction

The holidays are upon us and we can all ideally get a well-deserved break. This 2020 year truly threw us a curveball in March and it isn’t over yet. Many people have already identified that they need to understand their options in taking care of way too much debt. Hopefully, they will use the period of time during the holiday break downtime to seriously consider fixing their situation.

Maybe their New Year’s resolution will be to once and for all solve their financial situation. That is why I believe this is a good time to write this Brandon’s Blog to help those people who are wondering about the issues surrounding a consumer proposal versus bankruptcy.

Consumer proposal versus bankruptcy: Who qualifies for a consumer proposal?

A consumer proposal is an alternative to bankruptcy. Consumer proposals are for people whose total financial debts do not surpass $250,000, not including financial debts secured by their primary house.

Division 1 proposals are available to both:

  • companies; and
  • individuals whose debts exceed $250,000 (leaving out mortgages on their principal home).

I will focus on the differences between a consumer proposal versus bankruptcy.

Consumer proposal versus bankruptcy: What are consumer proposals?

Consumer proposals are formal ways governed by the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada) (BIA) available only to people. Working with a licensed insolvency trustee (Trustee) acting as the consumer proposal administrator, you make a proposal to:

  • Pay your creditors a percentage of what you owe them over a specific period not exceeding 60 months
  • Extend the time you have to pay off the debt
  • Or a mix of both

Payments are made through the Trustee, and the trustee uses that money to pay each of your creditors. The consumer proposal must be completed within 5 years from the date of filing.

Below I will highlight more differences between a consumer proposal versus bankruptcy.

Consumer proposal versus bankruptcy: Is a consumer proposal worth it?

The advantages of a consumer proposal versus bankruptcy are:

  • You keep all of your assets
  • Legal actions that are being contemplated or actually begun against you by unsecured creditors and results of a judgment such as freezing your bank account and wage garnishments are stopped.
  • Unlike informal debt negotiation or debt settlement programs, the consumer proposal forum catches all of your debts and your unsecured creditors must take part in your restructuring process.
  • Of all the debt relief options available to a person, it is the only government-approved program that combines debt consolidation (without having to apply for one or more loans) and debt settlement.
  • You do not need to use the “B” word.

You will definitely pay less than you owe with a consumer proposal. It could be as much as 75% less. All of your unsecured debts will be consolidated right into a simple regular monthly payment. What you pay is based on what your creditors could expect to receive in your bankruptcy and what you can actually afford.

So is a consumer proposal worth it to make one monthly payment that you can afford to pay a portion of the total you owe instead of going bankrupt? I think it is.

What is the impact on my credit rating if I file a consumer proposal versus bankruptcy?

We are always asked, “How will a consumer proposal affect my credit rating?”. The follow-up question is “What is the impact on my credit rating if I file for personal bankruptcy or do a consumer proposal?”.

The person who files for bankruptcy will absolutely obtain R9 status. This is the lowest credit score possible. It will remain on their credit report for 6 years after the person gets their bankruptcy discharge. So for a first-time bankruptcy with no surplus income and the person gets their discharge after 9 months, it is on the credit report for about 7 years. If the person is a first time bankrupt with surplus income, then their bankruptcy discharge cannot be gotten for at least 21 months. This equates to having the R9 for 8 to 9 years.

An individual that files a consumer proposal sees their credit score go to an R7 ranking which is less extreme. It will remain to be on their credit report for around 8 years in total, starting with the filing date.

Through the two mandatory credit counselling sessions that are provided with either a consumer proposal or bankruptcy, we teach you ways you can start rebuilding your credit score right away.

What are the costs and fees of a consumer proposal versus bankruptcy?

When doing a consumer proposal as a debt solution, the Trustee costs are included in the settlement you bargain with your creditors. The calculation of what is reasonable for you to pay is done without any reference to the Trustee costs.

For example, if your consumer proposal has you paying a regular monthly payment of $400 for 60 months, the Trustee’s fee and disbursements are taken from those funds. The consumer proposal fee is a tariff defined in the BIA.

If there is no surplus income or assets that you hand over to the Trustee, the cost for this type of personal bankruptcy is about $2,000. This cost would need to be paid to the Trustee either upfront or over an 8 month period in equal monthly payments.

However, if you file for bankruptcy and you have surplus income and/or assets that you must turn over to the Trustee, the personal bankruptcy cost could be higher. The Trustee’s fee and costs must be taxed by the Court. However, it will be calculated using the hours spent by the level of staff at each staff member’s normal hourly rate. If there are insufficient assets to pay the Trustee’s fee, the difference has to be paid for by the bankrupt person or someone else guaranteeing the Trustee’s costs.

This is another distinction between bankruptcy vs consumer proposal.

consumer proposal versus bankruptcy
consumer proposal versus bankruptcy

What happens to my assets in a consumer proposal versus bankruptcy?

If you do a consumer proposal, you keep your assets. In bankruptcy, other than for exempt assets, your assets are seized by the Trustee. Exemptions depend on the province you live in.

In Ontario the assets you get to keep in bankruptcy consist of:

  • The equity in your home of no more than $10,000.
  • A motor vehicle with an equity value of no more than $6,000.
  • Clothing and medical and dental aids.
  • Household furnishings up to a value of $13,100.
  • Tools of the trade with a value of no more than $11,300.
  • Pensions, RRIF, RRSP (except for any RRSP contributions made within 12 months of the date of bankruptcy).
  • Farmers – no more than $29,100 for animals and tools and equipment.

This difference to your assets between a consumer proposal versus bankruptcy is massive.

What happens if I miss payments and default on my consumer proposal versus bankruptcy payments?

If you do not maintain your payments on a consumer proposal, it defaults and it is over. You then cannot file a new one. Collection action by your creditors will begin again.

If you do not complete all your duties in bankruptcy, you will definitely not be discharged. If your Trustee gets discharged and you remain undischarged, then all your creditors can return to taking collection action against you to try to recover on their loans or other debt payments you owe them.

This is one more consumer proposal versus bankruptcy difference.

When is a meeting of creditors held in a consumer proposal?

A meeting of creditors in a consumer proposal is held if one is requested by one or more creditors who are owed at least 25% of the overall value of the proven claims.

A request for a meeting has to be made by the creditors within 45 days of the declaration of the consumer proposal. The Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (OSB) can also ask for the Trustee to call a meeting of creditors whenever within that specific very same 45-day time frame.

The meeting of creditors is held within 21 days after being called. At the creditors’ meeting, they elect to either approve or turn down the proposal.

If no meeting of creditors is requested within 45 days of the filing of the proposal, the proposal will be regarded to have actually been approved by the creditors no matter any kind of objections received later.

A consumer proposal is fully performed as soon as:

  • the person has made the required payments within the time period called for in the consumer proposal; and
  • the two mandatory counselling sessions with the Trustee have been done.

In a bankruptcy, the discharge relies on various facets, including whether it was the first time the debtor filed for bankruptcy and if they need to make surplus income payments to the Trustee. The calculation for surplus income is based mainly on your household monthly income.

If the debtor has actually never ever declared bankruptcy before as well as they do not have to make surplus payments, the bankrupt is entitled to be released 9 months after declaring bankruptcy. Nevertheless, if the bankrupt has surplus income, they will require to make payments for 21 months before they can be discharged.

This is one more distinction between a consumer proposal versus bankruptcy.

Consumer proposal versus bankruptcy: How to file for bankruptcy?

In order to file, you need to engage a Trustee. This is a person or company accredited by Industry Canada to administer the insolvency process in Canada.

The 11 steps below are a guide to the filing for bankruptcy process:

  • Contact a Trustee and attend a meeting with him or her to speak about your personal situation and your options. This will include all your options to avoid bankruptcy.
  • Deal with the Trustee to complete the necessary bankruptcy documents.
  • The Trustee will after that submit the bankruptcy paperwork to the OSB and get back a certificate evidencing your bankruptcy.
  • The Trustee notifies your creditors of the bankruptcy.
  • You attend a meeting of creditors if one is called.
  • You participate in 2 counselling sessions.
  • Based on your provincial exemptions, the Trustee sells your non-exempt assets; you may likewise need to make surplus income payments to the Trustee.
  • In certain conditions, you might have to participate in an evaluation by an officer at the OSB.
  • The Trustee prepares a report to the OSB describing your activities during the bankruptcy.
  • You go to the discharge hearing if required.
  • You get your discharge from your bankruptcy and afterwards, the Trustee completes the management of your bankruptcy file, including paying a dividend to your creditors, if available.

As you can see from the description of how a consumer proposal works and from these 11 steps, there is a difference in how a consumer proposal versus bankruptcy works.

Consumer proposal versus bankruptcy: Get back to a stress-free life

I hope you have enjoyed this consumer proposal versus bankruptcy Brandon’s Blog. Both a successfully completed consumer proposal or obtaining your discharge from bankruptcy lets you get back on the road to financial health, relieve the stress you face and bring you:

  • Freedom by getting out from under garnishments;
  • The ability to live better than just hanging on one payday to the next;
  • Improved credit ratings; and
  • Improved health and well-being.

You are worried because you are facing significant financial challenges and you don’t fully understand the options available to you, including, filing a consumer proposal versus bankruptcy. 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.

Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. offers a full range of insolvency services to people facing a financial crisis. Whether you need help with a proposal to your creditors to avoid the worst case, financial counselling or advice about insolvency options, our goal is to make sure that you understand the process, your choices, and what steps will get your life back on track.

Call us for your free first consultation. We will inform you about all the choices readily available so you can make a proper decision about the very best plan to deal with your financial obligations.

Call Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. today. All you have to lose is your debt!

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.

We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy.

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

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CANADA CONSUMER PROPOSAL: SHOULD I IMMEDIATELY OPEN A HAPPY NEW BANK ACCOUNT

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If you would prefer to listen to an audio version of this Brandon’s Blog, please scroll to the bottom and click play on the podcast.

canada consumer proposal
canada consumer proposal

Canada consumer proposal: Introduction

Subscribers to Brandon’s Blog know that I have written many blogs on the Canada consumer proposal process. When considering a consumer proposal, the insolvent person will many times ask me can I keep my bank account? That is a good question. But the better question is should I keep my current bank account?

In this Canada consumer proposal Brandon’s Blog, I will explain why.

Canada consumer proposal: A refresher

Before explaining why the bank account question should be the question, let me give a brief refresher of what a Canada consumer proposal is.

A Canada consumer proposal is a proceeding under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada). However, it is different from bankruptcy. Canada consumer proposals are available to people whose overall monetary commitments do not exceed $250,000, not including debts secured against their principal home.

Collaborating with a licensed insolvency trustee (Trustee) acting as the Administrator of the Canada consumer proposal, you make it to:

  • Pay your creditors a portion of what you owe them over a particular duration not surpassing 60 months.
  • Increase the time you need to work out those financial obligations.
  • Or a mix of both.

Payments are made to the Trustee, and the Trustee utilizes that money to pay each of your creditors their pro-rata share. The Canada consumer proposal shall be finished within 5 years from the day of filing. Also, the Canada consumer proposal must give the insolvent person’s creditors a better return than they would get under the person’s bankruptcy.

When is a Canada consumer proposal appropriate?

To figure out if a Canada consumer proposal, or a different option, is the ideal selection for you, set up a meeting with a Trustee to discuss your individual circumstances. The Trustee will evaluate your financial scenario and clarify the advantages and disadvantages of the various choices that are appropriate for your circumstances. If you choose to submit a consumer proposal, the Trustee will deal with you to establish a plan that helps you fully discharge your debts.

What happens when you file a Canada consumer proposal?

The Trustee will file the Canada consumer proposal with the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (OSB). Once your proposal is filed, you quit paying directly to your unsecured creditors. On top of that, if your creditors are garnisheeing your wages or bank account, or have begun legal action against you, these actions are stopped on the filing of the proposal.

The Trustee submits the Canada consumer proposal to your creditors. The proposal will include a report on your personal scenario as well as the root causes of your economic difficulties.

Creditors then have 45 days to either approve or deny the proposal. They can likewise do this either before or at a meeting of creditors if one needs to be held. A meeting of creditors is held if one is requested by enough unsecured creditors who in total are owed at the very least 25% of the overall value of the proven claims.

A meeting request needs to be made by the creditors within 45 days of the declaration of the proposal. The OSB can request the Trustee to call a meeting of creditors any time within that very same period.

The meeting of creditors needs to be held within 21 days after being called. At the meeting, the creditors vote to either approve or refuse the proposal. If no meeting of creditors is asked for within the 45 days of the filing of the Canada consumer proposal, the proposal will be considered to have been accepted by the creditors regardless of any objections received by the Trustee.

canada consumer proposal
canada consumer proposal

Keeping your bank account and other assets in a Canada consumer proposal

A Canada consumer proposal is an approach that is frequently utilized as an option to bankruptcy. It provides several benefits. A consumer proposal permits you to:

  • Pay an amount of cash every month you can afford to fully extinguish your debts based on your budget.
  • Pay back just a portion of your debts but get rid of them all.
  • Pay off your financial debts on an interest-free basis over 60 months (or less if you wish).
  • Keep all your assets that you can afford to keep.

The ability to keep your assets is the main feature that distinguishes a Canada consumer proposal from bankruptcy.

Canada Consumer Proposal: Who can freeze your bank account in Canada?

Having a frozen bank account is definitely discouraging as well as stressful. Freezing up an account is a tool that is frequently used to get your attention by those you owe money to. This is specifically true if various other methods of getting you to react and get a payment plan into place have actually not worked yet.

When your bank accounts are frozen, you are incapable to utilize the cash you have or move money from one of your accounts to another. As well, when your account is frozen, your bank will not honour any cheques written on the account when they hit your bank for clearing. This is regardless of whether the cheques were written before or after the account freeze. Frozen means frozen!

As a result of the stress and anxiety that a frozen bank account can place on your finances and life, it is necessary to understand who can freeze your account, why somebody might freeze your account, and also how you can get your account unfrozen.

Normally, only parties that you owe money to have the opportunity to freeze your bank account. Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the bank where your account is maintained, have more power over you when it concerns recovering debts via freezing accounts as opposed to unsecured creditors.

There are three generally three groups of financial institutions that could potentially freeze your account if you owe them money:

  • CRA – If you owe money to CRA and do not either pay off their demand or enter into a payment plan, they can freeze your bank account. They can issue a third party demand to your bank to freeze all accounts that you maintain with that bank. The bank will collect all available funds and send it to CRA while maintaining the freeze until CRA tells them they are fully repaid and the freeze can be lifted. CRA has significant powers that they can use without too much delay.
  • The bank where your accounts are – If you owe money to the bank where your accounts are, then your bank can freeze your accounts. It is a standard term of all credit card and loan documents that if you owe the bank money and are in breach of your credit card or loan agreements, the bank has the right to offset any positive cash balances on deposit with the bank against your debts to the same bank. So it is easy for your bank to turn your account to frozen and take your money.
  • Execution creditors – An unsecured creditor to who you owe money, can go to court and sue you for the amount owing. If you do not defend, or you defend but lose in court, the creditor then holds a judgment against you. They are now an execution creditor. They can then examine you to understand what assets you own and where they are located, including your bank accounts. The execution creditor can then file a request with the Sheriff to create your frozen bank account and garnishee your bank accounts.

These are the creditors that can freeze your bank accounts.

Why you should move your bank accounts before filing a Canada consumer proposal or a Canada bankruptcy

Why should you move your banker account before filing a Canada consumer proposal or a Canada bankruptcy? The reason is simple. You do not want an accident to happen where a creditor is able to withdraw funds from your accounts after you have filed. There is a stay of proceedings once you file your proposal or for bankruptcy. However, mistakes happen and sometimes funds can leak out of your accounts.

How can this happen? I will explain it. Many of us provide one or more vendors that provide goods or services to us with a pre-authorized debit (PAD) arrangement so that they can remove from our account automatically the monthly payment we owe them.

When you file a Canada consumer proposal, any vendor who is fully paid is not a creditor of yours. You may not wish to continue with the service and you may very well be in a long-term contract. So, you would want to cancel the service just before filing. But if you don’t cancel the PAD, the supplier may make a mistake, or not, and continue to pull funds from your account until you cancel the PAD. To avoid this error, it is best to move your bank account before filing so that there are no further funds to withdraw.

The same is true if you owe money to the bank where your accounts are. As soon as your bank gets notice of your Canada consumer proposal filing, they may try to offset the funds in your accounts against what you owe them. This will wreck your budget immediately because you were relying on those funds to pay your necessary monthly expenses and your first proposal payment. So to avoid that calamity, you need to set up new accounts at a bank you don’t owe any money to before filing.

I always advise people to move the accounts when they are contemplating filing. Do it in advance. That planning is important because they may have funds being deposited automatically into their account. Think of your wages, salary or any government amounts deposited into your account. You need time to advise them of your new account that you want your money deposited into. You need the time to make sure that it is being done correctly.

Finally, there are now many online banking choices that offer no-fee accounts and free cheque printing. You can manage everything online, including setting up the account in the first place. These are great choices for people who need to be watching every dollar.

Canada consumer proposal summary

I hope you have enjoyed this Canada consumer proposal Brandon’s Blog. Hopefully, you have better insight now into why anyone thinking about an insolvency filing should set up new bank accounts.

Do you or your company have too much debt? Are you or your company in need of financial restructuring? The financial restructuring process is complex. The Ira Smith Team understands how to do a complex restructuring. However, more importantly, we understand the needs of the entrepreneur or the person who has too much personal debt.

You are worried because you are facing significant financial challenges. 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.

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 in 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 is absolutely operational and Ira, in addition to Brandon Smith, is readily available for a telephone consultation or video meeting. We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy.

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BANKRUPTCY MEANING: OUR POWER LIST OF DUTIES OF THE BANKRUPT AND OTHERS

bankruptcy meaning
bankruptcy meaning

The Ira Smith Trustee Team is absolutely operational and Ira, in addition to Brandon Smith, is readily available for a telephone consultation or video meeting. We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy.

If you would prefer to listen to an audio version of this bankruptcy meaning Brandon’s Blog, please scroll down to the bottom and click on the podcast.

Bankruptcy meaning introduction

I recently read a decision of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia in Bankruptcy and Insolvency. It was an interesting decision about a bankrupt who essentially absented himself and became AWOL after filing for bankruptcy. I will describe the case below. However, it did get me thinking that perhaps Brandon’s Blog about the duties of the various stakeholders in the bankruptcy process would be of interest. Put another way, if everyone does not do their part, what is the bankruptcy meaning?

The Merriam-Webster dictionary provides a bankruptcy meaning definition as:

“1a: a debtor (such as an individual or an organization) whose property is subject to voluntary or involuntary administration under the bankruptcy laws for the benefit of the debtor’s creditors

b: a person who becomes insolvent

2: a person who is completely lacking in a particular desirable quality or attribute

a moral bankrupt”

In this bankruptcy meaning Brandon’s Blog, I will focus on the first definition, as that is the one I am qualified to answer.

Bankruptcy meaning: The stakeholders

There are various players in the bankruptcy process. The primary ones are:

I will leave the duties of the bankrupt until the end. That description in the bankruptcy meaning list will flow nicely into my description of the Nova Scotia bankruptcy court case.

Bankruptcy meaning: Duties of the Trustee

There are of course various statutory steps that a Trustee must take in any bankruptcy administration. It is also obvious that the Trustee must perform those steps properly.

In addition, the OSB has established a Code of Ethics for Trustees. The Code of Ethics for Trustees is an integral part of the BIA General Rules.

The Code establishes a standard for services to be provided by Trustees. It addresses:

  • the information that Trustees must provide to creditors;
  • the treatment of funds entrusted to Trustees;
  • conflicts of interest; and
  • the sale and purchase of the property of a business or individual who has filed for bankruptcy.

It also contains standards for advertising by Trustees and for maintaining the good reputation of the Trustee community.

Rules 34 through 53 inclusive of the BIA General Rules contain what the bankruptcy meaning of the Code of Ethics for Trustees is. You can read them by clicking on this Code of Ethics for Trustees link.

There are also various Directives issued by the OSB that guide the statutory steps that a Trustee must take. Examples of these Directives are:

  • Directive No. 1R2 Counselling in Insolvency Matters – This Directive deals with how the Trustee should conduct the required financial counselling sessions.
  • Directive No. 4R Delegation of Tasks – A Directive about when certain Trustee or administrator tasks can be delegated to others.
  • Directive No. 5R4 – Estate Funds and Banking – How a Trustee must handle estate trust funds.
  • Directive No. 6R3 – Assessment of an Individual Debtor – The steps to be taken in assessing the financial situation of the debtor, explaining the various options available and what bankruptcy duties are.
  • Directive No. 11R – Surplus Income – When assessing the financial situation of the debtor who becomes bankrupt, how to calculate the surplus income payments obligation of the bankrupt person.
  • Directive No. 17 – Retention of Documents by the Trustee – This one is self-explanatory.

These are but a handful of the Directives issued by the OSB that Trustees must follow.

Bankruptcy meaning: Duties of creditors

In the bankruptcy meaning context, creditors have certain duties which can better be described as rights. Creditors are always invited and welcome to participate in the bankruptcy process. It begins with filing a Form 31 Proof of Claim as evidence of the debt owed to them by the bankrupt.

Once they file their claim in the bankruptcy estate, the creditor now has the status to fully participate in the administration of the bankruptcy estate. The filing of the proof of claim allows the creditor to vote, either in person or by proxy. They now have the authority to participate and vote at the First Meeting of Creditors. They can vote for the appointment of Inspectors.

A creditor may notify the Trustee of any kind of inappropriate activities or transactions on the part of the bankrupt that hurt the interests of the creditors. For instance, a creditor may have knowledge of assets or deals that the bankrupt failed to declare. In many cases, creditors who have dealt with the debtor over many years will have better information than the Trustee initially can gain. A Trustee always welcomes this kind of assistance from creditors. If a creditor thinks there is misconduct or illegal activities on the part of the insolvent the creditor should advise the Trustee and the OSB.

A creditor can oppose a personal bankrupt’s discharge from bankruptcy. The grounds for opposing are set out in section 173 of the BIA. The creditor must inform the Trustee and the bankrupt of the opposition and the reasons in the proper form.

By filing the opposition, the bankrupt’s discharge hearing must now go to court to be adjudicated. The Trustee cannot provide the bankrupt with an automatic discharge, even if they have fulfilled all of their duties. The creditor will provide its evidence to the court to support the opposition. The Trustee must file a report on the conduct of the bankrupt both before and during the bankruptcy administration.

Based on all the evidence, the court will then decide what kind of discharge the personal bankrupt is entitled to; absolute discharge, conditional, and/or a suspended discharge. In certain cases, the court may issue a refusal to the bankrupt. That is what happened in the Nova Scotia case I will shortly describe.

This is what the bankruptcy meaning for the rights and duties of creditors are.

bankruptcy meaning
bankruptcy meaning

Bankruptcy meaning: Advising the bankrupt or the officer of the bankrupt corporation of duties

The Trustee must explain to the bankrupt or the officer of a bankrupt company, his/her responsibilities. The responsibilities are found in sections 158 and 159 of the BIA. The Trustee must also explain the bankruptcy offences. Those are outlined in sections 198, 199, 200, and 204 of the BIA.

The minimum level of information a Trustee can give to the bankrupt or the officer of a bankrupt corporation is (as applicable):

  • information on bankruptcy for consumer debtors;
  • the above essential passages from the Act;
  • responsibilities of a bankrupt or the officer of the bankrupt company; and
  • debtor financial information (type and guide).

In all cases, the bankrupt or the officer of the bankrupt company has to be served with a copy of the relevant sections of the BIA. The Trustee must also get an acknowledgment from the bankrupt, or officer of the bankrupt corporation, that she or he has actually been provided with, and understands his/her obligations. The signoff by the bankrupt/the company’s officer needs to be kept on file by the Trustee.

If a bankrupt or officer of the bankrupt company declines to sign, regardless of being offered, Trustees have to keep in their file details of the refusal (i.e. evidence of service as well as details as to the refusal).

Bankruptcy meaning: The duties of the bankrupt or the officer of the bankrupt corporation

The focus of the BIA is for personal bankrupt, to return the honest but unfortunate debtor back to society free of his or her debts. The premise is that the bankrupt, or the officer of the bankrupt corporation, will fulfill their duties with integrity and honesty. The duties are outlined in the OSB’s Directive No. 26. If you are interested, you can read them HERE.

But what if they don’t? What if the individual bankrupt does not fulfill all of their duties and essentially absents themself from the process once they have filed their assignment in bankruptcy. In that case, the Trustee has an obligation to oppose the bankrupt’s application for discharge and bring the matter to court. What is the bankruptcy meaning in such a case?

That is what happened in the Nova Scotia case that I will tell you about now. I believe it is very instructive.

Bankruptcy meaning: Why a bankrupt’s discharge hearing may come to court

The substantial majority of bankrupts execute their obligations under the BIA. As a result, only a minority of bankruptcies end up in court. Mr. Jewkes’ case is one of them.

The usual factors for a bankruptcy case needing to involve the court include:

  • outstanding financial disclosure; and/or
  • surplus income payment obligations.

Discharges for third or more bankruptcy filings also need to come to court for a discharge hearing. Occasionally, a creditor objects to the bankrupt’s discharge. All matters are listened to on their merits and a decision is rendered as appropriate for the particular bankruptcy meaning.

Sometimes, there has actually been a lack of action in a bankruptcy file due to a bankrupt’s own difficulties. She or he may have a mental or physical illness. They may have not have been able to communicate with the Trustee for completely valid reasons. They might have genuinely misunderstood the obligations incumbent upon them. It is the responsibility of the Trustee and, that falling short, the court, to set things straight.

And then there is Mr. Jewkes. None of the factors where the Trustee or the court could excuse him for a simple oversight or mistake which can easily be corrected were present.

Bankruptcy meaning: The Nova Scotia case

Mr. Jewkes filed an assignment in bankruptcy in 2019. He cited “relationship breakdown” as the reason for his bankruptcy. This was his first bankruptcy. He showed income on filing to put him just below the OSB’s guidelines for paying surplus income. His assets were minimal, although he did identify the sale of his old vehicle and a mobile home with little or no equity just prior to his bankruptcy.

His creditors were the normal run of the mill kind of creditors in consumer files:

  • credit cards;
  • an unsecured line of credit;
  • a collection agency was after him, possibly for another credit card debt;
  • two mobile phone accounts; and
  • a utility company.

And that is where it ended. He has actually not provided the required income and expense information. He has not offered the Trustee with details required to prepare and file his pre-bankruptcy or post-bankruptcy income tax returns. He has not gone to his two mandatory credit counselling sessions. He has not complied with his payment arrangement for the Trustee’s fee. He has not given corroboration or accounting for his pre-bankruptcy vehicle and mobile home sales. His discharge hearing was held in August 2020. He did not show up for his own discharge hearing either by video or telephone.

The Trustee requested that the hearing be adjourned. The Registrar in bankruptcy court was not prepared to use more court resources and he denied the Trustee’s request.

Rather, he had enough and let his feelings be known. The bankrupt got his stay of proceedings. Notice of the bankruptcy was mailed out to the creditors. The collection calls from creditors or collection agencies stopped.

Garnishments, if such existed, ended. After that, this bankrupt went on with life and took the attitude that everyone else can take a hike.

Bankruptcy meaning: The Registrar’s decision

The Registrar wanted to send a bankruptcy meaning message that this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated. The Registrar decided that this bankruptcy meaning message will be sent by the:

  • bankrupt’s application for discharge being refused;
  • bankrupt having leave to apply on his own for discharge once he has fulfilled all of his duties;
  • Trustee finishing the administration and applying for its discharge forthwith;
  • Trustee being directed, upon its discharge, to write to all known creditors advising of the Trustee’s discharge and that the effect under the BIA is that the stay of proceedings protecting the bankrupt has ended and all creditors are free to begin or resume collection action against him.

This fourth point is not normal. It is obvious that the Registrar was fed up with this bankrupt and others who feel they can avoid performing their duties. The Registrar wanted to send a strong bankruptcy meaning message.

bankruptcy meaning
bankruptcy meaning

Bankruptcy meaning summary

I hope you have enjoyed this bankruptcy meaning Brandon’s Blog. Hopefully, you have better insight now into the fact that a sick insolvent company’s business can be saved by doing a sale of its assets to a healthy organization.

Do you or your company have too much debt? Are you or your company in need of financial restructuring? The financial restructuring process is complex. The Ira Smith Team understands how to do a complex restructuring. However, more importantly, we understand the needs of the entrepreneur or the person who has too much personal debt.

You are worried because you are facing significant financial challenges. 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 a realistic lifeline. There is no “one solution fits all” approach with the Ira Smith Team.

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 in 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 is absolutely operational and Ira, in addition to Brandon Smith, is readily available for a telephone consultation or video meeting. We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy.

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BANKRUPTCY TRUSTEE: OUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO WHAT IS A LICENSED INSOLVENCY TRUSTEE

The Ira Smith Trustee Team is absolutely operational and Ira, in addition to Brandon Smith, is readily available for a telephone consultation or video meeting. We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy.

Licensed Insolvency Trustees, licensed by the Canadian Government

A bankruptcy trustee (now called a Licensed Insolvency Trustee) is a person or company licensed to administer receiverships, bankruptcies, and proposals in Canada. We are licensed by the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy Canada (OSB).

The role of the bankruptcy trustee is to help people and companies look at their financial situation and explore the various debt relief options. The Trustee can help with many possible debt solutions; much more than just filing bankruptcy. The Trustee looks at various ways the person or business can avoid bankruptcy first. Bankruptcy, which is the legal process for debtors to deal with their unsecured creditors, by discharging away their unsecured debt, including credit card debt and income tax debts, is the last resort.

In this Brandon’s blog, I provide my complete guide on how a bankruptcy trustee helps people and companies who are in a precarious financial situation because they have too much debt by providing insolvency services and helping people and companies through the Canadian insolvency process.

About Bankruptcy Trustees: what is a licensed insolvency trustee?

A Licensed Insolvency Trustee (LIT) is federally certified by the OSB. A trustee in bankruptcy is the old name for a LIT. LITs are the only debt professionals who are federally regulated and supervised professional that offers recommendations and solutions to individuals and businesses with financial problems.

LITs help people make informed choices to manage their debt difficulties. A bankruptcy trustee is the only expert licensed to carry out government-regulated insolvency proceedings such as:

  • privately-appointed or court-appointed receiver or receiver and manager to administer receiverships Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act Canada (BIA).
  • assisting people to restructure through consumer insolvency using a consumer proposal.
  • helping people who owe more than $250,000 (not including debts registered against their principal residence) and companies by making a proposal to creditors as alternatives to bankruptcy.
  • bankruptcy trustee/licensed insolvency trustee in a bankruptcy administration when a person or company is filing for bankruptcy.

As licensed insolvency trustees, we’re here to help: How do I become an insolvency trustee?

A person who wishes to acquire an individual licence may complete and file an application with the OSB. The following are required for the issuance of a personal licence under the BIA:

  • successfully passed the following, which is administered by the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals (CAIRP):
  • the Canadian Insolvency and Restructuring Professional (CIRP) Qualification Program (CQP) unless otherwise exempted;
  • the CIRP National Insolvency Exam; and
  • the insolvency counselling course;
  • paid the required fee;
  • the applicant shall be solvent;
  • the applicant must be of good character and reputation; and
  • passed the oral board of examination run by the OSB.

You need to pass the educational program run by CAIRP. In order to register, you need to be sponsored by a bankruptcy trustee. That LIT will most certainly be your employer. When you pass the final CQP exam, you are awarded the CIRP designation and then able to apply to sit before the OSB’s oral board of examiners.

bankruptcy trustee
bankruptcy trustee

Trustees in Bankruptcy near you: How to find a bankruptcy trustee in Canada

If you are looking for a trustee in bankruptcy near you, there are three good ways to find one.

The best way to find a bankruptcy trustee is a referral from friends or family members. Although they themselves may have never filed for bankruptcy, perhaps they know someone who did. Or, maybe they know a lawyer they trust who can provide them with a name or two that could be passed on to you. A personal reference is the best way to go.

The second way is through the OSB. They maintain a searchable database of all LITs in Canada. You can look for a bankruptcy trustee located near you. The directory includes the office locations of all LITs. You can browse either by name, city or province.

The third way is to look for bankruptcy information online. Type into your favourite search engine a phrase like “ bankruptcy trustee”, “bankruptcy trustee near me”, bankruptcy trustee Vaughan ” or “ trustee in bankruptcy Toronto ” and start searching websites. Then call the one whose website seems to speak to you. You can make an appointment for a no-cost consultation to get all your questions answered. You may even want to try two or three so that you can compare approaches. Then you can select the bankruptcy trustee that you feel you could work best with.

The fee of a bankruptcy trustee in a summary administration bankruptcy – The Bankruptcy & Insolvency Act

A personal bankruptcy administration is called a “summary” bankruptcy administration when the realizable assets are estimated at $15,000 or less. This kind of filing for bankruptcy is many times referred to as “no assets, no income”.

Rule 128 of the BIA General Rules dictates the fee and disbursements of a bankruptcy trustee in a summary administration personal bankruptcy. The fee is fixed and is called a tariff. It is calculated as follows:

“128 (1) The fees of the trustee for services performed in a summary administration are calculated on the total receipts remaining after deducting necessary disbursements relating directly to the realization of the property of the bankrupt, and the payments to secured creditors, according to the following percentages:

(a) 100 percent on the first $975 or less of receipts;

(b) 35 percent on the portion of the receipts exceeding $975 but not exceeding $2,000; and (c) 50 percent on the portion of the receipts exceeding $2,000.

(2) A trustee in a summary administration may claim, in addition to the amount set out in subsection (1), (a) the costs of counselling referred to in subsection 131(2);

(b) the fee for filing an assignment referred to in paragraph 132(a);

(c) the fee payable to the registrar under paragraph 1(a) of Part II of the schedule;

(d) the amount of applicable federal and provincial taxes for goods and services; and (e) a lump sum of $100 in respect of administrative disbursements.” If there are no assets or surplus income that will provide cash in the bankruptcy administration, then the debtor, in order to retain the services of the bankruptcy trustee, needs someone to either guarantee the fee and disbursements or post a cash retainer with the LIT in order to file for bankruptcy.

The fees of the bankruptcy trustee in an ordinary bankruptcy

A bankruptcy is called an “ordinary” bankruptcy when the realizable assets are estimated at $15,000 or greater in personal bankruptcy. Every corporate bankruptcy is an ordinary administration.

In an ordinary administration, the trustee is entitled to the remuneration voted by the inspectors in the bankruptcy case. The inspectors are representatives of the creditors who were voted in at the First Meeting of Creditors. The fee must also be approved by the court.

The fee will be affected by the complexity of the bankruptcy case, how much work the LIT had to do to preserve and sell the assets and did the LIT obtain verifiable results that can be described as extraordinary. The time spent and the hourly rates of the bankruptcy trustee staff involved are the basis for calculating the fee in an ordinary administration.

The disbursements incurred are to be added to the fee and must also be taxed. If the bankruptcy trustee is unsure at the outset if there will be any realizable assets, the LIT will ask a third party to provide either a guarantee or cash retainer.

bankruptcy trustee
bankruptcy trustee

The consumer proposal fee for a bankruptcy trustee acting as administrator of a consumer proposal – The Bankruptcy & Insolvency Act

Rule 129 sets out how to calculate the tariff fee in a consumer proposal. As I stated above, one of the roles a bankruptcy trustee is licensed for is to act as the administrator of a consumer proposal This rule states:

“129 (1) For the purposes of paragraph 66.12(6)(b) of the Act, the fees and expenses of the administrator of a consumer proposal that must be provided for in a consumer proposal are as follows:

(a) $750, payable on filing a copy of the consumer proposal with the official receiver;

(b) $750, payable on the approval or deemed approval of the consumer proposal by the court;

(c) 20 percent of the moneys distributed to creditors under the consumer proposal, payable on the distribution of the moneys;

(d) the costs of counselling referred to in subsection 131(1);

(e) the fee for filing a consumer proposal referred to in paragraph 132(c);

(f) the fee payable to the registrar under paragraph 3(b) of Part II of the schedule; and (g) the amount of applicable federal and provincial taxes for goods and services.

Our regular readers of Brandon’s Blog will recall that in previous blogs that I wrote, I described what the BIA minimum requirements are for calculating how much a debtor should offer its creditors as a proposal fund in a consumer proposal. That calculation has nothing to do with what fee the licensed trustee acting as the administrator may be entitled to.

That is why any debtor thinking about filing a consumer proposal in order to avoid bankruptcy need not be concerned with how much they have to pay as a fee. The calculation as to what a reasonable proposal fund will be has zero relation to what the administrator’s fee will be. In this way, the fee of the bankruptcy trustee acting as administrator is no-cost!

The fee of the bankruptcy trustee for the administration of a Division I proposal

Readers of the Brandon Blog will remember that a consumer proposal is available for any individual who has $250,000 of debt or less, not including any debts secured against their personal residence. A Part III Divison I of the BIA proposal is available to all companies and to any person whose debts are too large to do a consumer proposal. Both are alternatives to bankruptcy Under either administration, a proposal is a debt relief plan sanctioned by the BIA. It is the only debt settlement plan authorized by the Government of Canada. Above I described how the fee and disbursements of a bankruptcy trustee in an ordinary bankruptcy administration must be approved by the inspectors and the court.

The same is true for the fee of the bankruptcy trustee acting as the licensed trustee in a Divison I proposal. The calculation of the fee will be very similar to an ordinary bankruptcy administration also. The only difference will be as required by the difference between a proposal and bankruptcy.

A proposal is a great alternative to bankruptcy.

Only a bankruptcy trustee can act as a receiver

Section 243(4) of the BIA states that only a bankruptcy trustee can be appointed as a receiver. It does not matter whether the receiver will be privately or court-appointed. The calculation of the receiver’s fee is based on the hours worked and the hourly rate charged by the respected staff working on the file.

In a private appointment, the fee must be approved by the appointing secured creditor. In a court appointment, the fee must be approved by the court.

bankruptcy trustee
bankruptcy trustee

Bankruptcy trustee summary

I hope you have enjoyed this bankruptcy trustee Brandon’s Blog. Hopefully, you have better insight now into the many roles played by a LIT. As part of any bankruptcy or proposal administration, there are two mandatory credit counselling sessions also. So, the LIT also acts as a credit counsellor.

Do you or your company have too much debt? Are you or your company in need of financial restructuring? The financial restructuring process is complex. The Ira Smith Team understands how to do a complex restructuring. However, more importantly, we understand the needs of the entrepreneur or the person who has too much personal debt.

You are worried because you are facing significant financial challenges. 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 a realistic lifeline. There is no “one solution fits all” approach with the Ira Smith Team 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.

Ira Smith Trustee Team is absolutely operational and Ira, in addition to Brandon Smith, is readily available for a telephone consultation or video meeting. We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy.

bankruptcy trustee
bankruptcy trustee
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BANKRUPTCY DISCHARGE CERTIFICATE CANADA: THE COMPLETE HAPPY STORY OF YOUR BANKRUPTCY DISCHARGE

bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada
bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada

If you would like to listen to the audio version of this Brandon’s Blog, please scroll to the bottom and click on the podcast

The Ira Smith Trustee Team is absolutely operational and Ira, in addition to Brandon Smith, is readily available for a telephone consultation or video meeting. We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy.

Bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada introduction

What is a bankruptcy discharge? When a bankrupt is discharged from bankruptcy, he/she gets a bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada. The individual is launched from the legal responsibility to repay financial debts that existed on the day that the bankruptcy was filed. This is true other than for certain financial debts that are not discharged when the insolvent receives his/her discharge which I will go over listed below.

Usually, only personal bankrupts are discharged from bankruptcy. Companies that are bankrupt remain that way. The only method a company can exit from bankruptcy is if the claims of creditors are paid off with interest. This never occurs. If it could, the company would have submitted a restructuring strategy under either the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada) (BIA) or the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (Canada) (CCAA).

Therefore, the balance of this Brandon’s blog will talk about an individual person who receives a bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada.

Who can issue a bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada?

Only a Canadian licensed insolvency trustee (Trustee) can carry out the bankruptcy administration and then provide the bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada. If neither the Trustee nor a creditor opposed the discharge and the Trustee issued the certificate, that means the bankrupt individual satisfied all of their obligations without the need for a court hearing.

If either the Trustee or a creditor opposes the discharge of the bankrupt individual, by issuing a notice of opposition to discharge, that indicates:

  1. In the case of a Trustee opposition, that means the bankrupt did not fulfill all of their duties as an undischarged bankrupt when the time came for the Trustee to make that determination if the bankrupt is entitled to a discharge.
  2. One or more creditors believe there is information that needs to be evaluated by the court to determine what kind of discharge from bankruptcy the person should get if any.

The court would then determine what type of bankruptcy discharge the bankrupt should receive:

  1. absolute – entitled to an immediate discharge;
  2. conditional – can obtain a discharge after fulfilling one or more conditions;
  3. suspended – the bankrupt’s discharge will occur at a later date and is combined with either an absolute bankruptcy discharge or conditional bankruptcy discharge;
  4. refused – the bankrupt’s discharge is such that the court refuses to hear the application; or
  5. “no order” – the Trustee advises the court that notwithstanding the time period has elapsed, the bankrupt has not properly fulfilled all of his or her duties and the bankrupt has failed to respond to the Trustee’s requests. In this case, once the “no order” order is issued, the Trustee is at liberty to seek its discharge (more on this below).

Once the bankrupt person has fulfilled the conditions set by the court and/or the suspension period has ended, the Trustee can then issue the bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada.

Bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada: How long will I be bankrupt?

For a 1st time bankrupt person, many will certainly qualify for an automatic discharge after 9 months.

If you have been bankrupt before a second bankruptcy discharge will not be able to get a discharge in 9 months. Your bankruptcy will be prolonged. A 2nd bankruptcy lasts for a minimum of 24 months. If you have surplus income, a second-time bankrupt will not have the ability to get a bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada for 36 months.

For a 3rd time bankrupt, the timeline is the same as the 2nd time bankrupt. Nonetheless, it is more probable that there will be resistance to that bankrupt’s discharge by the Trustee or one or more creditors. The court can prolong the time in whichever means it believes is most suitable.

Bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada: Who tells my creditors that I am discharged from bankruptcy

The Trustee will notify the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (OSB) that the individual has been released from bankruptcy. The Trustee advises the OSB by filing a copy of the bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada. The Trustee advised the creditors that the insolvent is qualified to a discharge unless an opposition is filed in the bankruptcy notification sent out to all creditors.

The Canadian credit bureaus, Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada are notified because they pay the OSB to get Canadian bankruptcy information. The credit bureaus then update all credit files with the corresponding bankruptcy info, including discharges.

Bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada: What debts are not forgiven and will survive my bankruptcy?

What debts cannot be discharged? A bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada provides the discharge of all unsecured debts, except for:

  1. matrimonial or children support payments;
  2. fines or penalties mandated by the court;
  3. claims arising from fraud or fraudulent breach of trust;
  4. student loan debt if less than 7 years have actually passed since the bankrupt stopped being a part-time or full-time student.

These kinds of debts survive bankruptcy and are not released. The person will need to continue paying those financial obligations according to their terms. All other debts are discharged and do not have to be paid.

Also, any debts that are properly secured by one of your assets, such as a house mortgage or car financing, are not released as a result of your bankruptcy or your bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada.

Bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada: What if my creditors still contact me and try to get me to pay them?

If the creditors are consistently calling you and demanding settlement, supply them with a duplicate of your bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada. If the creditor states they were not aware of your bankruptcy, also offer them a duplicate of your sworn statement of affairs revealing them listed as a creditor.

If they are listed, then the Trustee sent them a notice of bankruptcy including a form 31 proof of claim to complete and return to the Trustee.

bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada
bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada

Bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada: What does trustee discharge mean?

After the Trustee has fully completed the administration of the bankruptcy estate, the Trustee is entitled to its discharge. The Trustee must prove to the OSB that it has completed the administration. This includes providing the OSB with a copy of the Final Statement of Receipts and Disbursements to get the Superintendent’s comment letter.

Then the Trustee must provide the final statement, the comment letter, and other documents to the court to prove that the administration is complete, get the final statement approved, and taxed. When that happens, the court issues the Trustee’s discharge order. The Trustee then files that order with the OSB and closes its file.

It is possible for the Trustee to receive its discharge while the bankrupt remains undischarged. This happens either when the result of the bankrupt’s discharge hearing results in a “no order” (see definition above) or sufficient time has elapsed showing the bankrupt is not going to fulfill the conditions to get a discharge. In this case, the Trustee is at liberty to get its discharge.

Once the Trustee gets its discharge, an undischarged bankrupt loses the protection of the automatic stay of proceedings that were invoked upon the bankruptcy occurring. Once this protection is lost, the creditors are at liberty to once again pursue the bankrupt person for collection on the debts owing.

Bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada: what if I fail to include one of my creditors in my bankruptcy?

If I failed to remember to include one of my creditors in my bankruptcy do I need to pay them? If your Trustee hasn’t been discharged yet, simply tell the creditor to call your Trustee to participate in your bankruptcy.

If your Trustee has actually been discharged then the creditor is qualified to be paid the same returns (% of the debt) your other creditors obtained from your bankruptcy. You will need to pay this amount.

If you intentionally omitted the lender from your bankruptcy (the obligation is on the lender to verify this) after that the lender can ask the court to enable their financial obligation to survive, and if successful, you will need to pay the full amount.

Bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada: What are the benefits of keeping my bankruptcy discharge papers?

As reviewed above, after you have actually successfully finished every one of your bankruptcy responsibilities and any kind of conditions of discharge, you will receive your discharge from bankruptcy. When you get your bankruptcy discharge your Trustee will give you a bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada.

That paper is proof that you have actually formally been launched from your financial debts that were included in your bankruptcy. As already stated, particular financial obligations can’t be discharged in bankruptcy. Also, any type of debts that you sustain after the day of your bankruptcy are your responsibility as well as are not eliminated by your bankruptcy discharge.

Bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada: How long does my credit score take to recover from bankruptcy?

Your bankruptcy will stay on your credit report for 6 years from the date your bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada is issued. If you have actually been bankrupt more than once, then it might be reported for approximately 14 years from the date of your discharge.

Having actually removed your financial obligation problems by getting your bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada, most individuals see they now have the ability to construct a more powerful financial future. Unless you urgently need to purchase a house for the very first time or buy an auto, you need not also bother with getting approved credit to take on debt right away. Many find they have the ability to live without credit considering that they have a more powerful cash flow than prior to bankruptcy. They are now able to start saving.

While you remain in bankruptcy, you are learning to live your life without credit. You are living essentially on a cash basis. You are not spending more than you make. Your Trustee is advising you to do so on an after-tax basis so that you will not have a nasty surprise when tax time comes.

Bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada: 2 simple steps to improve your credit score after your discharge from bankruptcy

This remains for the first 2 or three years after you have actually completed the bankruptcy process. Throughout this time access to credit will be restricted.

We encourage all our bankrupts, once discharged, to immediately start rebuilding their credit. You can slowly start rebuilding your credit through 2 simple steps:

  1. Apply for a secured credit card. This kind of credit card works on the basis that you deposit money against the card with the secured credit card issuer. You then use the credit card like any other. If you pay it off each month, this gets reported to the credit bureaus. This proper use of this credit helps to improve your credit score. If you do not pay the card off when due, the issuer takes the money from your deposit to pay it off.
  2. Take out a small RRSP or TFSA loan. The funds are deposited into your RRSP or TFSA. Make monthly payments against the loan so that the principal and interest are all fully repaid within 1 year. Start small. The important thing is that you do what your cash flow allows. The fact that you are current on your loan is reported monthly to the credit bureaus. This helps to improve your credit score.

Keep in mind that if you do not stay current in paying off your secured credit card balance or your loan, this will further hurt your credit score. The idea is that you have saved this money each month so that you are able to make the monthly payment.

Bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada summary

To declare personal bankruptcy is a major life event. However, it is a necessary thing to rid yourself of crippling debt. Most people who declare bankruptcy have been faced with a major life event. The main examples are illness, pay cuts, job loss, or divorce. It is not your fault. I hope this bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada Brandon’s Blog has given you helpful information.

Do you have too much debt? Are you in need of financial restructuring? The financial restructuring process is complex. The Ira Smith Team understands how to do a complex restructuring. However, more importantly, we understand the needs of the entrepreneur or the person who has too much personal debt.

You are worried because you are facing significant financial challenges.
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. 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 in 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 is absolutely operational and Ira, in addition to Brandon Smith, is readily available for a telephone consultation or video meeting. We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy.

bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada
bankruptcy discharge certificate Canada
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CONSUMER PROPOSAL VS BANKRUPTCY ONTARIO: THE BEST INFO YOU REALLY NEED

The Ira Smith Trustee Team is absolutely operational and Ira, in addition to Brandon Smith, is readily available for a telephone consultation or video meeting. We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy.

Consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario introduction

What is the difference between a consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario is a question people calling me up these days are asking. No doubt the looming end of the various COVID-19 government support programs is now sparking this interest. People and businesses were given a reprieve with Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan and the courts being closed. Now fear is creeping back into everyone’s minds about their debts that essentially were put on hold for the last 6 months.

So, since people are asking me the question, I want to answer the consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario question in this Brandon’s Blog.

Consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario: Who qualifies for and what is a consumer proposal?

A consumer proposal is different from bankruptcy. Consumer proposals are available to individuals only whose overall financial obligations do not exceed $250,000, not including debts secured by their principal residence.

Division 1 proposals are offered to both companies with any debt level and people whose debts go beyond $250,000 (omitting the mortgage or any other debts secured by their primary residence).

Consumer proposals are official methods regulated by the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada) (BIA) readily available to individuals. Collaborating with a licensed insolvency trustee (Trustee) serving as the consumer proposal administrator, you make a proposal to:

  • Pay your creditors a percentage of what you owe them over a certain period not exceeding 60 months.
  • Expand the time you need to settle those debts.
  • Or a mix of both.

Payments are made via the Trustee, and the Trustee utilizes that cash to pay each of your creditors their pro-rata share. The consumer proposal must be completed within 5 years from the day of filing.

Consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario: Who qualifies for bankruptcy?

You can declare bankruptcy if you:

  • Live in Canada.
  • Continue business or have assets in Canada.
  • Have financial debts totalling a minimum of $1,000.
  • Are insolvent.

There are different tests for insolvency laid out in the BIA. They are:

  • for any reason, you are unable to pay your financial debts as they generally come to be due;
  • you have ceased paying present debts in the regular course as they usually are due; or
  • the complete worth of your property is not, at a reasonable valuation, enough, or, if sold at a sale under legal process, would not be sufficient to make it possible for repayment of all your financial obligations.

Consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario: What is bankruptcy?

A consumer proposal is an excellent option for you if you can afford to make payments towards your financial debts monthly. If you are entirely unable to make enough payments for a consumer proposal, then bankruptcy is probably your only other alternative.

By statute, the offer you make your creditors via a consumer proposal must be a much better option than what your creditors would certainly get in your bankruptcy. I help people make that analysis during our initial no-cost consultation prior to them selecting the ideal insolvency process for them. We discover the choices readily available, including a consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario. Bankruptcy is an alternative when you cannot afford to fund a consumer proposal to your creditors.

If bankruptcy is the selected alternative, you work with me, as the Trustee, to complete the needed documents. I then submit them with the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy Canada (OSB). When the OSB issues its Certificate, after that you are formally bankrupt.

From that point on, the Trustee will deal directly with your creditors in your place. As soon as you are bankrupt:

  • you will stop making payments to your unsecured creditors;
  • any type of garnishments against your wages or bank account will stop; and
  • any lawsuits for money against you from your creditors will also be stopped.

Consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario: What are the advantages of a consumer proposal?

The benefits of a consumer proposal vs. bankruptcy Ontario are:

  • You maintain all of your assets.
  • Actions against you by creditors, such as wage garnishments will quit.
  • Unlike informal financial debt settlement, the consumer proposal is a legal forum where every one of your creditors has to deal with your restructuring.
  • You do not have to think any more about the “B” word.

Consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario: What are the differences in credit score?

The person that files for bankruptcy will absolutely get an R9 rating. This is the lowest credit rating possible. It will continue to be on their record for at least 7 years. An individual that submits a consumer proposal will have an R7 credit score which is less extreme. It will certainly remain to be on their record for around 8 years overall, from the moment of filing.

You will absolutely pay less than the total you owe with a consumer proposal. Commonly as much as 70% less. All your unsecured financial obligations will be combined right into a simple regular month-to-month payment. This number will be based upon what you can afford.

Consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario: What are the costs and fees of a consumer proposal versus filing for bankruptcy?

When doing a consumer proposal, the Trustee’s charges are paid for out of the repayment you bargain with your creditors. For example, if your consumer proposal has you paying a total amount of $20,000 over 5 years, the Trustee’s fee and disbursements are drawn from those funds. The cost of the consumer proposal is likewise regulated by the BIA. The expense does not go up or down based upon the amount you are required to pay in your consumer proposal.

However, if you were to file for bankruptcy, the cost is once again controlled by the BIA. The Trustee is paid out of the funds available in your bankruptcy. Examples of sources of funds in personal bankruptcy are any surplus income you might need to pay as well as any assets that are available to the Trustee to sell.

If there are not expected to be any type of funds in your bankruptcy, the regulated cost to be funded either by the debtor or a third party guarantor will be around $2,000. This is one more difference between a consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario.

Consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario: Are assets treated differently between a consumer proposal vs bankruptcy?

If you do a consumer proposal, you can keep your assets whereas in bankruptcy your assets in most cases are affected. This includes the equity in your home if greater than $10,000, an auto or other vehicle worth greater than $6,600 (without liens against it), investments, tax refunds, as well as any RRSP contributions made in the 12 months immediately before filing for bankruptcy.

This distinction between a consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario is huge.

Consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario: What if I default on my consumer proposal vs bankruptcy payments?

If you do not keep up your payments on a consumer proposal, and drop 3 months behind, you have defaulted and the consumer proposal is void. You additionally are unable to submit a brand-new consumer proposal. Collection activity by your creditors will begin again.

In bankruptcy, if you do not complete all your obligations, you will not have the ability to get your discharge from bankruptcy. As soon as the Trustee gets its discharge, your creditors will certainly return to collection activities too.

This is one more consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario difference.

consumer proposal vs bankruptcy ontario
consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario

Consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario: When is a meeting of creditors held in a consumer proposal?

A meeting of creditors in a consumer proposal is held if one is requested by creditors that are owed at least one-quarter of the total amount of proven claims filed.

An ask for a meeting needs to be made by the creditors within 45 days of the declaring of the consumer proposal. The OSB can additionally ask for the Trustee to call a meeting any time within that same duration.

The meeting of creditors must be held within 21 days after being called. At the meeting of creditors, they vote to either accept or reject the proposal.

If no meeting of creditors is requested within 45 days of the declaring of the proposal, the proposal will be considered to have been approved by the creditors no matter any kind of objections made later.

How long does it take to complete a consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario?

A consumer proposal is ended when the individual has made the call for payments over the amount of time stated in the proposal itself. In a bankruptcy, the discharge relies on a selection of different aspects, including whether it was the very first time the debtor filed for bankruptcy and if they need to make surplus income payments.

If the borrower has never proclaimed bankruptcy and they do not need to make surplus income payments, then they are entitled to be discharged 9 months. However, if the bankrupt has surplus income, then a first-time bankrupt will need to pay for 21 months before when they can be discharged

If this is not the person’s first bankruptcy, and they do not have surplus income, they cannot get a discharge before the expiry of 24 months. If that person has a surplus income requirement, then they must pay for 36 months before being able to be discharged.

This is another distinction between a consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario.

Consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario: What do consumer proposals and bankruptcy have in common?

Both a consumer proposal and bankruptcy are lawfully binding treatments that are administered by a Trustee. If you are thinking of a consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario, it is vital that you consult with a Trustee to ensure that you completely understand what’s involved, and the costs. You can talk with friends or family that might have applied for one or the other before. It is also important that you get referrals from professionals you trust.

Declaring bankruptcy or doing a consumer proposal are both issues of public record. That means there will be a permanent public record concerning your insolvency that can be accessed by anyone. If your debts are joint or co-signed or guaranteed by someone else, the other person is liable for the debt. That is the case even if you file for either a consumer proposal or personal bankruptcy.

Even these similarities still point out differences between a consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario.

How do I choose between a consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario?

As you can see, when you consider a consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario, there are most definitely differences between the two. But they are both formal insolvency processes to eliminate your debt. What’s essential, though, is that you discover the best method to get yourself back on the right track in such a way that will assist you to achieve your long-term goals.

Consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario: How to file for bankruptcy?

In order to take advantage of either a consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario, you must involve a Trustee. This is a person or company licensed by the OSB to provide the insolvency process. The 10 actions listed below are a guide to the bankruptcy procedure.

  • Call a qualified Trustee and go to a meeting with him or her to talk about your personal circumstance and your alternatives including if it is possible for you to prevent bankruptcy.
  • Deal with the Trustee to complete the needed forms. The Trustee will after that submit the bankruptcy with the OSB.
  • The Trustee notifies your creditors of the bankruptcy.
  • You participate in a meeting of creditors if one is called.
  • You participate in 2 counselling sessions.
  • Based on your personal exemptions, the Trustee markets your available assets; you may additionally need to make surplus income payments to the Trustee.
  • In certain circumstances, you might need to participate in an examination held by an OSB representative.
  • The Trustee prepares a report describing your actions throughout the bankruptcy.
  • You go to the discharge hearing if needed.
  • You obtain your discharge from your bankruptcy.

Afterward, the Trustee completes the administration, including paying a dividend to your creditors, if offered.

Consumer proposals and bankruptcy Ontario aren’t the only ways of obtaining debt relief and consolidating debt

There are additionally other ways of fixing debt problems that do not include a formal process or paying a fee. If you honestly wish to thoroughly and objectively take a look at all your options, contact a Trustee, and meet with him or her. They’ll pay attention to your scenario and concerns and advise you on what will work best for you even if you do not need to file for either a consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario. Their assistance is normally cost-free and non-judgmental.

At my Firm, declaring bankruptcy is only encouraged until all other potential solutions have investigated. A consumer proposal is the only government-approved financial debt settlement strategy and is always the far better bankruptcy alternative.

Consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario: Move on with your life

I hope you have enjoyed this consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario Brandon’s Blog. Both a successfully completed consumer proposal or obtaining your discharge from bankruptcy lets you get back on the road to financial health, relieve the stress you face, and bring you:

  • Freedom from lawsuits and garnishments;
  • The ability to live better than just hanging on one payday to the next;
  • Improved credit scores; and
  • Better health and well-being.

Do you have too much debt? Are you in need of financial restructuring? The financial restructuring process is complex. The Ira Smith Team understands how to do a complex restructuring. However, more importantly, we understand the needs of the entrepreneur or the person who has too much personal debt.

You are worried because you are facing significant financial challenges.
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 a realistic lifeline. There is no “one solution fits all” approach with the Ira Smith Team. 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 in 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 is absolutely operational and Ira, in addition to Brandon Smith, is readily available for a telephone consultation or video meeting. We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy.

consumer proposal vs bankruptcy ontario
consumer proposal vs bankruptcy Ontario
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Brandon Blog Post

WHAT IS A LICENSED INSOLVENCY TRUSTEE? READ OUR BEST AND COMPLETE 12 STEP CHECKLIST

what is a licensed insolvency trustee
what is a licensed insolvency trustee

The Ira Smith Trustee Team is absolutely operational and Ira, in addition to Brandon Smith, is readily available for a telephone consultation or video meeting. We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy.

If you would prefer to listen to the audio version of this what is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee Brandon’s Blog, please scroll to the very bottom and click on the podcast.

What is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee introduction

What is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee is a question I see asked regularly. Is it the same as a bankruptcy trustee? The answer is yes. A bankruptcy trustee is an old name. Licensed Insolvency Trustee is the new name. The Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (OSB) changed the name in 2015. The change came about partly because of submissions made by the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals (CAIRP).

The change came about since the new name more precisely explains the breadth of solutions they offer to consumers and businesses. The purpose of this Brandon’s Blog is to describe for the stressed-out person who is facing financial challenges, or the entrepreneur whose business is in financial trouble, what is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee all about and give a 12 point checklist to help you find the best one for you.

What is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee?

A Licensed Insolvency Trustee is a financial and debt specialist licensed and supervised by the OSB. The OSB released a directive calling for trustees to utilize the classification of Licensed Insolvency Trustee to more precisely show the solutions they offer.

What is the difference between a Licensed Insolvency Trustee, a credit counsellor, and a debt settlement business?

Licensed Insolvency Trustees, credit counsellors, and financial debt settlement companies, all provide financial guidance. However, they are extremely different.

A Licensed Insolvency Trustee is the only person who can file a bankruptcy or consumer proposal for you. A trustee can also offer you financial advice and help you plan on how to repay your debt. Credit counsellors and debt settlement businesses can give you financial advice and information. They can help you make a budget and make plans to repay your debt. But they can’t file a bankruptcy or consumer proposal for you.

Unlike the others, a Licensed Insolvency Trustee is an Officer of the Court, and as such, is the only financial debt relief professional in Canada legally allowed to administer insolvency proceedings under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada) (BIA).

What is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee and what can they do for me?

A Licensed Insolvency Trustee will first gather info to comprehend the individual’s or business’s entire circumstance, examine the effects of different choices, discuss them with you and also suggest the one he or she really feels is ideal for you. When filing a restructuring debt settlement proposal or for bankruptcy, Licensed Insolvency Trustees will direct the debtor through the whole procedure, will certainly prepare and submit the needed paperwork, and be the one to deal directly with all of your creditors.

So what is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee? It is the only expert that can offer you a complimentary consultation and advice as well as recommendations. After that, she or he will either direct you what to do if you do not need an insolvency process to repair your financial concerns or administer the insolvency procedure if one is required.

what is a licensed insolvency trustee
what is a licensed insolvency trustee

What is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee and what sets them apart?

By now you should realize that a Licensed Insolvency Trustee is licensed and supervised by the OSB. No other professional dealing with consumer or business debt issues is. Licensed Insolvency Trustees also have to go through a rigorous course of study and examinations in order to obtain that license.

So what is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee? It is someone who:

  • successfully complete the Chartered Insolvency and Restructuring Professional (CIRP) Qualification Program (CQP), the CIRP National Insolvency Exam and the Insolvency Counsellor’s Qualification Course;
  • passed an Oral Board of Examination;
  • has been found to be a person of good character and reputation; and
  • has been cleared through an RCMP investigation.

What is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee and how are their fees calculated?

There are set calculations and rules that all Licensed Insolvency Trustees must strictly follow when administering a bankruptcy or proposal. Trustee fees are calculated and drawn from the funds that have been paid into each individual proceeding. Licensed Insolvency Trustees are not allowed to simply set their own fees and rates.

In most bankruptcies and proposals, the Licensed Insolvency Trustee’s fees are based on a tariff set by the BIA. Unlike other professionals, working with a Licensed Insolvency Trustee is not a “fee for service” – this means that a phone call to discuss any questions you have or get ongoing support throughout the process won’t result in an invoice.

What is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee and how do I find one?

The best way to find one is through a referral from someone that you trust. This could be your lawyer, accountant, a relative or a close friend. Someone you trust, who refers you to someone they trust, is always the best. I take pride that my Firm has many times helped relatives of lawyers and accountants who we work with. If they are willing to refer a family member to us, that is the highest compliment anyone can pay to me as a professional.

You can also contact a local non-profit credit counselling service. There are two benefits to doing this. A local non-profit credit counselling organization is probably one of the most objective places to find out about all your debt relief options. They’re not trying to sell you anything, and they’re not paid on commission. So they can actually help you look at all your options and see if insolvency (a consumer proposal or bankruptcy) is your best option or if there is something else that might make sense.

The OSB maintains a searchable database of all Licensed Insolvency Trustees in Canada. You can search for a trustee located near you. Finding a trustee near you may be convenient, but, it will not give you a sense of whether you feel you can work with that professional.

You can also search for “licensed insolvency trustee” or “bankruptcy trustee” in your favourite search engine. Just be mindful that the companies who appear at the top of your search results with the word “Ad” next to their name have paid for that listing. It has nothing to do with their expertise or rating.

Looking at the online reviews given by people who have worked with them is a great way to start to get a feel for each professional. If they write blogs or have videos posted online, that will also help to get a feel for the personality of the Licensed Insolvency Trustee.

What is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee and have they been recognized by any rating agencies?

Best Bankruptcy trustees in Vaughan

I am pleased to report that, for the 5th year in a row, Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. has been voted as one of the Top 3 Licensed Insolvency Trustees in Vaughan, ON. (Yes, there are more than 3!). It is gratifying to get recognition fo the professional services we provide and our commitment to full service and support for our clients.

So what is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee and how should I go about choosing one? There are many factors that you must consider. Below is our 12 step checklist to make the best choice for you.

What is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee? Our 12 step checklist to help you find the best one for your situation

  • Do they have the necessary qualifications?
  • How many cases like yours have they done before?
  • Do they go to Court also or do you have to hire a lawyer to do so?
  • Is bankruptcy right for you and is it your only option?
  • How much will it cost you?
  • Will you be dealing with the actual licensee ultimately responsible to the OSB for your file?
  • Will you only be seeing one of many clerks once you enter the insolvency process?
  • How did you feel after meeting the people at their office after your initial consultation?
  • Do they practice exclusively in the bankruptcy/insolvency area?
  • Do they have experience in only personal insolvency matters, only corporate insolvency matters, or both?
  • Do they have enough experience and the time to handle your matter?
  • Will they communicate in a timely manner with you throughout?

As you can see, when trying to answer what is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee and who is the right one for me question, there are many things to consider.

What is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee summary

I hope you found this what is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee Brandon’s Blog about helpful. Sometimes things are too far gone and more drastic and immediate triage action is required.

Do you have too much debt? Are you in need of financial restructuring? The financial restructuring process is complex. The Ira Smith Team understands how to do a complex restructuring. However, more importantly, we understand the needs of the entrepreneur or the person who has too much personal debt. You are worried because you are facing significant financial challenges.
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 a realistic lifeline. There is no “one solution fits all” approach with the Ira Smith Team. 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 in 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 is absolutely operational and Ira, in addition to Brandon Smith, is readily available for a telephone consultation or video meeting. We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy.

Call a Trustee Now!