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Archive for the ‘bankruptcy’ Category

Credit Report

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

Question: How long does a consumer proposal or a debt settlement stay on your credit history?

Answer: Usually consumer proposals and debt settlements affect your credit in the same way.  However, you should keep in mind that not all debt settlement plans are the same, so there may be some slight variation between different ones.

For the most part, both a consumer proposal and a debt settlement plan will result in an R7 rating listed on your credit history, which will appear immediately after you file. This rating will remain for an additional 3 years after your program’s completion.

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Owing for a car while bankrupt

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011

Question: If a person who is a primary borrower from a bank owes money on a car loan but claims personal bankruptcy, do the collections agencies have the right to go after the co-signer or is the loan wiped out under the bankruptcy law? Please respond. Thanks so much!

Answer: If you have a co-signer on a loan, they have agreed to make sure that your loan is paid in full. Therefore, if you claim bankruptcy, collection agencies have the right to go to your co-signer looking for payment. If you want to keep the car, someone must continue to make payments on it. If you don’t make payments, the lender of your loan can go after the co-signer.

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Pension

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

Question: If I was to go the root of bankruptcy would my pension be affected?

Answer: No, your pension will not be affected if you decide to declare bankruptcy. However, you will have to give your pension information to your bankruptcy trustee when you file, and it will be factored into your monthly bankruptcy payment.

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3rd Bankruptcy

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

Question: What could happen if this is my 3rd bankruptcy?

Answer: 3rd bankruptcies are allowed, however you will have to explain each of your past bankruptcies to the Court. Also, the Court could possibly extend your bankruptcy period (and with it your payments to creditors) by 2-3 years or more, although this is unlikely.
 

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Effects on spouse

Thursday, June 9th, 2011

Question: My wife has investments and she is not on anything I owe. I’m considering bankruptcy, will she lose those investments?

Answer: Filing for bankruptcy does not directly affect your spouse. Your debts are yours alone. The only exception is if your spouse co-signed or guaranteed your debt.

See the article “Does Filing for Bankruptcy in Ontario Affect My Spouse?

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Public record

Saturday, May 21st, 2011

Question: If you declare bankruptcy can anybody check on a public record?

Answer: Yes, bankruptcy is a matter of public record which means that basically anyone can access the information. However, in order to check the registry (available from the Superintendent of Bankruptcy’s office) you must pay a fee. Also, few people know of the existence of the registry. But it is possible for anyone to check whether you have ever had a bankruptcy in your life.

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Bankruptcy fees in Ontario – What If I Can’t Afford to Go Bankrupt?

Tuesday, April 5th, 2011

Question: What happens if one cannot pay the Ontario bankruptcy fees charged by the trustee? $200/month for 9 months will mean we don’t eat or have heat or some other necessity. What happens then?

Answer: All trustee firms in Ontario are private companies, so they require a contribution from you to cover the costs of administering your bankruptcy.  In addition, the trustee must incur costs to mail the documents to your creditors, and to complete other duties.

However, all trustees will work with you to come up with a payment arrangement that works for you.  Here are some things to consider:

First, what are you currently paying to service your debts?  Once you file bankruptcy in Ontario you are no longer making payments on your unsecured debts, so in most cases the cost of bankruptcy is much less than what you are currently paying.

Second, the reason most people file for bankruptcy is to prevent their wages from being garnisheed.  If you are not currently working, you have no wages to garnishee, so it may not be necessary for you to file bankruptcy at this time.

Third, your Ontario bankruptcy trustee will explain all of your options, so it may not be necessary to file bankruptcy.

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consumer proposal – owning a car

Friday, March 25th, 2011

Question: If I own a car that is paid for and enter into a consumer proposal, do I get to keep my car or is it regarded as an asset?

Answer: In a consumer proposal, you keep all of your assets.  That’s one of the big advantages of a consumer proposal, and one of the reasons residents of Ontario choose proposals over a bankruptcy.

If your car is financed (through a loan or a lease) you have two choices when you file a proposal or bankruptcy: keep the car, and keep making the loan payments, or surrender the car to the lender, and anything owing after they sell the car is included in the proposal or bankruptcy.

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consumer proposal and wife just left

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

Question: My wife and i are half way through a consumer proposal. Came home and there was a note she has left to live with another man. The kids are here with me in the family home. She says she will pay half the bills including large mortgage for now. I cant imagine that would last too long. Can she be forced to keep paying our proposal and also joint car loan? Would bankruptcy be on option If she stops paying. Both my wife and I have good salaries and are professionally employed.

Answer: On the assumption that you have filed a joint consumer proposal (meaning one proposal covering both of your debts), the legal answer to your question is this: if the proposal payments fall three months in arrears, the proposal is annulled.  Whether you each make the payment, or just you or just her make all of the payments, the result is the same.

Whether or not filing bankruptcy is an option will depend on your new circumstances.  Presumably you filed a proposal, instead of going bankrupt, due to your high combined incomes, or due to equity in your house or other assets.  Your family income is now lower, so bankruptcy may make sense.

Without know the facts of your situation it’s impossible to give a specific answer.  You should book a meeting with your consumer proposal administrator and ask them to walk you through your options.

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Garnashee: How to Stop if Car Repossessed

Tuesday, February 15th, 2011

Question: I went bankrupt in 2009 now I messed up again I bought a SUV and the financial interest is very high, my wife was working at the time but now she got injured and it is just a matter of time before WSIB kicks in. But it has been really hard to keep up with only one income. We got behind our bills, I know I make $3,000 but I pay $1,200 in rent, 250 in utilities, telephone and cable around 100 insurance 200 a SUV payment of almost $500 a month, which leaves us with about 700 a month now that my wife is unable to work due to an injury. So my question is this, we are behind in our vehicle payment and they are going to come and get it because we cannot get caught up at this time, this will leave us with no vehicle for me to go to work, and in time they will ganashee my wages, what can I do, we needed a vehicle and because of my bankruptcy i pay high in finance charges and my wife was working so it was not a problem. We have no other dept….now we need to try to find a really cheap car for me to go to work, but in time they will garnashee my wages what can I do I know I can’t go bankrupt again but I won’t be able to survive if they do that.

Please help us figure out what to do

thanks

Answer: You have four choices to stop a wage garnishment.

First, you could talk to the finance company and see if they will allow you to defer one or two payments, with the promise that you’ll get caught up once your income recovers.  They may agree to defer one or two payments to the end of your term.

Second, if they don’t agree to that, you can attempt to delay them from repossessing your vehicle by making partial payments each month, in whatever amount you can afford.  You may be able to delay long enough to get caught up, since the finance company doesn’t really want your vehicle.

Third, if they do repossess your vehicle, they will not immediately start garnisheeing your wages.  They will first contact you to attempt to work out a payment plan.  At that point you may be able to make payment arrangements with them.

If all else fails and they do start a garnishment of your wages, you could either let the garnishment continue until finished, or you could file a second bankruptcy, or a consumer proposal.

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