Consumer Proposal Merritt, BC – Straight Facts and Other Options
What is a consumer proposal, and could it be the best option for my situation?
If you are looking to consolidate your debts, one option available is to file a Consumer Proposal in Merritt. This is a legal process governed by the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act between yourself and your creditors to pay back a portion of the debt you owe. The amount of debt that you repay is mainly based on your income and what assets you own.
A Consumer Proposal can only be arranged and administered by a bankruptcy trustee and costs about $1,500 to file. You pay an initial setup fee, and then, if it is accepted by your creditors, you will pay the remaining balance to proceed. In addition to this, the trustee will also retain 20% of your future payments as a fee for administering your Consumer Proposal. To be legally binding, the creditors who hold the majority of your debt must agree to the proposal. Once they do, you repay the agreed amount over a maximum of 5 years.
The Advantages & Disadvantages of Filing a Consumer Proposal in BC
There are some clear advantages and disadvantages of filing for a Consumer Proposal. They include the following:
Advantages
- It can reduce the amount of debt you need to repay your creditors by a considerable amount
- It can be a helpful debt consolidation method in Merritt, BC if:
- You cannot afford to pay back all the debt you owe
- You have steady income
- Your budget has enough money in it for you to make monthly payments
- Has the potential to be a good option if:
- You aren’t able to qualify for a consolidation loan
- If you have debts (like high government debt) which need to remain outside of a debt management program
- Will put active collection of student loan payments on hold
- It is one of the final ways of avoiding bankruptcy
Disadvantages
- It’s not private. A proposal is a permanent public record included on a searchable database
- It’s more expensive than declaring bankruptcy
- It must be approved by the Court
- Creditors can reject the Consumer Proposal – if they do, you may have to offer them additional funds otherwise your proposal will not proceed
- If you miss more than 2 payments you may need to file for bankruptcy
- Student loans can’t be included if they are less than 7 years old
- Secured debts aren’t included
- Some assets (such as your home, vehicles, or investments) may need to be sold
- The permanent record of your insolvency can put certain professional licenses at risk and may also affect future employment opportunities
There’s Life Beyond Debt for Everyone
“When debts became a problem, I felt very overwhelmed – like I could not see the end of the tunnel. Picking up the phone felt like lifting a 10 pound rock, but they were very cheerful on the other end of the line. I came in, discussed my situation in privacy, and instantly got relief knowing I was in good hands.”
– Delores, Actual Client
Beware of the Big Debt Rip-Off
Consumer Proposals have become the latest method for a growing number of for-profit companies and their sales people to take advantage of vulnerable, unsuspecting consumers. Don’t let this happen to you! Many debt relief companies are now claiming to offer Consumer Proposals as an easy way to get out of debt. There’s a problem. Only a licensed bankruptcy trustee is allowed to file paperwork for a Consumer Proposal. The debt relief companies charge thousands in fees only to refer you to a bankruptcy trustee who then charges his or her own fees.
How to Prevent Getting Ripped Off
Follow the three suggestions below and begin by talking to an accredited member of Credit Counselling Canada (Canada’s national association of not-for-profit credit counselling organizations who never pay their employees commission). If the agency you speak to believes that a Consumer Proposal would truly be one of your best options, they’ll let you know and refer you to a reputable bankruptcy trustee in your area for free..
Speak to a Non-Profit Credit Counsellor
Only Pay a Trustee for a Consumer Proposal
Watch Out for Consultants on Commission
Discover Your Options
A Visual Overview of Possible Options
Here are some options that may be available to you based on the information you have provided about your financial situation. The most likely options are in green, less likely in yellow, and least likely in red. This is only intended to provide you with a general idea of the options that may be available to you. A credit counsellor will need to go over your information in much more detail to make a more precise determination.0
Option
Do a Deeper Dive to Uncover More Options
It looks as though your situation requires more in-depth analysis from a trained credit counsellor. They can help you optimize your budget, explore options, and create a plan to get back on track.
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Option
Self-Managed Solution
After thoroughly exploring your options with a credit counsellor, they can help you put together a plan to get out of debt in a reasonable amount of time. You can then implement this plan on your own.
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Option
Debt Consolidation Loan
Based on the information you've provided, it appears as though this could be a possibility if your credit score is strong enough.
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Option
Debt Management Program
It appears as though this may be an option for you. A Debt Management Program eliminates or drastically reduces interest and consolidates all payments into one.
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Option
Consumer Proposal
This may be an option for you to consider. It's a legal process that consolidates all payments into one. Talk to a credit counsellor about this and see if it makes sense for your situation.
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Option
Bankruptcy
Based on the information you've entered, it appears as though bankruptcy may be an option to resolve your financial challenges. You should speak with a credit counsellor about this and make sure you've exhausted all other options first.
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Option
Orderly Payment of Debts
Based on what you've entered, it looks as though an Orderly Payment of Debts (OPD) program may be an option for you. To find out if this would make sense for your situation, you should speak with a credit counsellor.
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Option
Voluntary Deposit
Based on the information you've provided, it looks as though a voluntary deposit program may be an option to address your debt situation.
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Bonus Option
Online Workshops
Learn how to improve your financial situation, create a budget, make your dollars stretch further, and get out of debt with one of our many helpful online workshops we call webinars.
More Specifics on How We Can Help You
Get Help Today
Give us a call to speak with one of our credit counsellors at 1-888-527-8999, or if you'd like us to contact you instead, please fill out the form below.How a Consumer Proposal Impacts Credit
Once you begin making payments on a Consumer Proposal, a note is placed in the public records section of your credit report that states that you have filed a proposal. Anyone who you have given permission to see your credit report can also see the public records section.
Your creditors may also report a “7” rating on any debt included in your proposal. This rating indicates that they are receiving your payments through a third party. In this case, your trustee is the third party. Your monthly payment on your Consumer Proposal is remitted to your creditors once all applicable fees have been paid.
If you are making payments to secured creditors, like for a car loan, outside of your Consumer Proposal, those creditors will report on those debts separately. Creating and sticking to a realistic budget will make this easier.
If you are able to maintain a good payment history on a secured debt while you’re making your proposal payments, this can help you re-build credit afterwards.
When you’re experiencing financial difficulty, you may think that bankruptcy is your only option. There are a lot of options to deal with debt in Canada. A Consumer Proposal isn’t the right option for everyone, but it can be a good option for some people. To find out what options might be right for you, call one of our accredited, professional Debt Counsellors today. Our appointments are either in person or over the phone. They don’t cost you anything, are non-judgmental, and are completely confidential.
For more information or to arrange an appointment to speak with one of our Counsellors, contact us in Merritt at 1-888-527-8999. You can also email or chat with us online right now.
Related Resources
You may find some of these articles to be helpful.
Debt Consolidation Options & Alternatives
Find Out How a Debt Management Program Works
Consumer Proposal vs Bankruptcy - The Differences
Ensuring Your Interests are Always First
Our goal is to always put consumers first and look out for their best interests in everything we do. One way we do this is through transparency and accountability. We are held accountable to the most rigorous standards in our industry.
Related Links
- The Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy for BC
- List of Bankruptcy Trustees
- Insolvency Glossary
- Credit Counselling Society BC office locations
The Credit Counselling Society is an award winning, non-profit credit counselling service provider in Merritt, BC with offices in communities across Canada.