WHY HAVE PERSONAL DEBT LEVELS RISEN SO HIGH IN CANADA? There has been a perfect storm brewing in Canada for the past several years. This storm is “perfect” for the banks and the lenders because it is keeping everyday Canadians stuck in the debt cycle. This debt cycle is what makes the lenders so profitable....Continue reading

Debt Settlement: A Permanent Vacation from your Debt All summer long you’ve listened to friends tell you about their fabulous vacations.  They’ve blogged about grand adventures, posted pictures of amazing escapades, and regaled you with humorous antidotes about that time they did that thing.  And when they get around to asking about your summer, you...Continue reading

Personal Debt: The house guest who won’t leave You’ve tried to be polite.  You’ve dropped subtle hints.  You’ve even short sheeted the bed in the guest room.  But still, you’re stuck with a guest who refuses to leave.  A once welcome friend or family member who now eats all your food, runs up your phone...Continue reading

4 Pillars Personal Debt Restructuring – Growing up in Debt  Cara got her first credit card when she was in University.  They were practically giving them away back then.  It was followed by a popular department store card and another credit card.  By the time she graduated, Cara was carrying a small credit card debt. ...Continue reading

The Costs of Doing Nothing Debt is the single biggest threat to our financial future, yet it is the most overlooked piece of every financial plan. Excessive debt is a problem that many Canadians have to handle. All too often though people put off dealing with it because they either don’t know where to turn...Continue reading

Must your credit rating be protected at ALL costs? We live in a society of credit. Don’t agree, try renting a car, checking into a hotel or making an on-line purchase without a credit card. Banks almost force us to use credit because they know a large percent of people will not pay the account in...Continue reading

How Working in the Best Interests of the Debtor Produced a Debt Consolidation for the Ages In January 2014 I met with a gentleman who I immediately realized was extremely cheerful by nature. I don’t want to use his real name, so let’s call him Jerry. It’s a good thing Jerry was naturally cheerful as...Continue reading

Who really needs debt help Much of the general public assumes that the people who need help sorting out their debt troubles are a bunch of irresponsible shopaholics. It’s easy to make that assumption too, since there is a lot of conspicuous consumption in our society—we are constantly bombarded with advertising messages every day encouraging...Continue reading

Purchasing a “big ticket item”should be viewed as a long-term goal because it will usually take a few years to save up. BusinessDictionary.com defines a big ticket item as: Items that are of high value such as houses or cars, as well as other expensive products like furniture and appliances. There is no actual dollar...Continue reading

Debt is a major contributor to stress.  There is a direct correlation between the epic rise in anti-depressant prescriptions and the percentage of Canadians who find themselves overwhelmed with debt. How Bad is it? This percentage has grown at an alarming rate over the past three decades. It is now estimated that an astounding thirty-five...Continue reading