The two credit reporting agencies in Canada are Equifax Canada and TransUnion . You should review the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s publication Understanding your credit report and credit score . By visiting their website you can learn more about: Credit report and score basics How to understand your credit report How to improve your credit score How to correct errors and...

If you are discharged from bankruptcy you are once again free to liquidate your assets. However, before cashing in your RRSP’s or other investments there are tax implications and lost future income to consider. It is recommended that you consult with a financial planner to determine the costs and benefits of doing this.

In situations where debt is not too excessive and somewhat manageable, a credit counselling service may be able to review and assist you with your financial situation. These organizations contact creditors on your behalf, provide education on avoiding debt and personal budgeting strategies, as well as counselling. A credit counsellor will meet with you and determine how much you can pay each month towards your bills. The counsellor then works as...

With an informal debt settlement, you contact your creditors yourself to see if they can offer any options to aid your debt relief. If you work with a credit counselling organization, they will contact your creditors to negotiate your repayment terms and provide you with education and counselling.

Depending on how quickly you take action and begin paying off your debt, debt consolidation should have little or no effect on your credit rating. However, late payments, failure to make minimum payments or being sent to collection can negatively affect your credit rating. The longer you wait to repay your outstanding debt, the more your credit rating will be negatively affected.

As this is not a formal legal process, you choose the debts which you would like to pay down with the new consolidation loan.

In order to qualify for debt consolidation, you must have a satisfactory crediting rating and sufficient income to sustain the loan. The financial institution issuing you the loan will conduct an assessment to determine if you meet their criteria.

The institution that granted your consolidated loan may cancel any credit cards or close lines of credit you have to make sure that you don’t continue to accumulate debt. This decision is made by financial institution providing the loan.

Consolidating your debt is a good choice for those who have a satisfactory credit rating and sufficient income to pay back their debt in full. Individuals with higher debt, a lower credit rating or low income should consider pursuing a Consumer Proposal or Bankruptcy.

If debt consolidation isn’t a viable option for you or if you were rejected for a consolidation loan, there are several other options available. It is always best to talk to a professional to find out which solution is right for you.