The total of all your debts must be paid in full plus 5% interest, usually within a period of three years, unless all creditors consent to an alternative arrangement and the Court approves it.

The program is only available in Alberta, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. It is also available in Quebec, where it is referred to as the Voluntary Deposit Law (or formerly, Lacombe Law).

Using the Orderly Payments of Debt approach to repay debt will lower your credit rating. It is the same credit rating you would receive if you file a Consumer Proposal (R7). However, it will not be as low as the rating given to those who file for Bankruptcy (R9). Credit reporting agencies typically keep an Orderly Payments of Debt on your credit file for three years upon completion.

Depending on the amount of debt and number of creditors you have, it may be possible for you to directly contact your creditors and negotiate a lower interest rate or a repayment schedule that works for you. With informal proposals, each of your creditors will expect you to present them with a plan outlining how you can pay them back. You may also be required to submit a sworn statutory declaration outlining all of your assets, debts and income....

There shouldn’t be an initial setup cost for an informal debt settlement. The purpose of an informal debt settlement is to lower the interest rate on your payments and potentially extend the payment period. Additional costs typically result from the accumulated interest charges over a longer repayment period.

It is important to get any arrangement you make with your creditors in writing. While it may not be a legally binding contract, it is a useful document when discussing the termination of your informal debt settlement. If the creditor refuses to reinstate the informal debt settlement, you can file for a Consumer Proposal, which is legally binding when administered by a Licensed Trustee.