Tax arrears Is a debt that can't be negotiated away, with a creditor you can't afford to ignore. It's never fun being hit with a large tax assessment, but homeowners have some good options to leverage home equity to settle their debt.Read More

Situations often arise where a new mortgage application, or car loan/lease, is impacted by a credit score that's lower than expected. Frequently errors, or reported items negatively affect your score, but these can be quickly fixed. A couple of case studies show how.Read More

If you are a homeowner in the middle of a consumer proposal, did you know you can get a home equity loan or mortgage refinancing to pay off your consumer proposal and get on with your life? There are several reasons why you might do this: Keep more of your pay every month. Your overall...Read More

Should you pay off your consumer proposal early? Before you filed your consumer proposal, your debts were out of control. Your consumer proposal gave you relief from your creditors, collectors and perhaps even garnishments. It was a very responsible way to deal with your debts. Creditors appreciate that. Once a new reality sets in and...Read More

Many people think that borrowing more money is the way out of financial trouble Earlier this year, I advertised my credit counseling services in Toronto’s major newspapers. The phone rang off the hook. Interestingly, very few people call hoping to enter into a consumer proposal or even bankruptcy. Most want to borrow MORE MONEY, as...Read More

Refinancing your mortgage can be a great tool to achieve many different financial goals, from saving money by lowering your rate, to consolidating debts, to taking cash out of your equity for renovations, investment opportunities or even education.Read More

Published: • Bankruptcy and consumer proposals may not be an option if abuse of your credit privileges is suspected Recently I received an email from someone complaining she could not get out of debt.This perked my curiosity, but if you read on, you will also understand why. Dear Ross I am a hard working immigrant...Read More

When you’re in debt keeping the house is not always possible – but it often is! So many times when I meet homeowners in debt stress, the first thing they say is they intend to keep their house – come hell or high water. “Find us a solution Ross, but we insist on tying your...Read More

Refinancing your home may not cut it anymore Our consumerist society often gulls people into spending beyond their means. In my business, I meet these folks every day. As recently as a few years ago, many would simply refinance their homes; pay off their credit card debt, and begin the vicious cycle all over again....Read More