Consumer Proposal Vs. Bankruptcy: Which Option Is Right For You?
June 30, 2023
For many Canadians, facing debt problems can be really stressful. When you’re drowning in loans, credit card bills, and other payable debts, it can seem like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel.
Faced with overwhelming financial obligations, you may wonder whether declaring bankruptcy or opting for a consumer proposal would be the ideal solution for your particular situation.
In this post, we’ll dissect these options – consumer proposal and bankruptcy – so that you better understand what they entail. We will weigh their pros and cons while giving anecdotal examples to help you decide which option is right for YOU!
What Is a Consumer Proposal?
A consumer proposal is an agreement that your licensed insolvency trustee brokerages between you and your creditors to pay off a portion of what you owe over time.
Now let me give it to you straight – A consumer proposal will not make the problem magically vanish overnight! But here’s why some people choose it over bankruptcy, with the help of a licensed professional who handles all communication with your creditors on your behalf. They help negotiate on behalf of their clients by pleading payment reductions, lowering interest rates, or even forgiving significant chunks of debt.
However, this has some long-term implications, such as a low credit rating score that leads to high-interest rates when seeking future loans or mortgage approvals. This route might still protect certain assets such as cars as opposed to when filing for Chapter Seven Bankruptcy, which meddles with everything except exempt property, aka “personal items.” So if protecting things like cars or some semblance of personal estate, CP could work!
What Is Bankruptcy?
On the other hand, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, also known as BKH, means surrendering ownership and control over nonexempt assets, after which they get sold off for debt repayment.
This here is a pretty radical approach: akin to going under anesthesia and letting an invasive surgery take place on your body, but in this case, it’s more like a full-blown obituary sent to Uncle Sam declaring you penniless. However, desperate times sometimes call for drastic measures. This method can work if you need protection against direct contact from your creditors and collection agency.
Consumer Proposal vs. Bankruptcy: Which Option Makes Sense For You?
Let’s be real — facing insurmountable debt challenges is difficult. And not one solution may fit all situations -but we can use some tips to decide based on pragmatism rather than rashness.
1. Money Troubles Lasting Long-term
If your money troubles are something that will utilize long-term fixing, then perhaps Consumer Proposal would do instead of having a blemished credit score due to bankruptcy while trying to rebuild before purchasing homes or investments.
2. Cut Losses & Start Afresh
Start fresh by cutting losses through Bankruptcy. If there’s no way out of significant debt issues, taking such a step could very well signify starting anew.
3. Get Advice From Professionals
Whichever route is taken, ensure consulting professionals such as lawyers or even financial experts make sure you’re making prudent financial decisions.
4. Evaluate Your Priorities
It all boils down to what priorities in life dictate; sacrificing a few present comforts for future goals, comfortable mortgage payments, or lucrative business opportunities.
Ultimately, while each of us will have different criteria that decide the right direction- credit rating and overall finances must be a top priority. Current life positions, such as career progression opportunities, family situations, or goals, could influence decisions. Nevertheless, both options serve the same ultimate goal-to give you a fresh start financially!
Conclusion
Considering consumer proposals vs. bankruptcy as an option can indeed be scary, but sometimes it might just be what you need. Be sure to take steps towards making educated decisions, and do not rush through writing off bad debts in haste without considering any long-term ramifications these actions might have on your financial prospects.
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