Debt Free in 30

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221 – Retraining for a Second Career while Dealing with Debt Nov 24, 2018

Show notes

If you are out of work or laid-off and need to upgrade your skills to improve your employment potential, how can you do this without incurring more debt? The Ontario government has a Second Career program that offers financial support to retrain for in-demand jobs for those who qualify. On today's show we talk with David Shumaker, an employment counsellor at The Working Centre in Kitchener, where he coaches program applicants through the process. We look at how Second Career works and provide advice on how to manage debt while you are retraining.

220 – The Cold-Hard Truth About Unlicensed Debt Consultants Nov 17, 2018

Show notes

Indebted Canadians pay at least $24 million a year for what is often unnecessary debt advice. How does this happen? Well, when you have overwhelming debt, you're not just thinking about the money. There's also an emotional element: You're stressed, anxious, and worried about your future. Enter unlicensed debt consultants. They know that you fear going bankrupt, or even talking with a bankruptcy trustee. They take advantage of your vulnerability and offer you a comforting sales pitch about how they can get you a better plan to eliminate your debt.

In the end, they do nothing except refer you to a Licensed Insolvency Trustee for a consumer proposal. But before they do, they also have you sign a contract to pay them thousands of dollars in fees for that referral. On today's podcast, we get some insight from our special guest who experienced this exact scenario and explain how you can avoid falling into this same trap.

219 – Avoiding Debt Problems After a Personal Injury Nov 10, 2018

Show notes

Being injured or in an accident can have broad reaching financial implications. In addition to the costs of care, you can lose income if you are off work and may incur additional legal costs. Finding ways to recover some of those expenses can help you avoid the debt problems that can occur after an injury. Our guest, personal injury lawyer Lisa Morell, explains when you might want to talk to a personal injury lawyer to review your benefit options.

218 – A Three-Pronged Approach to Financial Literacy Nov 03, 2018

Show notes

This year marks the 8th Financial Literacy Month in Canada, which begs the question: has our financial literacy improved in eight years? Total household debt is at record highs while personal savings rates are at record lows. I'd say that's evidence that the program is not meeting its core objectives. On today's show we ask the question: "Can the government even teach Canadians to take better control of their finances and if not, what does it really take to become financially literate?"

The cost of not developing some understanding of what impacts your finances is high. Credit is much more accessible than ever before. Corporate pension plans and job security are a thing of the past. An explosion of financial advisors and the introduction of technology and new products are making the world of personal finance more complex. Unfortunately, an annual government awareness program and a few tweets here and there is not going to stem this tide.

It's up to you to take charge.

To be considered truly 'financially literate,' there are three areas in which you should be highly proficient:

Technical knowledge
Self-knowledge
"Other Guy" knowledge

What are these three prongs of financial literacy? Ted Michalos and Doug Hoyes explain on today's podcast.

217 – Why You Want to Avoid Debt at Every Age Oct 27, 2018

Show notes

Whether you are about to start your post-secondary education, start a family, or are headed for retirement, debt problems can happen at any age. While the average person who files for bankruptcy in Canada is in their mid-40s, Hoyes Michalos has filed bankruptcy for people as young as 18 and as old as 93. Avoiding bankruptcy means taking charge of your debt choices at each of these milestones and being prepared to handle any challenges that occur along the way. On today's podcast we explain why you want to avoid debt at every age.

216 – Should You File Bankruptcy in Canada if Living Abroad? Oct 20, 2018

Show notes

If you owe a debt in Canada, but live elsewhere in the world, should you ignore past due Canadian debts you can't afford to pay, or can you file bankruptcy in Canada when living abroad? As the Licensed Insolvency Trustee in charge of our Windsor office, Rebecca Martyn deals with a lot of cross-border consumer insolvency questions and is often contacted by Canadians living across the border who receive multiple creditor calls a day on their Canadian debts. Rebecca explains the requirements for filing a Canadian bankruptcy when living in the United States, the principles of which apply to those living in any country outside of Canada.

215 – What is a Robo-Planner? Automated Financial Planning Oct 13, 2018

Show notes

The use of computer technology to manage money continues to explode across the financial services industry. Enter the robo-planner. The question is can an online computer platform help answer common financial questions like should you invest in an RRSP or TFSA, or should you pay off your mortgage sooner? Today we talk about the use and potential benefit of robo-planners with Rona Birenbaum of Viviplan, a new Canadian robo-planning website.

Robo-planning vs robo-investing

A robo-planner provides access to unbiased financial planning advice through an online platform, replacing much of the face-to-face engagement involved in working with an individual to create a personal financial plan.

A robo-planner differs from a robo-advisor, which uses online technology to help you choose and manage your investments.

While the terms robo-advisor and robo-planner are often used interchangeably, according to Rona, they don't provide the same service. A robo-advisor's primary aim is to gather assets. It focuses on your investments, not on delivering customized advice like whether you should buy instead of rent or how to prepare for retirement, for example.

On today's show we discuss using a robo-planner, and how robo-planning can help you deal with your debt.

214 – Should You Have a Joint Bank Account? Oct 06, 2018

Show notes

A joint bank account is an account that allows two or more parties to each deposit, withdraw and manage funds in the account. Whether or not it's a good idea to get a joint account with your spouse, a friend or any family member depends on your personal situation. On today's show, with guest Ted Michalos, we take a look at the different types of joint accounts, their pros and cons, how they are treated in an insolvency filing, and help you decide whether you should or shouldn't get a joint account.

213 – Investment Selling is Not Financial Planning Sep 29, 2018

Show notes

Current regulations allow financial advisors to sell products like mutual funds and give the appearance that they are giving you financial advice that fits your situation. The problem is embedded advisors, like those at your friendly neighbourhood bank, are paid on a commission matrix that rewards sales. That means you don't really know if you are paying for the product or for good advice.

So when should you pay a professional for investment advice who isn't going to try and sell you a product? Our guest today, Sandi Martin, an advice only Certified Financial Planner with Spring Financial Planning, calls this being 'solution agnostic'. With Sandi's help, we outline when you can benefit from hiring a financial planner.

212 – Walking Away From A Mortgage in Canada Sep 22, 2018

Show notes

If you are over-mortgaged and facing negative equity in your home, can you walk away from your mortgage in Canada? We explain what you can do if there is a shortfall on your mortgage after a sale or bank foreclosure.

Canada has full recourse mortgage laws

A theoretical shortfall is not a real shortfall. You don't have to sell. If you can keep your mortgage payments current, and expect that the market will return before you intend to sell you can hold tight.

If you are in default your lender will begin proceedings to collect. If you do not respond and cannot catch up on missed mortgage payments, your bank or lender will likely begin proceedings to sell your home through a power of sale.

If you sell with a shortfall, or your bank forecloses, you still owe your mortgage lender any deficiency between the money realized from the sale and the balance owing on your mortgage.

Should you sell your home for less than you borrowed and find yourself unable to repay the shortfall, in Ontario, your lender can pursue you to collect the difference, as they have full recourse:

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