Are you local?
Absolutely. That is the best part about working with us; we are a big, professional national company, but we do business on a one-on-one basis in each community with our local Victoria office. So we are completely local, situated in beautiful Victoria B.C. (more specifically in the Westshore, with a satellite office in Downtown Victoria as well). As well, all of our staff (and owners) live in the area and are involved in the community in different ways. Our reputation is extremely important to us. This not only keeps us accountable to do a great job for you, it also helps us keep our debt service more relevant to any local issues that may benefit or affect you. Why work with some company that is based out east, or even based in another country, when you can work with a local professional face-to-face? We feel there is no better way to have absolute accountability than to do business in person and locally.
Who can we help?
Almost anyone – give us a call if you’re not sure and we can consider your situation. But in summary; we can help all consumers who have at least 10,000 dollars of unsecured debt and cannot meet their monthly minimum payments or are finding it increasingly difficult to do so. Also required is having consistent income of some kind and the ability to make a monthly payment, even if it is small.
How do we help?
To reach our goal of helping you out of debt, we first need a plan. We will schedule a face-to-face meeting to gather information and personalize your path to financial freedom.
This is where we get started. We will guide you through the steps to create a realistic budget, helping you through the process of financial restructuring. This also requires some work on your part. Only you will be able to experience the benefit of this tool in your day-to-day life, so it’s up to you to put it into action.
From this point, we negotiate on your behalf to eliminate as much debt as possible, consolidate your debt and create a win-win scenario for everyone involved. We work with a Trustee in Bankruptcy representing your interests to file your consumer proposal and helping you to stay out of bankruptcy; your creditors will get something back in their pocket, too.
Lastly, we help you rebuild your credit! We will walk you through the steps to getting your credit back on track. This will take some due diligence, like making payments on time for financial obligations, monitoring your credit and continuing to use the budgeting tools.
Why not go directly to a Bankruptcy Trustee?
Although a person can go directly through a trustee to file a Consumer Proposal; it is NOT recommended as the Trustee ultimately represents the creditors’ (banks etc.) interests. You can see for yourself by looking under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act under the section that discusses the “Duties of Trustees” – it says very clearly that “a Trustee has a DUTY to realize as much as possible from the estate *(your assets and income) for the benefit of the creditors *(the people you owe money to).
So going directly to a Trustee will likely put you in a proposal or bankruptcy that is less favorable than what we can arrange for you. We work very hard to make sure you get the best deal possible and make sure it is affordable. We also ensure you receive proper credit building advice and work with you through many hours of budgeting and financial counselling to ensure you are financially successful now and over your lifetime.
We represent YOU and work to negotiate strictly on YOUR behalf, not on the behalf of your creditors. This means we can give you more specialized advice that is tailored to offer you the most benefit.
Not convinced yet? No problem, just check with some of our many real local clients who were kind enough to share online their experience and feelings about the benefit of having chosen to work with us – see for yourself here.
How long does the process take?
The process will usually take anywhere from 30-90 days to complete the budgeting process and structure the proposal. This will depend on your own individual situation and the complexity of your file. You can help make the process more efficient by gathering the necessary documents and sending them to us as quickly as possible.
How much will working with Debt Victoria cost?
Our fees depend on the size of your debt load and the amount of work required to finish your file. With the possibility of cutting your debt by as much as 80%, we charge a reasonable fee that is just a fraction of what 4 Pillars can save you over the long term.