Welcome to Mosaic Counselling and Family Services

Does a small claims judgement against me affect OSAP? Can declaring bankruptcy wipe out the judgement against me?
The judgement should not affect OSAP as it has no real connection.

My concern is my credit card debt. What can I do about it?
This is a difficult question to answer without more details. Please provide information regarding the amount of your debt, your income, whether you own or rent your residence, etc. You can also give us a call at 519-743-6333 for more assistance.

I am concerned that dealing with my debt will affect my eligability for OSAP.
How your debt will affect your eligibility for OSAP will depend on a number of things...

My common law husband has a private debt history that has not seemed to have gotten better, even when I bailed him out last year and am paying a two year loan for him to help. Who can I talk to? Who can we talk to in order to bring things out in the open?
First of all, you need to obtain your credit bureau reports and see what is actually showing as negative information.

I cannot maintain any cash flow. My debt has escalulated immensely. I have no choice but to declare bankruptcy. What are my options?
Call us and, if appropriate, we can refer you to a bankruptcy trustee.

Can an individual garnishee wages? How do they do so?
Yes, but you have to obtain a Small Claims Court judgement first. This can be done by visiting the SCC office at 20 Weber St E in Kitchener, or call for info to 519-741-3270.

Does Mosaic Counselling and Family Services handle bankruptcy?

We don’t handle bankruptcy, but we can refer you to a trustee. Visit our webpage that provides more information about bankruptcy as well as a list of bankruptcy trustees to help you.

Are there any programs or companies that offer buy outs of current loans to reduce payments overall?
Yes, there are some options in this regard.

Should I claim bankruptcy?

You may want to make an appointment to see a credit counsellor, or see a trustee regarding bankruptcy if you are having serious problems. We offer no fee services, so if you would like to see a credit counsellor locally, call us at 519-743-6333. If you live in Canada, but not in our Region, visit the Canadian Association of Credit Counselling Services to find a member organization that is nearest to you.

Will consolidating my debt negatively impact my credit rating??
That depends on a few variables.

Is it a good idea to use my credit card when I need cash?
Though credit cards can get you what you want as soon as you need it - the cheapest way to borrow is to get a loan from a bank, trust company or credit union.

Can I check my credit rating?
Yes. You can check your credit history by phone, mail, fax or on-line.

I have credit card debt in excess of 30 K. I gave 20K to my husband to put into RRSP's 3 years ago and he has never paid me back; I accumulated 10K of debt using my credit card to survive when my husband and I split up. What should I do?
You need to talk with a credit counsellor to explore your options.

I have been served papers over a credit card issue; what do I do next? It says I have 20 days to respond can you help with this?
Immediately call the Small Claims Court, or visit the court office and offer a payment plan to the people who are suing you.

I am getting harrassed at work by a creditor who says that he can garnishee my wages tomorrow. Can he do that?
No creditor (except Revenue Canada) can garnishee your income without going through a 21 day suing process.

If I do credit counselling with Mosaic, can creditors still call looking for payments?
If you do a Debt Management Program with us, your creditors will stop calling you.

If I do credit counselling with Mosaic can creditors still call looking for payment?
If you do a Debt Management Plan to repay creditors, the creditors we are paying will not normally bother you if you are up to date. The fact that you have simply been in to see us, of course, will not be known to creditors unless you do the Debt Management Program.

If we do a Debt Management Plan, will that affect our mortgage when we go to re-new?
How your Debt Management Plan affects a mortgage renewal depends on the mortgage holder, ie the bank.

Can you help stop a mortgage foreclosure?
Once a mortgage goes into foreclosure it is very difficult to stop...

If I don't pay my credit card monthly payment can they freeze my bank account?
If your credit card is with the bank where you have an account in which money is deposited, they can take funds from your account if your VISA or Master Card is past due. They can do this anytime, without notifying you.

If my creditors are threatening legal action and wage garnishee, how likely is this to occur if they have been threatening for 3 years? Where can I file bankruptcy for the second time without it costing me money I just don't have?
The court action is unlikely.

Is there a limit on the legal fees charged to homeowner when it's gone to legal? e.g. power of sale notice?
Thank you for your question, however, I would suggest your best resource would be to contact a lawyer with this question. The lawyer referral service is at 1 800 268 8326 and they can refer a person to a lawyer for 30 minutes of free consultation.

How can I lower my payments from a personal bank loan?
The first thing to do is to contact the bank and ask.

Can my mortgage lender change any terms or interest rate when I do a consumer repayment plan, when some of my debt is with the same bank that holds my mortgage?
I doubt it, but cannot say with certainty. You should ask your bank. As I see it, the mortgage is fixed, and could only be altered if it came up for renewal in future. Please check with the bank to make sure that you have the correct answer.

I opened a new business, I cannot pay my payments; what to do?

We would need to see your situation in detail in order to answer your question. We offer no fee services, so if you would like to see a credit counsellor locally, call us at 519-743-6333. If you are out of town, visit the Canadian Association of Credit Counselling Services to find a member organization that is nearest to you.

I am $17,000 in debt, my husband lost his job 5 months ago, we have 3 boys to feed and a mortgage. I have a meeting with Ontario Debt; their site looked good. Do you know who they are? Is this a wise choice?
I would suggest you see us first, as we are non profit and will not charge you any fee to provide you with options.

Do you offer other types of financial counselling in addition to credit? Could you help to make a budget and figure out how much rent I could afford?
Yes, we can go over your income and expenses and provide guidance re the rent etc.

The details of your situation are somewhat involved, and you would need to speak with a credit counsellor to obtain the guidance you need. If you are in the Kitchener area call our office. If not, call us anyway and we can direct you to your local non profit counselling agency. 519-743-6333

I am curious what training your credit counsellors have. I am an accountant and really enjoy helping people think through financial issues. I wonder if I might be well-suited for a career in credit counselling.
Our Credit Counsellors are certified through the Ontario Association of Credit Counselling Services (OACCS). You can learn more about how to become a certified Credit Counsellor by contacting the OACCS or visiting their website: http://www.oaccs.com/

I have three credit cards. If I pay off one and keep the other two will that help my credit rating?
We usually recommend limiting the number of credit cards to one or, at a maximum, two credit cards.

If I claimed personal banktupcy before, how will that affect my doing so again? I have tried to work with a Credit counselling firm 3 years ago who only took my money and didn't solve any problems. My income has dropped drastically and I have no assets or investments. Please help.
You can file bankruptcy more that once, but the 2nd time it will remain on your credit report for 14 years. The firm with which you worked before was not a non-profit firm. If you need specific assistance and more questions answered, please call us. Do not deal with a for-profit firm for credit counselling.

I am a secondary card holder, can a collector come after me for the unpayed debt, garnish my wages and put a lein on my house?
The secondary card holder is fully responsible for the full amount of the debt. He/she can be sued, etc., and the lien, garnishee can be utilized to collect.

I was told that I was being sued over a credit issue. What is the process?
The process is lengthy to explain in a written response, so your best source is to contact Small Claims Court (SCC)...

You need to provide more details and we can then advise you. Call us and we can either set up an appointment or advise you by phone if appropriate. Are creditors calling and mailing you? We need to know your total debt and your income. Are you renting or buying a house?

The balance of the student debt may affect the decision to file for bankruptcy.

I have debt in the amount of $30000, but I'm on employment insurance and cannot seem to get a consolidation loan to ease the payments. What can I do?
Depending on whether you own a house or not, you may consider bankruptcy, but I would need more details to give you a final answer. If you can call us at 519-743-6333 and provide a few details, a credit counsellor can provide you with a better idea of what to do.

My husband and I are now finished as a couple. The credit cards and bills were in my name and I won't have enough to make the payments. Is there something you can help me with to take care of these payments, like getting them reduced monthly?
You can make an appointment to see a counsellor here and we can review the situation. If appropriate, we can help to reduce payments and interest in most cases.