Anthony is based out of Kitchener, but meets with clients in Cambridge, usually every Friday. Anthony and the Catholic Family Counselling Centre are the only not-for-profit credit counsellors serving Cambridge, Ontario, and they are a fully accredited member of the Ontario Association of Credit Counselling Services. Despite their name, they are non-denominational; they provide help to the entire Cambridge community.
Anthony told me that most of his work in Cambridge comes from referrals from various agencies in Cambridge, including the hospital and various Employee Assistance Programs at local companies. However, you don't need a referral to meet with Anthony.
To book a confidential appointment, Anthony suggests you call Catholic Family Counselling Centre's main number at (519) 743-6333 and ask for credit counseling. In order to fully understand your situation, they will do exactly what we do at Hoyes Michalos: they will ask you for detailed information about your debts, income, assets and living expenses. They will also invite you to one of their information sessions where you can learn more about their programs.
They will then begin a four-step process that includes a detailed financial assessment, identification of your problems, discussion of all options, and then the selection of an action plan.
As discussed in a previous post about their services, credit counselling is an alternative to bankruptcy, where Catholic Family Counselling Centre works out a plan for you to repay your creditors.
Anthony tells me that the typical person he works with in Cambridge has monthly income of between $1,500 to $2,000 per month (although he works with lots of people with income higher or lower than that range), and to pay their debts in full through a debt management plan a typical plan may involve payments of $500 per month over a three to four year period.
Of course no one plan fits everyone, so Anthony will meet with you to work out a plan that's right for you.
Anthony's approach is the same as mine: let's find the solution that works best for you. He may be able to help you work out a budget to get back on track. You may need a debt management plan administered through the Catholic Family Counselling Centre. Anthony may decide that a more appropriate solution would be a consumer proposal or personal bankruptcy, in which case he will give you a list of the trustees in Cambridge that are able to help.
As lunch ended Anthony told me about a client he had recently helped who thanked Anthony for "giving him hope". I think that's a great summary of the work Anthony and the Catholic Family Counselling Centre does for the people of Cambridge.
posted by J. Douglas Hoyes, CA, Trustee @ 2:30 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Howard Hayes Bankruptcy Cambridge Blog