Managing Your Finances
Help in Dealing With Your Finances
Seeking Help
You may be feeling overwhelmed by your debts and are worried about your financial situation. If your finances are causing you concern or you are beginning to experience financial trouble, the Nova Scotia Debtor Assistance Program is designed to offer counseling to those facing financial difficulty. Counselors may offer assistance in preparing a family budget or refer you to Consumer Proposals. You may also want to contact your own financial institution to learn about what they can do to help you.
The following information may be of help in this difficult time:Find out your credit history and rating by visiting the Web sites of Equifax Canada, Trans Union of Canada, and Northern Credit Bureaus Inc., three national credit reporting agencies:
Credit History
- Equifax Canada
- Consumer Information Centre
- Download a Request to obtain my credit history report (PDF - 20K)
- Trans Union of Canada
- Personal Solutions Page
- Download a Consumer Relations - Information form to request your credit
- Northern Credit Bureaus Inc.
The following sites may also be useful to help you manage your finances:
Budgeting
Calculators
- Canadian Retirement Income Calculator - The calculator takes you step by step through an estimate of the ongoing income you may receive throughout your retirement from:
- Money, Credit and Debt Calculators
- Credit Card Costs Calculator to help you determine the most convenient credit card to use
Consumer Information
- Information on consumer protection activities, filing complaints and tips
- Consumer Savvy - A collection of consumer articles.
- Online Shopping Assistant
- Consumer Information - Consumer Complaint Form
Collection Agencies
- Collection Agencies - Links to legislation and a summary of legislated consumer rights
Other Tips and Resources
- Using Credit Wisely
- Managing Your Debt - What can you do?
- Canadian Consumer Information Gateway an online resource providing various information on consumer related inquiries including credit
- Getting Value for your Service Fees (PDF)
- Bank Ombudsman to help you resolve disputes with your bank
- What should I do if I owe taxes that I can't pay right now?
- Nova Scotia Student Loan Interest Relief Program
Finding a Lawyer
Other Resources
Financial problems often go hand in hand with personal or family concerns. For more information, talk to your family doctor or look in the yellow pages for a family counseling agency in your community. Other resources may include: