Help if you are behind or have received a notice

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  After a consumer proposalHomeowners who are in a consumer proposal or have completed one, and want to know what borrowing against the home would involve and cost.

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  CRA tax debt helpCanadians who owe income tax or similar amounts to the CRA, with or without a notice of collection, and are wondering whether to borrow against their home to clear it.

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  Mortgage arrears helpHomeowners anywhere in Canada who have missed, or expect to miss, a mortgage payment and want to understand the choices before anything is signed.

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  Power of sale helpOntario homeowners who have missed mortgage payments or received a notice of sale from a lender, and want to understand the timeline and options.

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  Property tax arrears helpHomeowners who owe property taxes from a past year, or who received a letter from their municipality about arrears, and want to understand what comes next.

What to do first, whatever the situation

Open every letter. Write down the dates on it, because lenders and tax authorities work to deadlines, and some of those deadlines are short. Then contact the lender or authority before the date passes. Federally regulated banks have relief options for borrowers in difficulty, and the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada explains them in plain terms.

If a legal notice has been served, speak to a lawyer. A Licensed Insolvency Trustee can also explain consolidating debts, consumer proposals and bankruptcy, and can tell you whether those fit your situation.

If, after that, a second mortgage looks like a real way through, read how each type works and what it costs. If you want to talk to a licensed mortgage professional, check your options.