What to keep in mind
- Use the official active-trustee directory.
- Confirm the person and firm before sharing sensitive records.
- Ask for reasons and assumptions behind a recommendation.
Go directly to the official register
The OSB provides a directory of active Licensed Insolvency Trustees. Search there by name or location and check the office details. The directory distinguishes active trustees from other licence statuses; a similar business name or an advertising claim is not a substitute for checking the entry.
BankruptcyCanada.ca does not maintain a competing commercial directory, rank firms or collect requests for a callback. Following the official directory link takes you to a government service. Contact the office using details you have independently verified there.
Understand the professional role
The OSB explains that LITs administer formal insolvency procedures, including bankruptcies and consumer proposals. Their work involves the legal process and creditors, as well as helping a debtor understand options.
Ask who will conduct your assessment, who would administer a filing and how routine questions would be handled afterward. If a meeting is remote, ask how identity verification and secure document transfer work. Confirm any consultation charge with the office before agreeing to the appointment. This site cannot speak for an individual firm's availability or terms.
Prepare a short factual pack
Bring the latest statements for each creditor, court or collection documents, income records and an asset list. Include a note about previous bankruptcies, student borrowing, support obligations and business involvement. Put “unknown” beside any balance or date you cannot establish.
A concise opening note might say: “My earnings vary, two accounts are joint, and I have received this court document. I need to understand the options and what remains payable under each.” That is more useful than an unsourced estimate of how much debt should disappear. Keep complete copies of the documents you provide.
Leave with a comparison you understand
Ask for the main assumptions, costs, duties, potential asset effects and relevant alternatives in plain language. Request clarification if an answer combines several accounts without distinguishing them. Ask what could change the estimate and which questions remain unresolved.
For a disagreement with a trustee, first identify the issue and supporting correspondence. The OSB information about its role includes its responsibility for insolvency-process complaints. A regulatory complaint and a court remedy are different matters. Seek legal advice for a disputed right or urgent deadline. This page provides navigation and preparation only, not an endorsement or professional referral.
Follow the evidence
Sources & further reading
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Debt Alternatives