January and February have typically always been months in which people struggle the most to make ends meet. This is no doubt in response to the bills that start flowing in after the holiday spending season. With rates rising, markets wavering and home values adjusting, we expect people will face new challenges in trying to balance their finances. In fact, the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals (CAIRP) expects 2019 to see more Canadians using debt restructuring programs.
Many organizations are now making the connection between financial, mental and physical wellness leading to healthy and productive employees. What if your workers are amongst the 9% of Canadians having reported that they make only the minimum required payment on their credit cards every month (TransUnion survey, 2018)?
A recent survey conducted by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada stated that out of the 3 in 10 Canadians with Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC):
27%
Reported paying interest
only most of the time
22%
Of people used them
for consolidating debts
16%
Said they used HELOCs
to repay other debts
The Bank of Canada has said they will continue to raise interest rates.
This will squeeze the budgets of more people making it even harder for them to make ends meet.
What can you do to help? Click below to view an online tool we’ve created to help you, help your employees get and stay out of debt. Feel free to email this through your internal address book, post it on your intranet, or use it however else you communicate within your organization. All completely free of charge, courtesy of Acquaint Financial. Money Made Simple.
The Ultimate Guide to Debt Reduction: https://www.mywealthcare.ca/blog/debt
Acquaint Financial has been providing financial education and literacy programs to employees across Canada for nearly two decades. Our goal is to make money simple to understand for your employees so they’re empowered to make informed financial decisions.
If you have any questions, comments or need additional assistance, please feel free to contact Asaf Shad at ashad@AcquaintFinancial.com