Hi, well I am not even sure, if this is going to help, but here it goes. I have read a lot of the topics on this forum and sympathize with so many of you. I have an incredible amount of student loan debt and to make it short it is killing me. It is all in collections and I really don't know where to begin. I have been paying one for 2 years now. I just lost my job at the end of April and well have now managed to bounce two cheques. I have collection agencies who won't stop calling me and now it is affecting my children. I have been out of school since april of 1997. I have not had a steady job and what I took in university would require further studies. I am a single mom of 3, have been divorced for years now, no help from the dad because everything he makes goes up his nose. I can't even rent an apartment because I have no credit. Have lost a wonderful relationship because financially I have nothing to offer. I  really feel like there is nothing left for me to do. If I had the means to pay my loans I would, but it just seems like your in a circle. A person goes to school to offer their children a better means and all I did was get my family into more debt. My son is graduating this year and I would rather he not attend university for awhile then go into debt. I swear there are days where I feel like I going to have a heart attack.

I do realize that in the end,  I should of educated myself on the negative side of having a student loan, but who would of thought that it would be this bad and why is the information for loan forgiveness and interest free not advertised more to students. Sure the banks and governments take a chance in giving money to students, but students not only put there education on the line, they put their entire lives and those of their families.

If anyone has any idea where I should even begin, please help me.

I also read about a 7 year law as oppose to the 10 year for bankrupcy? I have already gone bankrucpt once, I have no credit, no income tax refunds, no house, no car. The only thing they haven't took is my life and well the way things are going now, what the hell.

Lili,

 I will solve this crisis of yours if you. Contact me tomorrow and I will talk it over with you.

 Johnny

  http://www.cfwgroup.ca - www.cfwgroup.ca

Lili:

Take a deep breath.  I read your message and decided to paste in a posting that I made a month ago in a different part of the forum.  It sounds like the collectors have done what they are trained to do, and that is to make you feel bad. We have to limit our contact with them in order to prevent this.

"My happy ending does not involve the end of my debt.  Instead it is the decision that I made to reclaim my self esteem by refusing to engage in conversation with collectors, and to remember that owing money does not make me a bad person.  I encourage everyone to list your strengths, your good qualities, the nice things that you have done for others and the names of family and friends that you have.  These are the true measure of your success as a human being.  Tune out the trash that collectors heap on you.  Theirs is is an artificial world.  Would they say such things if they had to meet with you face to face?  I think not. As others have pointed out, it is best to pity the collectors.  They are people stuck in a low wage job that forces them to act like jerks.  Imagine what that does to their sense of self.

I hope everyone takes some time to get out in the fresh air now that the weather is warming up. Hikes, playing games with your kids and flying a kite are just a few examples of free ways to enjoy your life.  You are doing the best you can with a difficult situation."

What I would add Lili, is that you did nothing wrong by going to school, and your son has every right to an education.  Just take one day at a time.

liliana, you're not alone. Did you know that as part of the UN delcaration of human rights that Canada signed, it says that access to university education should eventually be free to all citiizens with the desire ?. In fact, 13 European social democracies have lived up to their UN obligations for, and not just freely accessable higher education, but the commitment to reduce child poverty as well. Canada and the U.S. have the worst rates of child poverty among richest nations next along with Mexico.

To make matters worse, in the 13.25 years before Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was signed, Canada created over 3 million full time payroll jobs In the 13.25 years after FTA was signed, Canada created just 1, 380, 000 full-time payroll jobs. An Industry Canada report says it was pathetic and that Canada's economic performance compared to every other developed nation during that period was about the worst of all. 

Want to put the fear of the Lord into CIBC, corrupt Liberal and conservative governments that have brought us to this situation of second or third highest university tuitions in the world?. Vote NDP every chance you get. Election days are the only real day of protest you'll ever get.

Want social democracy ?. Vote NDP and get these parasites off our children's backs. if Fidel Castro can provide twice as many physicians per capita than the USA does and a lower infant mortality rate to boot, then we can too.

Liliana,

re: your son's schooling

Provincially, there are some Tuition/Book/Transportation funds available for low-income/working poor/social assistance recipients/etc,  to go to University/College part time.

I know Ontario has the Ontario Special Bursary Program. It will pay up to $2500/yr towards school costs. (I used it for some of my time at Queen's University. They also gave me GREAT bursaries -- like up to $4000/yr. I am a 70's%-grade student.

Dear Emma_Chase,

Thank you so much for the information. I will have my son look into it..

This was like reading my own personal horror story.  So far I have emailed the president of the bank that held my loan and she declined any help. 

I have recently asked my MP to step in.  I myself after leaving an abusive husband found I had two options, educate myself and then provide for my family, or stay on the system and cost everyone money. 

Boy am I sorry I didnt' just stay on the system, where I am untouchable. 

I also have three children and finally have secured a decent job, almost 10 years later.  All I can say is we are here with you hang tight and there is a light.  I hope this Johny guy has helped you out, one day I may need to call him too.

Sending Hugs from the other single mom's out here in the same boat.

i dont know which school your son plans to go to but there are grants that the school can provide, they have so many donors..i myself go to U of T and i just received a grant of 3K to cover my rent for me and my baby daughter since OSAP froze my tuition half way through the year....that is a whole other story....also i would advise him once he has registered for school to go and see his registrar and let them know he needs funding and they should advise him and he should keep in contact with him...so they actually know who he is and he's not just a NUMBER!! all schools have emergency funding for a student if something pops up during the school year..........i hope this helps, in regards to your situation , my mom had the three of us alone and had to fight OSAP for almost TEN years, she had paid and they said she hadnt, she ended up all the way in Ottawa to get her name cleared...PLEASE do not let the collectors get to you, i can imagine your phone is ringing off the hook, but u know what, just hang up, u dont deserve the abuse...i think it is wonderful that u got up and went back to school although it doesnt feel that way..good luck

Liliana,

My heart goes out to you. Reading your story was almost like reading my own story. I am also a single mother, but with only one child. I also just filed for bankruptcy and have nothing, no car, no house, nothing to show for. I have work, good work, but they want me to start paying back my loan and I can't afford the monthly payments that they have stipulated. What are they going to do? Guarnishee my wages and in turn leave my child and I homeless? Homeless, in a town thousands of miles away from our family and friends.... I am going to talk to my MP, talk to the papers, talk to anyone who may listen. There is help out there somewhere I hope. I know it's been a while since you first posted your story and I really do hope that things have turned better for you.

It really is not as easy as that. You have to remember you are dealing with the government. They have the power to make rules up as they go. Canada Revenue Agency via Justice CLAS can easily oppose. Same goes for the provinces. The intent of section 178 is quite simple. It prescribes the time frame when a student loan borrower can apply to have the loan(s) discharged. It does not mean that the bankrupt will be discharged. There are other variables here that you are not outlining in your pitch here.