A few things to keep in mind
- Verify the professional before sending documents.
- Bring uncertainties and urgent notices.
- Distinguish estimates from confirmed commitments.
Set a purpose before collecting paperwork
Decide which question is bringing you to the meeting. Perhaps payments have become impossible, or you need to know how filing might affect a vehicle used for work. Write that question at the top of a page. List the outcomes you most need explained.
Check the individual or firm in the official active trustee directory. Confirm who will conduct the meeting, its cost if any, what records are requested and how to provide them securely. Scheduling staff and the person assessing your situation may have different roles. Clarifying those roles helps you know whom to approach when a question requires a professional answer.
Describe the household behind the numbers
A debt balance does not explain how your household operates. Note dependants, essential travel, shared expenses and income that varies. If another adult contributes toward bills, explain the arrangement instead of assuming all household earnings are available for your repayment.
Bring a realistic account of spending, including occasional necessary expenses. Do not reduce a figure because you think a professional will prefer a smaller number. The meeting is more useful when its starting facts are accurate. Mark estimates and explain where records are missing. If your budget depends on additional shifts that have not been confirmed, label them as a possibility rather than current income.
Bring records that answer the important question
Ask the office for its preparation list. The OSB consumer guide describes bringing financial records to an LIT meeting. For your own priority, add the relevant agreement or notice. A question about a financed vehicle needs different documents from a question about a tax assessment.
Organize records by account or issue. Include the latest statement and important correspondence, preserving earlier documents that explain a discrepancy. Keep a list of records you could not obtain. Tell the office about an approaching legal deadline when booking and put that document first. Ask whether a separate legal referral is needed rather than assuming the appointment covers every issue.
Request reasons behind the alternatives
Ask what makes an approach workable on your figures and what would make it unsuitable. Which non-insolvency alternatives were considered? What would the suggested process leave unresolved? Ask about obligations that would continue as well as debts it could address.
Use the same questions for each route: expected costs, payments, treatment of important assets, responsibilities and possible changes over time. Ask which figures depend on further records or creditor decisions. Write “estimate” beside an unconfirmed amount. If an explanation includes unfamiliar language, ask the trustee to connect it to one of your accounts. A concrete explanation can reveal a misunderstanding that a general definition misses.
Discuss practical obstacles before agreeing
Tell the office if work hours, language, disability, childcare or unreliable internet could make appointments or reporting difficult. Ask what arrangements are available. A process can look manageable on paper and still need planning to fit your daily circumstances.
Ask how documents are acknowledged, who answers later questions and what happens if you cannot complete a task. If someone will assist you, clarify consent before sharing their details. Do not sign a form simply to avoid requesting more time. Read its purpose, obligations and authority. Ask whether signing starts a process or only permits information gathering, and keep a copy of whatever you authorize.
Leave with a written action list
Explain back what you believe you have learned. Name the options still under consideration, the important consequence for your priority and the missing information. Ask the trustee to correct any misunderstanding while the discussion is fresh.
Write down the next task, who is responsible and when it is needed. Include instructions about urgent notices, creditor contact or payments. Booking a meeting does not establish that anything has been filed. Keep the office's written instructions with your notes and distinguish them from your own interpretation. After reviewing everything at home, send focused follow-up questions. A productive appointment improves your ability to decide, even when the decision requires another conversation.
Practise the question you most need answered
Before the appointment, write your most important concern in one sentence. Then add the fact that makes it important. For example: “I need reliable transport for night shifts, and the vehicle is financed with another signer.” This is more useful than asking only whether people generally keep cars.
Leave room below the question for the answer, any assumptions and the records still needed. If the discussion ends without resolving it, ask what must happen next. You may need a valuation, a contract or advice from another professional. A clearly identified open question is a useful outcome from an initial meeting.
Follow the information further
Sources and support
- OSB: Find an active Licensed Insolvency Trustee
Official searchable register for verifying active licensed trustees; no affiliation or provider endorsement.
- OSB: Consumed by debt
Consumer insolvency overview, LIT role, preparation for meeting and comparison of formal options.
This is general educational information for Canadian readers. Your own facts and the applicable rules matter; ask a qualified professional about your situation.