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The phone call that will keep on giving (kinda long)
So to my non-surprise I got up this morning to a message from Canada Revenue (our tax people). They have taken over collection of my student loan. It took me a very, very long time to find steady work after completing a college program, which is why it got turned over to them.
"We haven't seen a payment for May yet."
"I sent it May 2." [electronically]
"Oh. Well it can take 4 to 5 business days to get here."
[Not my problem.]
"Can't you send it earlier?"
"No. It comes out of my pensions and my pensions come at the end of the month."
"Well ... if you sent it on the same day as you *get* your pension ...."
I looked up pension dates for 2024 and informed her that there were 4 more months coming up when the pensions don't arrive until the 29th or thereabouts. So the same thing will happen on each of those months.
AND we will no doubt have the same discussion each time.
"Do you have any other source of income?"
"Yes, I have a part-time minimum-age job at a local grocery store."
"Can you make the payments from that?"
"No, I cannot, because Canada Revenue is seizing literally everything else -- GST rebates, carbon tax rebates, income tax refunds -- and this is leaving me in a very tight position in terms of money. I use my earnings from the store for day-to-day living."
She tried to explain that this garnisheeing is a legal action -- yeah, well, I'm sure it is , but the result is what I'm telling you ... I have NO extra money to make the payments early.
Early on in the call she had mentioned that if payments are late there is the option of further legal action. I didn't tell her that that would result in my filing for bankruptcy ... and if it's successful (and it probably would be), the government can whistle for the rest of the loan. In Canada bankruptcy can wipe out student loans provided you have been out of school for seven years or more. The guy that does my taxes has already told me I should do just that. I prefer not to -- unless I genuinely feel I have no other choice.
She was reasonably nice about it and said she would make some notes in my file about my "situation", although I doubt the notes will change much. I will just have to get used to repeating my explanation every time I get another, similar call.
"We haven't seen a payment for May yet."
"I sent it May 2." [electronically]
"Oh. Well it can take 4 to 5 business days to get here."
[Not my problem.]
"Can't you send it earlier?"
"No. It comes out of my pensions and my pensions come at the end of the month."
"Well ... if you sent it on the same day as you *get* your pension ...."
I looked up pension dates for 2024 and informed her that there were 4 more months coming up when the pensions don't arrive until the 29th or thereabouts. So the same thing will happen on each of those months.
AND we will no doubt have the same discussion each time.
"Do you have any other source of income?"
"Yes, I have a part-time minimum-age job at a local grocery store."
"Can you make the payments from that?"
"No, I cannot, because Canada Revenue is seizing literally everything else -- GST rebates, carbon tax rebates, income tax refunds -- and this is leaving me in a very tight position in terms of money. I use my earnings from the store for day-to-day living."
She tried to explain that this garnisheeing is a legal action -- yeah, well, I'm sure it is , but the result is what I'm telling you ... I have NO extra money to make the payments early.
Early on in the call she had mentioned that if payments are late there is the option of further legal action. I didn't tell her that that would result in my filing for bankruptcy ... and if it's successful (and it probably would be), the government can whistle for the rest of the loan. In Canada bankruptcy can wipe out student loans provided you have been out of school for seven years or more. The guy that does my taxes has already told me I should do just that. I prefer not to -- unless I genuinely feel I have no other choice.
She was reasonably nice about it and said she would make some notes in my file about my "situation", although I doubt the notes will change much. I will just have to get used to repeating my explanation every time I get another, similar call.