Business

Neon Funding Review: Bad Idea For Credit Card Debt Consolidation?

Published

5 years ago

June 6, 2020

Locksmith Accused of Breaking into Neighbor's Home; Arrested

Neon Funding debt has joined Cobalt Advisors and Saxton Associates in flooding the market with debt consolidation and personal loan offers in the mail. The problem is that the terms and conditions are at the very least confusing, and possibly even suspect. The interest rates are so low that you would have to have near-perfect credit to be approved for one of their offers. Best 2019 Reviews, the personal finance review site, has been following Neon Funding, Cobalt Advisors, Saxton Associates, Hornet Partners, Piper Funding, Carina Advisors, Corey Advisors, Pennon Partners, Jayhawk Advisors, Clay Advisors, Colony Associates, and Pine Advisors, etc.).

If you have debt on several credit cards, it can be quite a hassle to pay off your credit card balances. Apart from the stress regarding making the debt payments on time, you also have to worry about earning enough money to make your monthly payments.

Here’s an option that can eliminate your credit card debt.

What Is Credit Card Debt Consolidation?

Credit card debt consolidation combines multiple bills from different credit card companies, having separate balances and payment dates. These balances are simplified and merged into a single payment.

Such an approach is an effective way to get out of credit card debt. Hence, a credit card debt consolidation allows you to put your money in reducing the principal amount, rather than wasting your money on high-interest rates.

What Options Do You Have for Credit Card Debt Consolidation?

You can consolidate your credit card debt by adopting three strategies. You can adapt to two of them by refinancing to pay your previous credit card balances. The third method is to get assistance from a professional credit card counselor. Here’s how they work:

1. Credit Card Balance Transfer

If you have the resources to pay off your debt in a short period, opt for a credit card balance transfer. This strategy is ideal if you have a limited amount of debt and an impressive credit score.

This form of credit card debt consolidation moves your current balances to a new balance transfer credit card. In this way, you get 0% APR for an introductory period. This allows you to reduce your debt without paying any interest charges for a certain period.

However, if the introductory period ends and you have not paid your debt yet, then you can expect an unusually higher interest rate from this point. Some people get a more extended introductory period due to their higher score.

2. Debt Consolidation Loan

Secured loans are often sought-after to pay a low-interest rate. If you don’t want to put anything as collateral, then you can apply for an unsecured personal loan. If you have a high credit score, then this type of credit card debt consolidation offers a low-interest rate. You can use a personal loan to pay for your credit card balances.

3. Debt Management Program

Through this strategy, you meet with a certified credit counselor. They review your financial outlook, such as debt-to-interest ratio or credit rating. Next, they design a tailored repayment plan—one that you can easily afford. They will also negotiate with your creditors on your behalf. Their experience is key to reducing your interest charges to a manageable extent.

Do keep in mind that even though your counselor deals with your creditors, you still owe money to the original creditors, not the counselor.

What Are the Common Mistakes of Credit Card Debt Consolidation?

Mostly, people fall into certain traps while consolidating their credit card loan. Here’s how you can avoid them.

1. Assess the Risk That Comes in Converting an Unsecured Debt to a Secured One

Usually, credit cards are unsecured debt .i.e. if you default, there is no collateral as a protective measure for the creditor. With a secured debt, you can use an asset, such as a home as collateral. In this scenario, if you can’t pay your loan, your home’s ownership is transferred to your lender.

There is a lot of support for home equity loans when it comes to consolidating debt. By taking this loan, you convert your unsecured debt into a secured one. Unlike before, if you default again, the foreclosure risk looms over your head.

Solution: Leave unsecured debt as it is. There’s no need to convert it into a secured one. There are several other ways to consolidate your debt and gain favorable interest rates.

2. Be Wary Of the Costs

Often, consolidating your credit card debt has certain costs linked to it. Some charges are the standard part of the procedure.

On the other hand, high costs are also possible to emerge from these loans. All the money that you were saving with a reduced interest rate is now going into the payment of these exorbitant expenses.

Solution: Other than some normal fees, try your best to avoid paying too much for the fees of your credit card consolidation loan.

3. Don’t Mix Up Debt Consolidation with Debt Settlement

This is one of the biggest misconceptions related to credit card debt consolidation. Keep this in mind to differentiate them:

Credit card consolidation is used to wipe out all your borrowed amounts to minimize damage to your credit rating.
Debt settlement allows you to pay a lump sum, less than what you owe. Thus, the debt is ‘settled’. But it adds a negative remark to your credit history, which can remain there for seven years. It does not help you erase your debt entirely.

Solution: Choose debt settlement to pay off your debt only when other options like debt consolidation have failed. Also, avoid the debt settlement route if you want to keep a good credit profile.

4. Go Through Your Credit Report

Work on a plan that describes your debt repayment strategy. When it is completed, review your credit report closely. As a rule of thumb, a creditor should get in touch with the credit bureaus and communicate to them that your account is current or paid. However, mistakes occur frequently, especially when you have just seen the back of financial hardship. It is now your responsibility to read your credit report and evaluate if it is up to date, identifying and correcting the old errors.

Solution: Download your credit reports from the Internet for free. Have a lookout for the following:

Check that your account details are updated and show zero balances.
Those who are using a debt management program should maintain their credit history for all accounts and prove that you made timely payments.
Your account statuses should be set to current.

Business

Why Multi-Province Payroll Compliance Is the Hidden Challenge Canadian SMBs Face and How Folks Solves It

Published

2 days ago

November 6, 2025

Matthew Wiles

Photo courtesy of: Folks

Byline: Shem Albert

Running payroll in Canada can feel like crossing a country stitched from many different fabrics. Each province weaves its own pattern of tax rules, leave policies, and benefit requirements, creating a landscape where a single misstep can ripple through every paycheck. For small and mid-sized businesses, the challenge often remains hidden until growth pushes hiring beyond provincial borders or brings remote workers into the fold. What seems like a routine back-office task quickly becomes a test of accuracy, timing, and local knowledge. This is the gap that Folks set out to close, offering a way for employers to navigate Canada’s regulatory patchwork without slowing their momentum.

Provincial Rules Add Complexity

Canada’s payroll environment varies sharply by province. Federal rules set the foundation, but provincial tax rates, deductions, statutory leave entitlements, and benefit premiums add layers of complexity that employers must monitor carefully. Small and mid-sized businesses with staff across provinces or remote employees face different tax tables, reporting deadlines, and leave calculations that directly affect pay accuracy and remittance schedules.

Folks built its payroll module to address these differences. The platform calculates the correct provincial tax rates and deductions for each employee, applying updates automatically so employers avoid misapplied withholdings or late filings. Multi-location tax management allows a company with workers in Ontario, Quebec, or several other provinces to process payroll without creating separate accounts for each jurisdiction. Bilingual functionality in English and French and secure Canadian data hosting support compliance while keeping employee records accessible across language and regional boundaries.

Unified Records Improve Accuracy

Payroll errors often stem from mismatched employee data. Changes in pay rates, banking details, or benefits eligibility may not align between HR and finance systems, creating incorrect deductions or delayed payments. Smaller teams juggling separate platforms spend valuable hours reconciling information instead of focusing on strategic work.

Folks resolves these issues by combining HR and payroll in one platform. Updates to wages, hours, or tax information entered on the HR side flow directly into payroll without re-entry. This single, verified record strengthens the accuracy of every payroll run and ensures employees receive the correct pay and deductions. By removing the need for repetitive administrative work, HR staff can redirect their time to tasks that support growth and employee engagement.

Automation Keeps Provinces in Step

Each province sets its own requirements for holiday pay, pay frequency, and statutory benefits, making manual calculations both time-consuming and error-prone. Businesses that expand or hire remote employees must keep pace with shifting provincial regulations or risk penalties and audit issues.

Folks address these demands with automation designed for Canada’s regulatory landscape. Pay statements, deduction calculations, and custom pay schedules follow the applicable provincial rules without extra configuration. The system’s automated updates mean that a company hiring staff in British Columbia or Quebec can meet local payroll standards without adding new layers of setup or monitoring. Employers gain the ability to expand into new regions while maintaining accurate, on-time pay.

Reporting Strengthens Compliance

Changing tax rates and reporting requirements require ongoing attention from HR and finance teams. Companies that rely on disconnected systems risk missing a provincial update or submitting incorrect remittances, which can lead to fines and interest charges.

Folks provides detailed reporting tools that compile payroll, deductions, and benefits information across all locations. Employers can generate clear remittance and deduction summaries, simplifying the process of meeting provincial filing requirements. For organizations that want additional guidance, Folks also offers a payroll management service that brings in-house specialists to assist with configuration, compliance, and regular updates. These reporting features help companies stay audit-ready and avoid costly compliance gaps.

Scalable Payroll for Expanding Businesses

Many small businesses begin in a single province, where local tax and payroll demands can be learned over time. Growth into new provinces or the decision to hire remote staff adds a level of complexity that manual processes cannot handle efficiently. Errors multiply, compliance risks rise, and payroll teams spend more time correcting mistakes than supporting expansion plans.

Folks provides payroll that scales with company growth. Provincial tax logic, automated deductions, bilingual support, and secure Canadian data storage are built directly into the platform. By maintaining an accurate employee record and applying province-specific rules automatically, the system allows Canadian SMBs to expand with fewer administrative surprises and more predictable payroll operations. Companies gain the stability of compliant payroll across provinces while controlling the time and costs that typically accompany multi-jurisdiction growth.