Business

Cobalt Advisors Complaints Already Starting For Debt Consolidation Loans

Published

5 years ago

May 24, 2020

Cobalt Partners: Can You Trust Them?

Cobalt Advisors and Credit 9 have joined Saxton Associates and Hornet Partners 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 2020 Reviews, the personal finance review site, has been following Carina Advisors (also known as Corey Advisors, Pennon Partners, Jayhawk Advisors, Clay Advisors, Colony Associates, and Pine Advisors, etc.).

Consolidation loan occurs when someone decides to pay off several smaller loans with a single larger loan. You are lumping together all your payments into a single large payment. One of the benefits of the larger loan is a lower interest rate than smaller loans.

Moreover, the term on the larger loan is often longer which can lower the amount the person has to pay every month.

Most creditors offer consolidation as an easy solution for debt problems. While a consolidation loan can make it easier to control your debt because you only have a single payment to remember, it doesn’t address the main reasons why you got into the debt in the first place.

That being said, a consolidation debt is an efficient way to help you make short work of your debt and significantly improve your financial life. There are many kinds of consolidation loans for creditors to choose from. Make sure you select the right type of consideration loan for your particular financial situation.

Loan Consolidation for Students

Student loan consolidation is popular among students but it is important to have a college degree to qualify. The debtor can take all of their loans from previous years and consolidate them into a single loan. This will lock the interest rate to prevent it from rising over a long period of time. Moreover, student consolidation loans will stretch out over a longer time frame which will reduce the monthly payments, but it won’t save you from having to pay the interest.

Since you won’t be taking out any more student loans, this type of consolidation loan is a great option. Most people can only consolidate their federal loans, but this will make managing the loan much easier since they have to worry about a single payment every month.

If you want to learn more about the student consolidation loan, get in touch with the US Department of Education’s Direct Loan Program. These entities will help you consolidate the loan and lock in a fixed interest rate. You may even seek a payment forgiveness program. The consolidation must be done through the Direct Loan Program to qualify for repayment benefits.

Unsecured Consolidation Loans

Unsecured consolidation loans are unsecured loans that are offered by banks and credit unions. They are also known as signature loans. The interest rates on unsecured loans are lower than the credit card’s. Most people take out the loan for a certain period of time.

Despite its advantages, unsecured consolidation loans can offer a low-interest rate, but it may not be that great for many debtors. Moreover, it still doesn’t address the main reason why most people got into this problem in the first place: a spending problem.

Without addressing this issue first, you may ‘relapse’ and rack up more credit card refinancing vs debt consolidation, not to mention the fact that you still owe payments on the consolidation loan. If you decide to go this route, you should stop the use of your credit cards entirely.

You may have received unsecured consolidation loan offers in the mail. But it is searching in more credible sources to see if you can qualify for a better loan. Apply at your credit union ort local bank in addition to the offers in your mail. It is worth reading online reviews of the loan and the creditor offering the consolidation loan.

Home Equity Loan (aka Second Mortgage)

This type of consolidation is a home equity loan or a second mortgage. This gives people the option of borrowing against their property (or their home) and utilize this money to pay off their debts on credit cards that may have been accrued.

Because the loan is secured against the equity in the home, this option provides you with the lowest interest rates but also increases your risk of losing your property if you fail to make the payments on time. At the end of the day, most people end up going back into debt out of force of habit in just a few years’ time. Make sure to be weigh the pros and cons of this option before choosing it.

If you are thinking about home equity loans, make sure to stop using your credit cards completely before you accrue further debt on them. It is worth your time to thoroughly research all the different banks and companies that offer home equity loans. As a general rule of thumb, you may qualify for lower interest rates if you go through your credit union or local bank.

Is Consolidation Loan Going to Help Me Recover From Debt

While consolidation loan seems like a good option if you think about it, it is important to weigh all your options before signing up for it. As mentioned earlier in the article, most people are spendthrifts and end up back with crippling debt after having just paid their previous loan off. Using a consolidation loan requires discipline and access to a steady source of income.

This is a serious problem that can get even worse for you if you keep resorting to debt consolidation. In most cases, the best solution is to set up a personalized debt payment plan. This will help you identify your spending patterns and the complete breakdown of cash flow. A bird’s eye view of your finances will help you turn your finances around and get the best possible results.

If as a last resort, you do decide to go down the consolidation loan route, make sure to do your research into all the creditors near you. Whenever possible, look for ways to minimize the interest on your loan and secure the longest pay off time. Your goal should be to lower the interest rate to help you quickly pay off the loan without a hitch.

Finally, there are many budgeting apps that let you take full control of your budget. They provide insights into your spending and let you keep your money situation under control.

Business

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

Published

4 hours 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.