How to find and verify a Licensed Insolvency Trustee

Start with the official directory

The Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy provides a directory of active Licensed Insolvency Trustees. Use it to check a name you have been given or to begin your own search. A search advertisement, review score or business registration is not a substitute for checking the professional licence.

Write down the trustee's name, firm and contact details from the official listing. Compare them with the website or message you received. Small differences can matter: a similar business name or a page describing a “network” does not tell you who would actually handle your file.

DebtHelp is an educational publisher. We do not operate a trustee practice, provide personal assessments or select an LIT on your behalf. The directory lets you go directly to the official source.

Verify the person and the route of contact

Use contact details you have independently checked when you make the first call. Explain that you want to confirm the firm and the role of the person speaking with you. Ask for the name of the LIT who would be responsible if you proceeded.

It is reasonable for different people in an office to handle scheduling and administration. The important question is how their roles relate to the professional assessment. If someone says they are an outside consultant or referral service, ask exactly what they provide and why their involvement is necessary.

• What is your name and role?
• Which licensed individual would conduct my assessment?
• Am I contacting the trustee firm directly?
• Would any separate company receive my information or charge me?

Record the answers before sending identity documents or detailed financial records. A clear explanation should be possible without asking you to commit first.

Know what an assessment should help you understand

The OSB's assessment practice guidance emphasizes a thorough financial review and impartial discussion of relevant options. That includes alternatives outside formal insolvency. A useful meeting should help explain the merits and consequences of the choices that fit your circumstances.

Before the appointment, ask what documents to prepare, who will attend and how much time to allow. Explain any communication needs, such as an accessible meeting format, an interpreter or written follow-up you can review slowly.

Afterward, test your understanding by describing the suggested option back to the trustee. Ask them to correct anything you have misunderstood. You should be able to identify the major obligations, the unresolved questions and the next step without relying on a sales phrase.

Ask about costs before agreeing to a service

The OSB says an initial LIT consultation is usually free. Confirm this with the firm rather than assuming every appointment or additional service has no cost. Ask what would trigger a fee and request an explanation of costs if you choose to proceed.

Separate the consultation, the formal process and any optional service in your notes. If an invoice or contract comes from another company, ask what it covers and whether you can obtain the trustee assessment directly without that purchase.

A useful question is: “If I decide against filing after this conversation, would I owe anything, and to whom?” Another is: “Which costs are included in the payment you are describing?” These questions make the financial relationship easier to understand before it becomes an obligation.

Compare practical fit, not promised savings

If you speak with more than one office, bring the same financial information and ask the same core questions. Otherwise, different estimates may reflect different facts rather than a meaningful difference in the assessment.

Use a simple comparison sheet: who explained the options, what information remains missing, how costs were described, how you would contact the office and what happens when circumstances change. Include practical details such as appointment times and access to in-person service.

Be cautious about choosing solely on the lowest advertised payment. Ask what assumptions produce that number and whether it is an illustration or an assessment of your own situation. If two explanations differ, ask each office to address the specific point of disagreement. Do not average the numbers or assume the more optimistic answer is more accurate.

Also ask who handles questions after the assessment. A clear contact route matters when you need to explain a missed payment, update information or obtain a document. Record the office number and the role of the person who will respond.

Share information through a verified channel

Once you have checked the firm, ask how it receives documents securely. Confirm the destination before uploading financial statements or identification. If you receive an unexpected new link or a request to change payment details, verify it using the contact route you already trust.

Keep your own copies of documents and important correspondence. Make a note of what you sent and when. You do not need to share account passwords to explain a balance; ask what statement or record will establish the information instead.

Finally, give yourself a clear next action: book an appointment, collect a missing document or ask for clarification. Finding a professional is a verification task followed by a conversation. It is not a requirement to accept the first proposal you hear, and it does not make a general website qualified to decide for you.