I've been unemployed over two years now due to a combo of needing treatment for addiction, and a lousy job market. I've been supporting myself off my savings. My last ditch resort was to apply to the Gov't of Ontario to let me access my Locked in Retirement Account (LIRA) under the Financial Hardship Provision. I got approval right away, and got my first deposit from it in June.

In the process of declaring bankruptcy, I'm 99% certain that my advisor told me I could leave the LIRA with TD Bank, because it's exempt from siezure under bankruptcy law, so I left it there, and declared Bankruptcy. TD Bank is one of my creditors.

My July LIRA deposit was supposed to go into my new RBC account today, but when I looked at my account this morning the money wasn't there, so I called my financial planner at TD to see what happenned with the transfer. He called me back and said that because I'd declared bankruptcy all my funds were frozen.

The only money I have is about $40 bucks on my and $825 from a cheque that I got for teaching at U of T. But RBC has put a hold on the cheque until it clears so I can't access the money until next Mon. This means I can't pay my rent tomorrow.

Fortunately I'm living in a subsidized living place run by the St. Vincent de Paul Society, so I was able to talk to them today and they agreed to let me pay my rent next week, so immediate crisis solved. Just not sure what I'm supposed to do for the rest of the month.

I've put in a call to my bankruptcy advisor to see what I can do about the LIRA situation. I'm hopeful I can sort it out but I suspect it will involve time and a lot of red tape.

I'm trying very hard to not freak out, until I get a call from the bankruptcy person and get more information.

But I'm really scared and worried.

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