How to Get a Chapter 7 Credit Counseling Certificate in Baltimore
Your First Step Toward a Fresh Start in Baltimore Key Takeaways: To get a Chapter 7 credit counseling certificate in Baltimore, you generally have to finish a course with a U.S. Trustee Program-approved agency that is approved for the District of Maryland, and you have to do it within the 180 days before you file. […]
What Is a Chapter 7 Statement of Intention for Car Owners in Maryland?
Keeping Your Car When You File Chapter 7 in Maryland Key Takeaways: A Chapter 7 Statement of Intention, Official Form 108, is a required federal bankruptcy form where Maryland car owners tell the court and their lender whether they plan to surrender, redeem, or reaffirm the loan on a financed vehicle. Surrender usually wipes out […]
What Counts as Disposable Wages for Garnishment in Maryland?
How Maryland Calculates the Part of Your Paycheck a Creditor Can Reach Key Takeaways: In Maryland, disposable wages are generally the earnings left after legally required deductions, such as federal, state, and local income taxes, Social Security, and Medicare. Maryland law also separately protects medical insurance premiums your employer deducts. Voluntary deductions like 401(k) contributions, […]
5 Things Baltimore Drivers Should Know About the Chapter 13 910-Day Rule
What the 910-Day Rule Could Mean for Your Car Loan in Baltimore Key Takeaways: Under Chapter 13’s federal 910-day rule, if you bought a car for personal use with a purchase-money loan within 910 days (about 2.5 years) before filing, you generally can’t reduce the secured claim to the car’s lower current value. If you […]
What Is a Final Loss Mitigation Affidavit in Maryland Foreclosure?
Understanding the Document That Can Clear the Way for a Foreclosure Sale Key Takeaways: A Final Loss Mitigation Affidavit is a sworn filing made by a mortgage servicer in Maryland circuit court certifying that a homeowner was reviewed for loss mitigation options, or that no review was required, before a residential foreclosure sale can proceed […]
How the April 2026 Median Income Update Affects Baltimore Chapter 7 Filers
What Changing Median Income Figures Mean for Debt Relief in Charm City Key Takeaways: The April 2026 median income update revises the Maryland figures Chapter 7 filers are measured against, and because eligibility depends on how your household income compares to the median for your household size, an update alone can change who qualifies. The […]
What Is a Confessed Judgment in Maryland and How Can It Reach Your Wages?
When a Signature You Forgot About Turns Into a Court Judgment Key Takeaways: A confessed judgment in Maryland is a court judgment entered against you based on a confession of judgment clause, sometimes called a cognovit provision, that you signed before any dispute arose, allowing a creditor to obtain judgment without a trial or advance […]
What Is a Deficiency Judgment After Voluntary Surrender in Maryland?
Giving Back the Car Does Not Always End the Debt Key Takeaways: A deficiency judgment after voluntary surrender is a court order allowing a lender to collect the balance left after your surrendered vehicle is sold and the proceeds applied to your loan. Voluntarily returning the car generally does not cancel the debt; it may […]
What Are Adequate Protection Payments in a Baltimore Chapter 13 Case?
Understanding a Key Duty When You Keep Property in Chapter 13 Key Takeaways: Adequate protection payments compensate a secured creditor for collateral depreciation, such as a financed car, during a Baltimore Chapter 13 case. Rooted in Fifth Amendment property protections, 11 U.S.C. § 361 authorizes three compliance methods: periodic cash payments, an additional or replacement […]
Can Credit Card Charges Before Chapter 7 Be Denied Discharge in Maryland?
When Recent Charges Can Follow You Into Bankruptcy Key Takeaways: Yes, credit card charges made shortly before filing Chapter 7 in Maryland can be denied discharge, but this is not automatic and mostly affects dishonest spending. Ordinary credit card debt is unsecured and typically wiped out, while narrow fraud exceptions under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(2) […]