Maryland Bankruptcy Blog

Maryland Credit Card Debt & Bankruptcy Why Minimum Credit Card Payments Can Keep You in Debt for Years You can make every payment on time and still feel like your credit card balance never moves. High interest rates can turn minimum payments into a long-term financial trap. Quick Answer Paying only the minimum on a

Quick answer Yes, sometimes. Student loans are not erased automatically in Chapter 7. You must file a separate lawsuit inside the bankruptcy, called an adversary proceeding, and prove that repaying the loans would cause an undue hardship under 11 U.S.C. §523(a)(8). Since November 2022, a federal process has made that far easier to pursue. The

A national intake line can accept your paperwork. It can’t tell you what a Greenbelt or Boston trustee will ask at your 341 meeting. National bankruptcy chains and a local bankruptcy attorney can both file a valid Chapter 7 case, but local counsel brings direct attorney access and working familiarity with the specific bankruptcy court,

Should You Hire a Bankruptcy Attorney or File Chapter 7 Pro Se in Maryland or Massachusetts? Filing bankruptcy without a lawyer is legal in every state, but the rules do not bend for anyone who chooses to go it alone. Federal law permits individuals to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy without an attorney, known as filing

Quick Answer If you owe the IRS and can’t pay in full, you have options beyond ignoring the debt. Depending on your finances, you may qualify for an Offer in Compromise (settling for less than you owe), Currently Not Collectible status (a hardship pause), or an income-based payment plan. In some cases, bankruptcy can reduce

Can Bankruptcy Stop Wage Garnishment in Maryland? Yes — and it happens immediately. Filing for bankruptcy in Maryland triggers the automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362, a federal court injunction that stops wage garnishment the moment your petition is filed. Whether you file Chapter 7 or Chapter 13, your employer is legally required to