In addition, many people find that they benefit from paying for the services of a Maryland bankruptcy attorney. By hiring an attorney, you can avoid making costly mistakes that are common with filing for bankruptcy. Your attorney can also use their familiarity with bankruptcy in Maryland to advocate that you get to keep your personal property. 

The Chapter 7 bankruptcy process takes about 6 months, during which you will be required to attend credit counseling. To file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Maryland, you must submit a petition to a bankruptcy court, as well as fill out several forms. In these forms, you must tell the court about: 

• The property that you own;
• Your monthly and annual income;
• Your current monthly expenses;
• Your outstanding debts; and
• The property which you plan to keep. 

Once Chapter 7 is complete, many of your debts will be discharged. Depending on your payment history, you may be able to keep your home and your car. To find out how bankruptcy in Maryland will affect your personal property, you can get the advice of an experienced Maryland bankruptcy attorney. 

If you are considering filing for bankruptcy in Maryland, visit our article library to learn more about the basics of Chapter 7 bankruptcy.  

If you are facing a personal financial crisis such as the need to declare bankruptcy in Maryland, don’t exacerbate the problem by seeking the services of a so-called bankruptcy “sweatshop” or bankruptcy mill. The Maryland bankruptcy attorney team at Vijayan Law Group isn’t interested in churning out as many cases in a month as possible. Instead, we focus on providing personalized bankruptcy help that is unique to your situation and needs. Contact us today for a free 30 minute consultation – 410-449-0893.

• child support (in Maryland, Washington, D.C. and elsewhere);
• alimony/spousal support;
• most of your tax debts; and
• student loans. 

Your other debts, such as the loans on your home and car, will be discharged if you are current on your payments. These are secured debts, for which you have pledged collateral, and if you are not current on them, your creditors may repossess them. To find out what property is at risk in bankruptcy, you can get the advice of a Maryland bankruptcy attorney. 

To file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Maryland, you must submit a petition to a bankruptcy court. You will need to inform the court about your financial situation, including your income, your current monthly expenses, and the outstanding debts you have. Later, at the meeting of creditors, the court will determine which property you are allowed to keep, and which will go to your creditors. 

Generally, in a bankruptcy in Maryland, you will be allowed to keep most of your possessions. If you are considering filing for bankruptcy in Maryland, visit our article library to learn more about the basics of Chapter 7 bankruptcy.  

Contacting a Maryland Bankruptcy Attorney 

If you are facing a personal financial crisis such as the need to declare bankruptcy in Maryland, don’t exacerbate the problem by seeking the services of a so-called bankruptcy “sweatshop” or bankruptcy mill. The Maryland bankruptcy attorney team at Vijayan Law Group isn’t interested in churning out as many cases in a month as possible. Instead, we focus on providing personalized bankruptcy help that is unique to your situation and needs. Contact us today for a free 30 minute consultation – 410-449-0893.

The first issue is if the application to obtain the credit card was submitted with fraudulent information. The second issue is if the card was used without the intention to repay outstanding debts. This second issue is far more commonly raised, and it may affect the discharge of your debts in a bankruptcy in Maryland. 

In deciding whether you intended to repay your credit card debt, a bankruptcy judge will consider things such as: 

• The amount of time between your charges and your filing for bankruptcy in Maryland;
• The number of charges that you made;
• The amount of the charges that you made;
• Your financial situation at the time you made the charges;
• The number of charges you made in a single day; and
• Whether the purchases were luxuries or necessities. 

If you purchased luxury goods valued more than $600 within 90 days of filing, you cannot discharge these debts in a bankruptcy in Maryland. For advice on whether your credit card debts may be discharged in your filing, you can get the professional advice of a Maryland bankruptcy attorney.         

Contacting a Maryland Bankruptcy Attorney 

If you are facing a personal financial crisis such as the need to declare bankruptcy in Maryland, don’t exacerbate the problem by seeking the services of a so-called bankruptcy “sweatshop” or bankruptcy mill. The Maryland bankruptcy attorney team at Vijayan Law Group isn’t interested in churning out as many cases in a month as possible. Instead, we focus on providing personalized bankruptcy help that is unique to your situation and needs. Contact us today for a free 30 minute consultation – 410-449-0893.

If you are debating whether to file for bankruptcy in Maryland, you can get the professional advice of a Maryland bankruptcy attorney. 

What will Chapter 7 bankruptcy cost me? 

Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Maryland will require you to spend some money in filing and administrative fees. Generally, in Chapter 7 proceedings, you will only appear in court once. The process takes about 6 months, during which you must attend credit counseling. 

Negotiations on the liquidation of your property will involve your creditors. During these negotiations, you may choose to seek the help of a Maryland bankruptcy attorney. While the services of a bankruptcy attorney will require an additional financial output on your end, your attorney’s job is to prevent you from making the common mistakes that end up costing a person more money in the short- and long-term. 

Who is eligible to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy? 

Relatively new bankruptcy laws have made it more difficult for people to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Maryland. The new “preferred” method these days is Chapter 13, in which you will restructure your debts, and continue to make payments to a bankruptcy trustee. 

Chapter 7 is available to most US citizens, except to someone that has received a bankruptcy discharge within the past 6 to 8 years. A Maryland bankruptcy attorney can help you determine if you are eligible. 

How do I file Chapter 7 bankruptcy? 

When you choose to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy with the help of a Maryland bankruptcy attorney, they will take the reigns and guide you through the process every step of the way. The first step is to submit a petition to the bankruptcy court. There will be other forms as well, which will ask you to describe your: 

• property;
• income;
• current monthly expenses;
• debts; and
• property which you plan to keep. 

Your Maryland bankruptcy attorney can help you to complete all of the forms to ensure that you do not make any mistakes or leave out any pertinent information. 

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After you file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Maryland, an “automatic stay” will stop your creditors from taking further actions against you. This means that, temporarily, your creditors will not be able to foreclose on your home, repossess your car, garnish your wages, or put liens on your property. This often gives people who have been experiencing financial difficulties and stress—not to mention months of harassing phone calls from creditors—a much-needed sense of relief.  

However, you are technically handing your property over to the bankruptcy court. During the Chapter 7 proceedings, you cannot sell or give away any property that you owned when you filed, unless you have the court’s consent. 

At the meeting of creditors, the court will decide what to do with your property. Most of your property is exempt from any action, or may not be worth much to your creditors, and so you will be able to keep it. However, secured debts, in which you have pledged collateral for a loan (such as a home or car), may be in danger. 

If you are behind on your payments for these secured debts, your creditor can request for the automatic stay to be lifted, and make claims on your personal property. This means that they can foreclose on your home, and repossess your car. But if you are current on your payments, you can keep your property, and continue to make your monthly payments. 

Discharging Your Debts 

At the end of Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Maryland, your debts will be discharged. This means that you will no longer be obligated to pay them. Chapter 7 does not discharge debts such as child support, tax debts, or student loans unless the court says otherwise. To find out how bankruptcy in Maryland will affect your personal property, you can consult an experienced Maryland bankruptcy attorney. 

If you are facing a personal financial crisis such as the need to declare bankruptcy in Maryland, don’t exacerbate the problem by seeking the services of a so-called bankruptcy “sweatshop” or bankruptcy mill. The Maryland bankruptcy attorney team at Vijayan Law Group isn’t interested in churning out as many cases in a month as possible. Instead, we focus on providing personalized bankruptcy help that is unique to your situation and needs. Contact us today for a free 30 minute consultation – 410-449-0893.

• If there appears to be excessive tax deductions on your return;
• If it seems that you have understated income, and/or failure to report 1099 income;
• If an IRS computer program detected discrepancies on your return, based on past similar returns;
• If certain information does not match, for example, if your W-2 from an employer, or your 1099 form from a bank, does not match the income reported on your tax return; or
• If your tax return is related to another tax return which was selected for examination, such as that of a business partner or investor 

If you are going to be audited, then you may want to get the professional help of a Maryland tax attorney. An attorney can help defend you during tax disputes with the IRS. 

If you are having trouble with the IRS due to a controversy over your taxes, then you may want to what you can do to resolve the situation. To learn more, read our article Overview of Tax Controversies  

Hiring a Maryland Tax Lawyer 

The consequences of a tax dispute can be personally and financially devastating, whether your conflict arises from a problem with state taxes or a federal income tax discrepancy. A Maryland tax attorney from the Vijayan Law Group can provide you with personalized tax assistance and fight for a fair IRS tax settlement that will help you to move forward with your life. Contact us today – 410-449-0893.

At the beginning of an IRS audit, your rights to appeal will be explained by the examiner. To appeal any proposed changes, you can request a supervisory conference with the examiner’s manager. You can also appeal your case: 

• To the IRS
• To the US Tax Court
• To a US Claims Court
• To a local US District Court 

To have your IRS audit appeal heard by a Claims or District Court, you will have to satisfy the new adjustments (pay the tax). However, you do not have to pay the tax to appeal with the IRS or the Tax Court. Beyond these appeals, a case may be further appealed to the US Court of Appeals or the US Supreme Court, if those courts will accept your case.   

If you are having trouble with the IRS due to a controversy over your taxes, then you may want to talk to an experienced Maryland tax attorney about your options. To learn more, read our article Overview of Tax Controversies 

Hiring a Maryland Tax Lawyer 

The consequences of a tax dispute can be personally and financially devastating, whether your conflict arises from a problem with state taxes or a federal income tax discrepancy. A Maryland tax attorney from the Vijayan Law Group can provide you with personalized tax assistance and fight for a fair IRS tax settlement that will help you to move forward with your life. Contact us today – 410-449-0893.

Handling a Civil Tax Controversy 

It is needless to say that taxes can be complicated. This is why we pay accountants and firms to manage our taxes for us. However, accidents happen, mistakes may occur, and we can find ourselves on the wrong end of an audit. 

This can begin with a simple “red flag” that is raised by the IRS. If the Examination Division of the IRS finds a discrepancy in your tax return, you may find yourself in sudden need of tax dispute help in Maryland. There are several factors that may raise the suspicion of the IRS including: 

• The appearance of excessive tax deduction;
• The appearance of understated income, and any failure to report 1099 income; and
• Computer scoring – computer programs that evaluate returns may detect discrepancies in your return 

If any of these factors on your tax return raise the suspicion of the IRS, then you may receive an audit notification letter. When you receive this letter, you may seek the help of a Maryland tax lawyer, or you may act on your own behalf. However, it may be in your best interest to at least consult with an attorney about your case. 

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When you are audited by the IRS, an examination may be conducted by mail, or by an interview and review of your tax records. The interview may be conducted at an IRS office, at your home, your place of business, or your accountant’s office. A Maryland tax lawyer may be present when you attend the examination. 

Do I have the right to an appeal?

At the beginning of an audit, the examiner will explain your right to appeal. If you do not agree with the changes that are proposed by the examiner, then you may appeal by having a “supervisory conference” with the examiner’s manager. You can also appeal administratively by contacting the IRS.

What if I’m still not satisfied with the IRS’s decision? 

If the IRS has come to a decision, and yet you feel that: 

• Procedures were not followed properly;
• You were sick or indisposed, and unable to properly present your situation;
• You are unsatisfied with the representation of your accountant or attorney; or
• You are an innocent victim of some one else’s financial burden (i.e. a spouse or business partner). 

Then you may want to get the professional help of a Maryland tax lawyer. A Maryland tax lawyer can help you defend yourself against the IRS. A lawyer may be able to prevent penalties such as: 

• Tax liens against your property;
• An IRS levy on your assets or bank accounts;
• Property seizures; and
• Wage garnishments. 

To find out how you may prevent the IRS from penalizing you in a tax dispute, you can consult an experienced Maryland tax lawyer. An expert lawyer can defend you against an audit by the IRS. 

Hiring a Maryland tax lawyer 

The consequences of a tax dispute can be personally and financially devastating, whether your conflict arises from a problem with state taxes or a federal income tax discrepancy. A Maryland tax attorney from the Vijayan Law Group can provide you with personalized tax assistance and fight for a fair IRS tax settlement that will help you to move forward with your life. Contact us today – 410-449-0893.

An experienced Maryland bankruptcy attorney may be able to negotiate a payment plan with your past-due creditors, so that everyone might agree on some acceptable arrangement. The fact is that bankruptcy will affect your credit for 7-10 years, which will also bar you from obtaining a new mortgage for several years as well as affect the type of credit lines you will qualify for. 

If, however, you have a tremendous amount of outstanding debt and very few assets to your name, then bankruptcy may be the best course of action. In a chapter 13 bankruptcy in Maryland for example, you will arrange a long-term repayment plan with your creditors and financial institutions. This may lower your monthly payments over a course of 3 to 5 years. 

If you are facing a personal financial crisis such as the need to declare bankruptcy in Maryland, don’t worsen the problem by seeking the services of a so-called bankruptcy “sweatshop” or bankruptcy mill. The Maryland bankruptcy attorney team at Vijayan Law Group isn’t interested in churning out as many cases in a month as possible. Instead, we focus on providing personalized bankruptcy help that is unique to your situation and needs. Contact us today for a free 30 minute consultation – 410-449-0893.