I’m Just the Cosigner! Why are They Suing Me?

by Dave Gormley | Posted in Civil Law & Consumer | Reading Time: 3 minutes

In Maryland you will often see cases where the lender just sues the cosigner. This can be very frustrating for the cosigner of a loan. They probably thought they were just helping out. They probably thought they couldn’t get sued themselves. People in this situation who come to us for a bankruptcy consult or civil...

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Government Shutdown Crisis Budgeting

by Dave Gormley | Posted in Bankruptcy & Foreclosure | Reading Time: 5 minutes

Budgeting crisis.

Here we go again. The government shut down is scheduled to start October 1. Federal employees may soon be unsure about when they will get a paycheck. This one could last a long time.  What is the best way to budget for a short term crisis like the government shutdown? As a bankruptcy attorney in...

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How to Store Your Documents – the Right Way

by Dave Gormley | Posted in Civil Law & Consumer | Reading Time: 4 minutes

Even in our increasingly digital world, you still have some important legal documents that are probably still in hard copy, and must be properly protected. If your most important documents are just shoved into a drawer, or a cheap metal filing cabinet, then you are going to have a HUGE headache if something goes badly....

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How to Let Your Kids Steal Your Money

by Dave Gormley | Posted in Civil Law & Consumer | Reading Time: 4 minutes

This is a cautionary tale. Read this to find out what NOT to do for your children. You can be forced to pay for the divorce and child support debts of someone else, if you do this one very common thing. What if you suddenly had your entire life savings drained dry due to your...

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Recurring Charges: Why Are You Paying For That?

by Dave Gormley | Posted in Civil Law & Consumer | Reading Time: 2 minutes

Fan of credit cards.

On my way to Bankruptcy Court in Greenbelt, I caught a story on WTOP that said that more than 2 million people who are still paying for AOL dial-up service actually have high-speed internet access.  It would seem likely that many of these people are paying for a service they no longer use. As part of...

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Can You Keep Your Car When You File For Bankruptcy?

by Dave Gormley | Posted in Bankruptcy & Foreclosure | Reading Time: 5 minutes

 What Happens to Your Car in Bankruptcy? If you live in Southern Maryland it is hard to make do without a car. Because of this one of the things we do when you come in for a free initial bankruptcy consult in our Waldorf or Lexington Park offices is figure out what you have...

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What Should You Do With Your Stimulus Check in 2021?

by Dave Gormley | Posted in Bankruptcy & Foreclosure | Reading Time: 2 minutes

Last year in 2020, I wrote an article about what to do with your government stimulus check. We’ve gotten two more since then, and my advice has changed. Last year the right answer was to save it as an emergency fund for the coming pandemic, and to use it to pay down debt if you...

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Is Bankruptcy the Answer to my Covid19 financial problems?

by Dave Gormley | Posted in Bankruptcy & Foreclosure | Reading Time: 3 minutes

Recently, some clients have mentioned during their consults that they heard this is the “perfect” time to file for bankruptcy. While I certainly think bankruptcy is a good answer for many people, bankruptcy is not the answer for everyone. Is it a good answer for you? Like so many things in life the answer to...

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Will I Ever Be Able To Buy A House After Bankruptcy?

by Dave Gormley | Posted in Bankruptcy & Foreclosure | Reading Time: 3 minutes

When someone here in Southern Maryland comes to me to file for bankruptcy they sometimes ask if they will ever be able to get a mortgage to buy a house. Many people just assume they never will be able to qualify for a mortgage in Maryland after filing a bankruptcy. That just isn’t true. I...

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