Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 11 Filing Fees and Costs

You may have taken on too much debt and are now deciding to file bankruptcy. There is a huge difference in the cost of filing for a Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing fee for Chapter 11 bankruptcy case is $1,717. The filing fee for a Chapter 7 case is $335. Also, a debtor that files under Chapter 11 bankruptcy must pay a Chapter 11 quarterly fee to the United States Trustee. The exact figure is calculated based on the disbursements during the three-month calendar. However, the debtor…

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Maryland health insurance open enrollment extended until February 28

Maryland on Sign - Health insurance

The state has extended the opportunity for residents to enroll due to the public health emergency. Maryland has announced that it is extending its health insurance open enrollment period, making possible for residents of the state to continue signing up for their coverage at the state’s marketplace. Residents of the state will be able to keep enrolling for coverage through the Maryland Health Connection. The state’s health insurance marketplace will stay open for enrollment until the end of February. The original deadline had been January 15. Governor Larry Hogan announced…

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Drivers in Maryland are facing growing auto insurance premiums from State Farm

auto insurance car future

State Farm is generating controversy with rate hikes affected thousands of drivers Drivers in Maryland will be facing higher auto insurance rates coming from State Farm. The insurer has had many complaints issued against it over the past year due to rising insurance premiums, with some drivers claiming that their premiums were raised for accidents that were not their fault. Maryland insurance regulators have found fault with some of the premium increases that have been issued by State Farm, with some of these rate hikes hitting drivers that have only…

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Maryland’s health insurance exchange has some major problems, according to state audit

Maryland Health insurance

Audit reveals many problematic issues with state’s insurance exchange The Maryland Office of Legislative Audits has reviewed the state’s health insurance exchange, called the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, and have found that the exchange’s operators did not appropriately protect sensitive personal information from those enrolling in the marketplace. The state’s exchange began official operations in June of 2011 and the Office of Legislative Audits reviewed data from the exchange from that point through July 2014. The findings of the audit highlight many instances in which the exchange can be improved.…

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Pennsylvania issues warning to the insurance industry

Pennsylvania Insurance Industry

State has warned insurers not to practice price optimization as it is unfairly discriminatory Pennsylvania has joined seven other states in warning the insurance industry against practicing “price optimization,” a technique that insurers often use to raise premiums for those they deem unlikely to search for better deals. The Consumer Federation of America notes that this practice is unfair and illegal, as it often makes use of socio-economic information that insurers are banned from using to price coverage in some states. The organization suggests that this pricing practice is a…

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