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<section article="gfi" article_name="Financial Institutions" number="12-1002" title_number="12" title_name="Miscellaneous Institutions and Activities" subtitle_number="10" subtitle_name="Maryland Debt Settlement Services Act">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Subject to subsection (b) of this section, the provisions of this subtitle are in addition to and not in substitution for any other provision of law.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>A person who periodically receives funds from consumers to be used in connection with providing debt settlement services is not engaged in providing debt management services, and is not subject to Subtitle 9 of this title, if the person:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Complies with the requirements of this subtitle;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Negotiates to settle a consumer’s debts by reducing the principal amount of the debts owed; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Makes no more than six settlement payments for each debt; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Establishes a dedicated account that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Is separate from any trust account established by the person under § 12–917 of this title; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Is not established solely for the purpose of holding consumer funds to be disbursed to the debt settlement services provider for fees.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
