Severance and unemployment, do they overlap? - 6 months and counting

My employer is paying severance in instalments and I am not sure whether to file now. I am in Baltimore, in case local advice matters. The agreement mentions a release and a payment schedule. Did you file straight away?

Keep everything in writing and save the confirmation numbers. It saved me later.

Some states only count certain kinds of severance. A local workforce centre could tell me which.