Wage garnishment
When your paycheck is the target
A wage garnishment lets a creditor that won a court judgment take part of each paycheck straight from your employer. Federal law caps how much, and it does not stop on its own.
If a notice from your employer or a court has already arrived, bring it. The dates on it decide what can be done.
Three ways to push back
- 01
File a bankruptcy case
Filing generally requires the creditor to stop, and the court tells your employer to stop taking the money.
- 02
Check the judgment
Was the debt really yours, was it served properly, is the amount right? Collectors get these wrong more than you would think.
- 03
Ask what is protected
Some income, such as Social Security and certain benefits, is off limits to most creditors.
Garnishment worries
How much can they take?
Federal law caps an ordinary garnishment at a share of your take-home pay, and a state can set it lower. Brigitte checks what your employer is actually withholding.
Will it stop right away?
Not always the same day. The notice has to reach the creditor and your employer, so the sooner a case is filed, the sooner payroll hears about it.
Can I get back what was taken?
Sometimes, depending on when it was taken and why. Bring your recent pay stubs and we will look.