Wage Garnishments & Attachments
If one of your creditor's has a judgment against you (which means the creditor sued you for nonpayment of a debt, and won), it can garnish your wages. With a wage garnishment (sometimes called a wage attachment), your employer holds back some of your wages and gives them directly to the creditor. Some creditors (like the IRS) get special treatment and can garnish your wages without a court judgment.
There are limits to how much can be garnished from your income. Often, the amount varies by state. And in some cases you may be able to raise a valid objection to a wage garnishment order.
Below you'll find articles on wage garnishment, how it works, and how and for what reasons you can raise an objection. You can also find the specific wage garnishment laws in each of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia.
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If Your Wages Are Garnished: Your Rights
If you're subject to a wage garnishment, what are your rights?
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What percentage of my wages can creditors take?
Creditors are limited in how much of your pay they can take. Learn more.
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Using Exemptions to Protect Your Wages From Garnishment
You may be able to protect some or all of your wages from garnishment with a state exemption.
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Find out which creditors are allowed to get money directly from your paycheck -- called wage garnishment.
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Can You Be Fired for a Wage Attachment?
Your employer can't fire you for one wage attachment. But if you have more than one, the law is different.
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The Difference Between Income Deduction Orders & Wage Garnishment
Learn about the similarities and differences between income withholding orders and wage garnishment.
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How to Object to a Wage Garnishment
Learn the basic procedures for challenging a wage garnishment.
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What Is the Head of Household Exemption for Wage Garnishment?
If you provide economic support for your household, you may be able to protect more of your wages from garnishment than non-heads of household.
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How Bankruptcy Can Stop Wage Garnishments
If a creditor is garnishing your wages, you may be able to stop the garnishment and even get some of your garnished wages back by filing bankruptcy.
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Wage Assignments in Loans and Credit Contracts
Watch out for contract provisions that allow creditors to deduct past-due loan payments from your paycheck.
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My wages are being garnished so I can no longer afford food. What can I do?
Find out if you can reduce or eliminate a wage garnishment if it leaves you unable to pay for food for you and your family.
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Can Credit Card Companies Garnish My Wages?
A credit card companies can garnish your wages if it gets a judgment against you. Learn how to avoid this.
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Can my mortgage company garnish my wages after foreclosure?
If you still owe money after the foreclosure of your home, can the lender garnish your wages to get the rest?
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Can my employer pay me cash to avoid a wage garnishment?
Your employer cannot pay you under the table in order to avoid a wage garnishment.
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What's the difference between a garnishment and a levy?
Wage garnishments and bank levies are different -- learn about them and which creditors are more likely to use each type of collection action.
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When will the creditor stop garnishing my wages?
If your wages are being garnished, find out when the garnishment will end.
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Can the IRS garnish my wages for taxes?
If you owe taxes to the IRS, it can garnish your wages to collect. But there are payment options for you to avoid garnishment.
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Can a judgment creditor garnish private disability payments?
Many states protect your private disability income from creditors and federal law offers some protection too.
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