How we help
Wage garnishment
When a collector wins a judgment, it can ask your employer to hold back part of every paycheck. There are limits on how much, money it can't touch, and ways to stop it.
We check whether the garnishment was done right and whether your income is protected, file objections with the court, and talk to the collector's lawyer. When the debts are bigger than one garnishment, a bankruptcy filing stops it at once.
If you were sued and haven't answered yet, call now: answering the lawsuit can keep a garnishment from starting at all.
What we can do
Answer a collection lawsuit
Object to a garnishment
Protect income the law exempts
Stop it with a bankruptcy filing
Good to know
What to know now
There's a limit
The law caps how much of a paycheck can be garnished, and many households can protect more of their pay than the collector expects.
Some money is off-limits
Social Security, disability and other benefits are generally protected from garnishment by most collectors.
Bankruptcy stops it
A bankruptcy filing stops most garnishments right away, and money taken in the weeks before filing can sometimes be recovered.
Questions about wage garnishment
My employer says my wages are being garnished. Is it too late?
No. You can usually still object, and a bankruptcy filing stops most garnishments even after they start.
Can they garnish my Social Security?
Most collectors can't. Benefits like Social Security and disability are generally protected. Bring your benefit letter and we'll check.
I was sued but never went to court. What now?
There may be a default judgment against you. We can look it up, and in some cases ask the court to reopen it.
Talk it through with an attorney
The first meeting is free. You'll leave knowing your options and what happens next.
Our help is free for households that qualify. The court's filing fee is separate; the court can waive it or let you pay it in installments.