What if I already have a garnishment, can wages be garnished by more than one creditor at a time? Yes. However, the first garnishment, or higher priority garnishment, may limit the amount deducted for any other garnishments.
The garnishment law allows up to 50% of a worker's disposable earnings to be garnished for these purposes if the worker is supporting another spouse or child, or up to 60% if the worker is not. An additional 5% may be garnished for support payments more than l2 weeks in arrears.
Written by Attorney John Coble.
Creditors are limited to garnishing 25% of your disposable income limit for most wage garnishments. But there are no such limitations with bank accounts.
You may only be garnished by one creditor at a time. The first creditor to get a garnishment order will be paid first.
The relevant information to focus on here is that California is a community property state, which means that legally married couples jointly own everything – including debt. As a result, it is possible for a creditor to garnish a spouse's bank account if their spouse owes a debt.
In many states, some IRS-designated trust accounts may be exempt from creditor garnishment. This includes individual retirement accounts (IRAs), pension accounts and annuity accounts. Assets (including bank accounts) held in what's known as an irrevocable living trust cannot be accessed by creditors.
A judgment debtor can best protect a bank account by using a bank in a state that prohibits bank account garnishment. In that case, the debtor's money cannot be tied up by a garnishment writ while the debtor litigates exemptions.
First, if the debt benefited both spouses, then it may be possible for the creditor to garnish funds maintained in a joint account. Second, if both spouses took out the debt jointly and a judgment was subsequently obtained by a creditor, it exposes the joint account to garnishment.
Include in your letter what steps you plan to take to address the default, such as making a reasonable effort at a payment plan. Mention any circumstances that have changed recently to make your ability to pay off the debt more likely. This conveys to the creditor your goodwill toward satisfying the debt.
Limits on Wage Garnishment in Indiana
25% of your disposable earnings, or. the amount by which your weekly disposable earnings exceed 30 times the federal hourly minimum wage.
While your trustee will most likely periodically check all of your financial accounts such as your bank accounts, in order to ensure that you have enough money to continue making your bankruptcy payments, they are not permitted to touch any of your funds, other than the funds which are allocated for your secured loan ...
Opening New Account Must Be Done Carefully
Opening an account with the same bank, right after a levy, is very risky. The bank may freeze the funds upon deposit, pursuant to the court's execution writ, and you would then be out of luck.
A bank levy can only take place once a creditor gets a court-ordered judgment, meaning it went through the legal levy process by suing you for not paying your debt. A bank levy, therefore, is a legal way for a creditor to take money directly from a bank account, which will usually be your savings or checking account.
The following portions of income can be claimed as exempt from wage garnishment: About $12,200 annually for individuals filing as singles without any dependents. About $26,650 annually from a head of household's income with two dependents. About $32,700 annually from married persons jointly filing with two dependents.
Disposable earnings are the monies paid to the employee after you take out the deductions required by law. To calculate disposable earnings, subtract the amounts federal, state, or local laws require you to deduct from the employee's gross pay.
If wage garnishment is a financial burden
A garnishment judgment will stay on your credit reports for up to seven years, affecting your credit score.
Call the attorney or judgment creditor listed on the garnishee order and request all the documents on which the garnishee order is based. Should you find any irregularities in these documents you can use them to approach court to have the garnishee order stopped.
A writ of garnishment is a process by which the court orders the seizure or attachment of the property of a defendant or judgment debtor in the possession or control of a third party. The garnishee is the person or corporation in possession of the property of the defendant or judgment debtor.
Learn about your rights. Creditors may be able to garnish a bank account (also referred to as levying the funds in a bank account) that you own jointly with someone else who is not your spouse. A creditor can take money from your joint savings or checking account even if you don't owe the debt.
Even if your spouse opens up a line of credit in their name only, you could still be liable for that debt. Creditors can go after a couple's joint assets to pay an individual's debt.
If an abusive partner (to whom you are not married) failed to re-pay money that you lent to him/her or failed to make credit card or loan payments that s/he agreed to, you may be able to take the abuser to small claims court to sue for that money.
To find out if you've got savings or are expecting a pay out, your creditor can get details of your bank accounts and other financial circumstances. To do this they can apply to the court for an order to obtain information. You'll have to go to court to give this information on oath.