Wage Garnishment
Receiving a letter from a collection agency threatening legal action, or a notice that your wages
are being garnished, is frightening. Questions arise: How much can a creditor take from my earnings?
Do I have any options? Is there any way to stop this process?
Attorneys for Consumers can guide you through these problems and advocate your rights.
Creditors, like everyone else, have certain rights, and they have attorneys working hard to help them
collect their money. Individuals usually do not have the knowledge or resources to combat their strategies,
and may end up paying much more than necessary to settle their debts.
When an individual owes money to a creditor and cannot pay, the creditor usually seeks relief from the
court system. After filing a debt collection lawsuit, the creditor can seek several methods of repayment.
Debt collection lawsuits do not always end in garnishment; sometimes a creditor will settle the case for
less than the face amount in order to save on legal fees. However, with the new, stricter bankruptcy laws,
creditors tend to seek the full amount and will sometimes refuse to work with individuals to find solutions
for repayment. If the individual cannot or will not pay the full amount immediately, a wage garnishment
may result.
Wage garnishment laws vary, but essentially allow a creditor the right to take money directly from an
individual's paycheck after seeking a court order. The judge orders the employer to cleave off a certain
amount and send it directly to the creditor, usually adding on court fees and other penalties to the base
amount. A wage garnishment stays in place as long as the individual is employed and until the full amount
of the settlement is paid.
If you are being threatened by a creditor with a debt collection or wage garnishment, you need the
assistance of someone who has years of experience in debt collecction law to assist you. Creditors are
often more willing to work with an experienced attorney than an individual, and your attorney can help
you find the best repayment method possible. Many times an attorney is able to negotiate reductions of
fees and penalties and work out a repayment plan that protects the debtor's rights as well as the
creditors.
Contact Attorneys for Consumers today to discuss your debt collection lawsuit or wage garnishment.