Good Fences And Not So Good Neighbors: Property Law 101

3 Things You Can Do To Deal With A Wage Garnishment

1 September 2019 by Hunter Moore

Creditors have many legal options available to them when it comes to recovering the money that they are owed. One of the options that a creditor may use when collection efforts have failed is wage garnishment.

Wage garnishment can only occur once a creditor has received a legal order approved by a judge. You will typically be given advance notice of the impending garnishment. It's important that you take action to minimize the negative effect a garnishment can have on your lifestyle.

1. Contact the Original Creditor

The best way to find relief from a wage garnishment is to contact the original creditor and make an attempt to work out a deal. If you can reach a mutually beneficial payment arrangement, the creditor is often willing to remove the garnishment from your paycheck.

As long as you continue to make your payments as agreed upon, you will be protected against garnishment from that creditor in the future. Be aware that the legal order authorizing garnishment will still be in effect, so a missed payment could result in the immediate garnishment of your paycheck.

2. Talk to a Judge

Another course of action that you can take when dealing with a wage garnishment is to plead your case in front of a judge.

Although it is rare for a judge to alter the terms of a wage garnishment order, you do have the legal right to ask. If you can prove that the garnishment is causing you undue financial hardship or making it impossible for you to cover your living expenses, a judge will be more inclined to reduce the authorized garnishment amount.

Some judges could even revoke the garnishment order entirely. It doesn't hurt to make an effort to plead your case to a judge if you want to reduce the negative impact a wage garnishment is having on your life.

3. Hire an Attorney

Wage garnishment is usually the result of significant financial problems. If you are unable to repay your debts and you have multiple accounts in collections, you may benefit from filing for bankruptcy. An experienced attorney will be able to evaluate your financial records and determine if you are a good candidate for bankruptcy.

As soon as a bankruptcy is filed, all collection efforts from creditors must come to a halt. This includes any wage garnishments that are currently in place.

Contact a service, like Alaska Cascade Financial Services, to learn more.

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