New Jersey Bankruptcy Attorney

Stopping Wage Garnishments

Wage garnishment occurs when a person’s employer is presented with legal paperwork that says an employee’s wages must be garnished. Essentially, this means that part of the employee’s paycheck will be paid to the person who legally obtained wage garnishment clearance, whether it is a creditor or the government. When people hear the term wage garnishment, they generally tend to think of child support. However, when a person has defaulted on loan payments or has not paid his or her taxes, creditors may request that the person’s wages be garnished.  When this occurs, the creditor will receive direct payments for the debt that they are owed. These payments will automatically be deducted from the person’s paycheck.

When people receive notice that their wages are about to be garnished by a creditor or have filed for bankruptcy and wish to stop wage garnishment, it is advised that they speak with a qualified New Jersey bankruptcy lawyer that can protect them from illegal practices.

New Jersey Wage Garnishment Lawyers

For many creditors, wage garnishment is a very effective tool. However, for the people whose wages are garnished, the end result can be financially devastating. Most of the time, people do not make payments to their creditors or fall behind because they are short on income, so having their wages garnished only adds to the problem. Furthermore, it can prove embarrassing at work and make it more difficult to pay off other outstanding loans. 

There are numerous state and federal laws that protect people from wage garnishment and that also determine how much a creditor can garnish, what types of wages can and cannot be garnished and when garnishment is and is not appropriate. These laws and limitations prevent people from experiencing more financial setbacks. Additionally, in cases where people have successfully filed for bankruptcy, creditors cannot seek wage garnishment or continue to garnish a person’s wages.

If your wages are being garnished, contact a New Jersey Bankruptcy Lawyer to learn more about your legal options.