| One of the most harrowing ordeals one can ever | | | | IRS is limited to around 30 times the minimum wage. |
| experience is having their wages garnished by the | | | | The debtor is also supposed to be notified of the |
| Internal Revenue Service. This is usually done to | | | | garnishment or the creditor is supposed to at least |
| collect back taxes owing and which the person owing | | | | attempt to collect the debt without the garnishment. |
| gives the IRS the impression that they are unwilling | | | | Usually, more than one notice is sent and a final one |
| to pay. Garnishing one's wages simply means getting | | | | before garnishment commences. |
| a court order authorizing an employer to withhold | | | | Is Wage Garnishment Preventable? |
| wages due to unpaid taxes. In many cases, the | | | | The simple answer is an emphatic yes. Wage |
| employee does not see it coming. | | | | garnishment is thoroughly preventable. One way is to |
| Understanding Wage Garnishment | | | | ensure that you are paying all your taxes in a timely |
| Wage garnishment does not strictly refer to what | | | | fashion. Also ensure that you are filing correctly. |
| the IRS or Internal Revenue Service or any other | | | | Avoid using unscrupulous tax "experts" who promise |
| Local State Tax Collection Agency does to recover | | | | outlandish refunds. Also avoid lying on tax returns |
| back taxes. It can also refer to a court order used | | | | especially to do with how many dependents you |
| by any other creditor where wage garnishment is | | | | have. |
| legal, to recover debts owed. This means for | | | | Most wage garnishment cases are due to unpaid |
| instance, a spouse or partner can get a court order | | | | taxes and child support. Unpaid taxes can be |
| to garnish wages for unpaid child support. | | | | especially painful because the penalties and fees are |
| Usually, the law limits the scope of the garnishment. | | | | astronomical. One way of settling is to hire a tax |
| This is usually done to prevent abuse and curb | | | | lawyer but this can add to an already strained |
| excessive collection activity by the creditor. One legal | | | | financial situation. The IRS is also known to agree to |
| stipulation is that the creditor cannot garnish more | | | | installment or partial payments especially from |
| than 25% of the debtor's disposable earnings. The | | | | debtors who are financially unsound. |