Stop Wage Garnishments

Chapter 7 & 13 bankruptcy protection help in Snohomish County.

Put a stop to wage garnishments immediately with the help from our Everett bankruptcy attorneys.
A bankruptcy filing in Snohomish County stops garnishments dead in their tracks. A garnishment is when a court orders a third party, such as a bank or employer, to turn over money owed to a creditor by a debtor.

Before the writ of garnishment is entered, a creditor has to obtain a judgment. The process starts with the creditor personally serving a summons and complaint on the debtor. They can not mail it. They must hire a process server and hand it to you or leave it with someone at your house. You have 20 days to respond to the complaint. If you do not, the creditor can obtain a default judgment and start the garnishment proceedings.

Most often a creditor will choose to garnish pay checks, but sometimes they seize a bank account. Sometimes they can freeze a bank account pending a garnishment but they can not take the money until the garnishment is ordered. If you file bankruptcy before the garnishment is final, any money frozen in the bank account has to be released.

Your wage garnishment will stop dead in its tracks after a bankruptcy is filed.

With wages, your paycheck has to stop being garnished immediately after a bankruptcy is filed, though sometimes the paperwork can take a few days. Any money taken after garnishment must be returned. Sometimes you can get money garnished out of your pay check up to sixty days before the bankruptcy.

A garnishment can cause your finances to rapidly spin out of control. A creditor can garnish up to 25% of your take home pay. You may find it impossible to pay your mortgage, rent, car payment or other debt. Once you start defaulting on other debt, more creditors line up to garnish your wages or bank account. Even if you have a higher income, you may find yourself in deep trouble as legal expenses and penalties pile up.

A Chapter 7 can wipe out most of this debt. Even if you have a higher income and must file a Chapter 13 repayment plan, this plan would almost certainly be a better option than having your paycheck garnished by numerous creditors all waiting in line to take 25% of your take home pay, all the while adding legal expenses on the original debt you owe.

Our dedicated team of Everett bankruptcy lawyers can help you file your petition in Snohomish County easily and affordably. Call for your FREE consultation!

If creditors are threatening garnishment or you have received a summons and complaint, you should explore bankruptcy as soon as possible. Though bankruptcy is an immediate solution, it is better to plan your bankruptcy carefully, well in advance of the time it becomes a crisis. Our experienced Everett bankruptcy attorneys can help make the process easy and affordable. Call today!

(425) 249-7156