Wage garnishment is a means of debt collection that can be difficult to handle. It’s essential to understand the process and work with your employer to ensure you are not facing any penalties.
Many employees are dealing with financial hardships due to the current economy. Employees can often turn to friends, family members, and colleagues for assistance.
Understand the Law
Wage garnishments are a legal procedure that requires your employer to withhold some of your wages and send them to a creditor. They are typically obtained through a court order or other legal action.
Some types of income are exempt from garnishment, like Social Security or unemployment benefits. But your wages may be garnished if you owe money to creditors, including debt related to student loans, child support, and unpaid taxes.
The garnishment process varies depending on your creditor and state law, and there is a simpler way to manage wage garnishments. It typically begins when your lender or debt collector sues you to collect a debt.
If the court sides with your creditor, it orders a wage garnishment and notifies your employer or bank of the judgment.
However, the CCPA limits how much of an employee’s disposable earnings can be garnished by creditors. In addition, it prohibits employers from firing employees who have a garnishment order against them to pay back a debt.
Suppose your employee’s financial hardship prevents them from meeting their obligations. In that case, they can challenge the court-ordered wage garnishment by requesting a hearing and explaining why they cannot meet their payment requirements. If they can’t get out of the garnishment, they may be able to set up a repayment plan with their creditor or debt collection agency.
Work with Your Employer
Wage garnishments are a standard part of the workplace and can cause employee stress. Employees can feel like their employer is trying to take advantage of them or that they are being scolded for making financial mistakes.
Employers must ensure they are processing wage garnishments correctly and complying with applicable laws, rules, and regulations. These include state and federal laws and those of the creditor or collection agency.
Garnishment calculations often begin with an employee’s “disposable earnings,” the amount left after legally mandated deductions are subtracted, such as federal and state taxes, Social Security, and employee retirement system contributions. Disposable income excludes a few expenses, including tips and service charges.
The Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA) and specific state laws limit how much can be garnished and provide special protections for employees whose pay is only for one debt. However, multiple garnishments can cause legal problems for employers, so it’s essential to be familiar with your state’s laws.
Prioritize Your Bills
For employees, financial hardship is a real possibility. Many face childcare, utilities, and medical bills during this time.
When faced with these hardships, the essential step is to prioritize your bills and expenses. This will help you decide which are most critical and can be put on hold.
Once you have a list, create a cash flow budget. This involves adding up your cash receipts and subtracting outflows, such as employee wages, to calculate your net income or cash flow.
While this practice can seem tedious, controlling your spending can save you money in the long run. It can also give you an idea of where your business is at any given time and help prevent unnecessary costs.
Creating a cash flow budget is a must for any employer. It’s a great way to monitor your company’s finances and ensure you have adequate funds for operations.
Create a Cash Flow Budget
Creating a cash flow budget is one way to predict cash inflows and outflows. This can be a helpful tool to help your business stay on track during the garnishment process.
A cash flow budget can forecast sales, accounts payable, and accounts receivable for a given time (month, quarter, or year). It’s important to remember that the sales figures you use in your cash budget will be subject to several variables: economy, inflation, competitive influences, and more.
It’s also important to regularly review your cash flow budget during the year, as production plans may change or prices and costs can differ. This will allow you to anticipate your needs for cash and credit later in the year, so you can make adjustments if necessary.
If your business has a positive cash flow, you have excess cash available for growth and development. This surplus can be used for new products or services, expansion into a different market, or to find additional investment. If your business has a negative cash flow, it indicates that you have not been able to generate enough revenue and need to cut expenses or find more investment to keep the business running.
Talk to a Credit Counselor
If you receive notice that a creditor has filed a garnishment against you, it’s essential to understand your rights and options. You can challenge the amount taken from your paycheck or negotiate a repayment plan that helps you keep more of your earnings.
Consider a debt consolidation loan, a personal loan that allows you to pay off multiple debts with one lump sum payment. These loans often require good credit but effectively eliminate various financial obligations and create a more manageable monthly budget.
Another option is to contact a nonprofit credit counselor who can offer you free or low-cost debt assistance, including helping you find solutions to prevent wage garnishments. They can also help you create a budget and determine what steps you should take to get your finances back on track.
Wage garnishments can be devastating, mainly if you lose a significant portion of your income. However, it’s possible to minimize the impact of these payments by pursuing several strategies, including working with your employer.
