Wage Garnishment in Richmond
Our Skilled Bankruptcy Lawyer Can Fight for You
Wage garnishment is the legal procedure by which a company recovers money it is owed by taking it directly from the debtor's paycheck. A garnishment can hinder your ability to pay for necessities, such as putting gas in the car and food on the table. Our experienced Richmond bankruptcy lawyer can help to put that money back in your bank accounts.
Wage Garnishment, Defined
If you have defaulted on a loan, your creditor can file a lawsuit against you in order to recover the debt that you owe. If the creditor obtains a judgment against you and you do not establish a repayment arrangement with your creditor, the creditor may issue a garnishment summons to your employer to withhold your wages.
Most states, including Virginia, have laws that only allow a creditor to garnish your wages through a court order. The majority of creditors use wage garnishment as a last ditch effort to collect on a debt owed, however some creditors are more aggressive than others. If you have been notified that you will be subject to wage garnishment, or are currently being garnished, you should contact the office of Bruce W. White, P.C. immediately to speak to a Richmond wage garnishment attorney.
How to Fight Wage Garnishment
- If you are suffering from wage garnishment there are several steps you can take to reduce or eliminate the garnishment, including:
- File an Exemption Claim- The state provides exemptions that you can claim in order to possibly reduce your wage garnishment, or eliminate it altogether. For example, a creditor does not have the ability to garnish social security funds. If the majority of your wages are from social security you may be protected from garnishment.
- Vacate the Judgement- If you believe that the judgement filed against you was not valid, you can file a motion to have it removed.
- File Bankruptcy- If you are not protected under the law from garnishment and the suit is valid, filing bankruptcy may be your only way to stop the creditor from garnishing your wages.
At Bruce W. White, P.C, we have the experience necessary to help reduce or eliminate your wage garnishment, whenever legally possible. Contact us today to speak with a Richmond wage garnishment attorney who can help you. Your first consultation is free, so call (804) 288-4328 now.