Three Limitations of Wage Garnishment for Creditors

 Posted on August 31, 2019 in Debt Collection

Wage garnishment is one of the most direct tools that creditors use to collect from noncompliant debtors. A creditor can submit a garnishment order after it has filed a lawsuit against the debtor and received a money judgment from the court. Employers are required to comply with a garnishment order and can be fined if they do not withdraw the exact amount ordered or if they retaliate against the debtor for the garnishment. However, wage garnishment has limitations that can sometimes prevent a creditor from collecting the necessary money from the debtor. Here are three facts about wage garnishment that creditors should know:

1. Cap on Withdrawals: There are federal and state protections against wage garnishment to prevent creditors from taking all of a debtor’s wages. First, garnishment must come from the debtor’s disposable earnings, which is the debtor’s wage after deducting expenses such as Social Security and pension contributions. Commercial creditors in Illinois are not allowed to garnish a wage unless the debtor makes more than 45 times either the state or federal minimum wage – whichever is higher. With Illinois currently having a higher minimum wage, debtors must earn more than $371.25 per week. If the debtor is eligible, commercial creditors can take the amount that the wage exceeds $371.25 per week or 15 percent of the debtor’s wage – whichever is lower.
2. Employees Only: Wage garnishment applies only to debtors who are employed and receive a W-2 form from their employer. Freelance workers, independent contractors, and self-employed workers do not qualify for wage garnishment. However, the owner of a corporation does qualify for wage garnishment if they pay themselves through the company. If wage garnishment is not allowed, the creditor can request non-wage garnishment instead. This order allows it to seize the debtor's other assets, such as bank accounts and personal properties.
3. Order of Priority: A debtor may own several debts other than commercial debts. Some of these debts take priority over commercial debts, such as child support, federal income taxes, state levies, bankruptcy payments, and defaulted student loans. These collectors are allowed to garnish more from wages than the state’s limits on commercial creditors, but there may still be a limited amount of money left after these debts are paid.

Contact a Chicago Debt Collection Lawyer

If wage garnishment is not an efficient means of collecting a debt, there are other tools you can use. A Chicago debt collection attorney at Dimand Walinski Law Offices, P.C., can explain your options after winning your lawsuit against your debtor. Call 312-704-0771 to schedule an appointment.

Source:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=073500050HArt.+XII+Pt.+8&ActID=2017&ChapterID=56&SeqStart=93100000&SeqEnd=95200000