A wage or bank account garnishment occurs when a creditor takes a portion of your paycheck or money from your bank account to collect money you owe. Garnishments generally require a court order that results from a judgment. However, certain debts owed to the government may also result in garnishment, even without a judgment.

State and federal laws have limits or “exemptions” that apply to bank account and wage garnishments, usually to make sure you have something left to live on. It is also a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) for a debt collector to threaten that your wages will be garnished if your wages cannot legally be garnished.