Do not let your paycheck and bank account be seized. Act now.
Has your paycheck been garnished (taken)? Has your bank account been frozen? If you are like most people, you cannot afford that. You can STOP the garnishment process in its tracks. In many cases, you can get the money back. But you need to act quickly.
Wage garnishment usually begins after a creditor files a lawsuit, obtains a judgment and receives permission to collect money directly from your paycheck or bank account. In Iowa City and throughout Iowa, garnishments commonly result from unpaid credit cards, medical bills, personal loans and other consumer debts.
Even when Iowa law limits how much can be taken, losing part of your paycheck can create serious financial pressure. Frozen bank accounts may also prevent access to money needed for housing, transportation and daily expenses.
People facing garnishment may still have legal options available depending on the type of debt and their financial circumstances.
Possible solutions include:
Taking action quickly can help prevent additional wage seizures and may improve the chances of recovering garnished funds.
Bankruptcy may provide immediate relief while also addressing broader debt problems.
Both forms of bankruptcy generally stop garnishments, lawsuits and most collection efforts as soon as the case is filed.
What are your options? You should talk to an attorney about your own situation, but usually, the options are these:
We can help you with both options, but the first option may only solve a part of your problem and may only delay the collection process.
Bankruptcy often is the better solution, since it will deal with many of your other debts, too, and will stop the garnishment permanently. But, you may wonder how can you afford to file bankruptcy when your paycheck is smaller or your bank account has been frozen?
At Fitzgerald, Klesner, & Pavelich, PLC, we recognize this is a problem that prevents people from getting the legal help they need. We also know that you may be able to get back the money that was taken from your paycheck or bank account, BUT ONLY IF YOU ACT QUICKLY. Call us today at 319-354-1712 for Immediate help with your garnishment.
We file bankruptcy cases for people in this situation if they are willing to agree to pay us from the funds that were garnished. This is money that is lost if you don’t act, so why not use it to pay for the legal help you need to stop it from continuing?
We have had many clients come to us, not knowing they could get the money back, and not knowing how they would pay us. They have been very happy with this solution, and we want to offer it to you, too. Do not let the garnishment go on and on. Get the help you need.
Still contact us, and we will see if we can save you some money. There are limits on how much can be garnished from each paycheck (usually about 25% of after-tax earnings) and per year (depending on your income level), but you may be able to get a court order returning some of the funds to you or reducing the amount that can be taken in the future based on your expenses.
It depends on your current credit score. If you have a court judgment against you, your credit score is probably very low, and filing for bankruptcy will probably not hurt it any further — it may actually help it.
Special rules apply to garnishments involving child support, tax obligations and certain student loan collections. These cases can involve different collection procedures, repayment requirements and limitations on available relief.
Our Iowa City attorneys understand how stressful wage garnishment and debt collection can become. We are known throughout the community for responsive service, practical legal guidance and strong personal relationships with clients. Rather than passing cases to associates, our attorneys remain directly involved from beginning to end.
