You work hard for your wages. But the money you earn to take care of yourself and your family can be taken away if you owe unpaid debts. In Texas, certain creditors can garnish your wages, forcing your employer to take a big chunk of your paycheck and put it directly into the hands of those creditors. When that happens, your ability to support your family is threatened, making an already difficult financial situation worse, as you fall even more behind in your obligations.
If you are threatened with or living under the crippling burden of a wage garnishment, there is hope. At Warren & Migliaccio, L.L.P., we understand the stress, anxiety, and challenges that follow a wage garnishment. Fiercely committed to the well-being of our North Texas clients and their families, we use our experience and tenacity to resolve and remove wage garnishments and position clients for brighter futures.
Who Can Garnish Your Wages in Texas?
A wage garnishment is an order from a court or a government agency sent to your employer requiring them to withhold a specific amount from each paycheck and send those funds directly to your creditor. However, Texas law puts limits on who can garnish your wages and how much can be taken from each paycheck.
Not every creditor can garnish your wages in Texas. Wage garnishments are only allowed for the following debts:
- Unpaid child support
- Unpaid spousal maintenance
- Unpaid taxes
- Delinquent student loans
- Out of State Judgments that have been domesticated in Texas from a state that allows Wage Garnishments
If you owe child support or spousal maintenance, up to 50 percent of your disposable income (the amount you receive after your employer pays applicable taxes) can be garnished to satisfy those obligations. For student loans, up to 15 percent of your disposable income from every paycheck can be diverted to the lender. The amount that can be garnished for unpaid taxes can vary depending on a number of factors, and multiple garnishments can reduce your earnings even more.
We Can Help Relieve the Burden of a Wage Garnishment
Fortunately, Texas law prevents employers from terminating an employee because of a wage garnishment. But that doesn’t make life easier if your take-home pay no longer meets your needs and obligations.
Our attorneys have extensive experience helping North Texas families with wage garnishments, negotiating resolutions that can restore their earnings or seeking bankruptcy protection when that offers the best path forward.
If you are living with a wage garnishment or have other problems related to overwhelming debt, we are ready to assist you. Please call Warren & Migliaccio today at (888) 584-9614 to arrange a free initial consultation. We look forward to serving you.
