Wage Garnishment

You waited too long...Gotcha! And it will hurt!

This is a long section, but if you have a wage garnishment in place, keep reading. Keep in mind that just removing or reducing the wage garnishment does not solve your tax problem. There is more to be done. (If your wage garnishment is for other than taxes, please see the note at the bottom of the page).

Wage garnishments are the most devastating thing that can happen to your paycheck. The Internal Revenue Service decides how much you can keep, and takes everything else. This usually leaves you with about $300.00 per week on which to live. Most state wage garnishments (usually called Employee Wage Orders, or levies) will take up to 25% of your net take-home pay. In either case, when this happens to you, you have no ability to pay your rent or house payment, car payment, and food bills. Can you survive if most of your paycheck disappears? No? Contact me.

Speed is required to eliminate or reduce the size of the garnishment before your next paycheck is issued. If your wages are garnished, contact me immediately. With your cooperation, and my expertise, I can usually have the problem resolved before your next payday, before that devastating hit to your paycheck.

Wage garnishments are one area where I can quote a maximum fee. If you work for W-2 wages, and your employer notifies you that they received an Earnings Withholding Order from either the Internal Revenue Service or the Franchise Tax Board, the time requirements to stop or reduce the amount to be withheld is fairly consistent. This involves a workup of the income of you (and your spouse, if married), and an accurate analysis of your living expenses. An analysis of your assets and liabilities needs to be performed to see what could be attached by the tax agency. The final step is contacting the agency. Flat fee, for one agency: $800.00; this assumes you are not already dealing with a Revenue Agent/Officer.

If that sounds high, consider that an IRS garnishment will take roughly 85% of your take-home pay! Delay this action through two paydays and you have lost more than my fee, and you still have the problem!

A big side benefit of this analysis is that that it helps determine what to offer on an Offer in Compromise; what size payment to make on an Installment Agreement; and whether you qualify to be classed as Currently Non-Collectible. All this can be determined for the flat fee. (If you don't use my services, be sure to get a two-stage quote from your other contacts. If you do not know your total tax liability yet, you should not be signing a multi thousand dollar contract for services.)

My only add on price would be for preparing missing income tax returns, preparing an offer in compromise application, or, if you have really ignored the Collection Division, filing a Taxpayer Assistance Order. Contact Me

Note: I am a CPA, not an attorney. If your garnishment is for taxes, I can help. If the garnishment is for child or spousal support, student loans, civil matters, etc., you must see an attorney.