Stop Wage Garnishment in Texas

Which Creditors Can Garnish My Wages or Freeze My Accounts?

Under Texas laws, most ordinary debt cannot be garnished. However, certain creditors are allowed to garnish wages by statute and can do so without a court order.

A creditor for the following types of debt can place a garnishment on your check:

• Domestic support
• Federal student loans
• Income taxes

These creditors can force your employer to deduct funds from your paycheck to pay towards the debt. You and your employer will not have any say in the matter.

In addition, a creditor with a judgment against you can have your bank account frozen and the funds possibly seized. This leaves you unable to pay your bills.

Limits on Wage Garnishments in Texas

In Texas, limitations on wage garnishment amounts vary depending on the type of debt.

• A creditor can garnish a maximum of 50% of your disposable income to pay child support or alimony debts.
• For defaulted student loans, the Department of Education can withhold up to the greater of 15% of your disposable income or 30 times the minimum wage.
• For federal back taxes, the amount the IRS can withhold varies based on the number of dependents you have and your deduction rate.

Even with limitations in place, when you're already struggling just to get by, any amount of wage loss of pay can make it next to impossible to cover your day-to-day living expenses, let alone pay off any of your other debts.