What states do not allow garnishments?

Asked by: Brown Schroeder  |  Last update: July 12, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (39 votes)

At present four U.S. states—Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas—do not allow wage garnishment at all except for tax-related debt, child support, federally guaranteed student loans, and court-ordered fines or restitution.

What states are totally immune from bank account garnishment?

Bank garnishment is legal in all 50 states. However, four states prohibit wage garnishment for consumer debts. According to Debt.org, those states are Texas, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.

Can you get garnished from a different state?

Yes. A garnishment is based on a court order. called a judgment, that grants one party or the other a monetary award. A state court judgment entered in one state is enforceable in another under the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the US Constitution, Article IV, Section 1.

What states are most debtor friendly?

Nevada is the most debtor-friendly state. Your assets have to be stashed in the trust for only two years before they're supposedly safe from future creditors. And unlike other states, Nevada protects your assets from pre-existing tort creditors, a divorcing spouse, alimony and even child support obligations.

Can my wages be garnished in NC?

Under North Carolina law, an employer may be ordered to withhold wages from an employee and pay them to a creditor for the following types of debts: taxes, student loans, child support, alimony, and payment of ambulance services in certain North Carolina counties.

THE TRUTH ABOUT STATES THAT DO NOT ALLOW WAGE GARNISHMENTS

17 related questions found

What states prohibit wage garnishment?

A few have even prohibited wage garnishment for consumer debt entirely.
  • Alabama. ...
  • Alaska. ...
  • Arizona. ...
  • Arkansas. ...
  • California. ...
  • Colorado. ...
  • Connecticut. ...
  • Delaware.

Is there a way around wage garnishment?

If wage garnishment means that you can't pay for your family's basic needs, you can ask the court to order the debt collector to stop garnishing your wages or reduce the amount. This is called a Claim of Exemption.

What state has the best creditor protection?

State laws provide numerous opportunities for protecting your family's hard-earned wealth. But where is the best state to locate your trust? Nevada, South Dakota, Alaska, Ohio, and Delaware have excellent asset protection laws.

What state is in the worst debt?

Reason Foundation finds California has twice the total liabilities of any other state. California had $498 billion in total liabilities at the end of fiscal year 2022.

How can I protect my bank account from garnishment?

The best way to prevent a bank account garnishment is to protect your funds in advance. Certain bank accounts, like those holding exempt income or accounts in specific jurisdictions, may be harder for creditors to garnish.

How many times can you get garnished?

Wages may not be garnished by more than one creditor at a time unless the primary garnishment does not take the full 25% allowed by law. (These garnishment restrictions do not apply to certain bankruptcy court orders or debts due for federal or state taxes.)

Can a bank account in another state be garnished?

Ultimately, if a creditor wishes to pursue garnishment of a bank account in another state, they must generally initiate separate legal proceedings in the state where the bank operates. One of the best strategies to protect cash accounts is to deposit funds in an out-of-state bank whose laws do not permit garnishments.

Can you get garnished without knowing?

So remember, only agencies connected to student loans, child support or the IRS can start garnishing your wages without a court order. However, even then, they will need to give you notice of this and provide you with the possibility of applying for an exemption.

What states have no bank garnishment?

States that prohibit wage garnishment for consumer debt:
  • North Carolina.
  • Pennsylvania.
  • South Carolina.
  • Texas.

Where can I hide money from garnishment?

Instead, “hiding” assets wisely involves doing things like:
  • Putting the assets in offshore accounts or trusts where your creditors may not know to look.
  • Putting assets in places where they are unreviewable by creditors or lawsuit plaintiffs so they don't know how much money “you” have.

What is the most they can garnish from your paycheck?

For most types of debts, including credit card bills and medical expenses, creditors can garnish up to 25% of your disposable income (what's left after taxes and other mandatory deductions), or the amount by which your weekly income exceeds 30 times the federal minimum wage, whichever is less.

What country has no debt?

Given the significance of oil in today's world, Saudi Arabia produces enough oil and earns enough revenue to maintain a high GDP and additionally refrain from incurring debt.

What is the number one debt in America?

Credit Card Debt. Credit card debt is one thing nearly all Americans share, regardless of race, gender or income level. It's the most common type of debt in the U.S. By the end of 2022, Americans owed an all-time high of $986 billion on credit cards, a $130 billion increase in 12 months.

What states are not in debt?

  • Wyoming. #1 in Fiscal Stability. #12 in Best States Overall. ...
  • North Dakota. #2 in Fiscal Stability. #15 in Best States Overall. ...
  • Nebraska. #3 in Fiscal Stability. ...
  • Delaware. #4 in Fiscal Stability. ...
  • Tennessee. #5 in Fiscal Stability. ...
  • Utah. #6 in Fiscal Stability. ...
  • Minnesota. #7 in Fiscal Stability. ...
  • Texas. #8 in Fiscal Stability.

What state is best to set up a trust?

Alaska, Nevada, and Delaware are all top jurisdictions for self-settled trusts.

Can creditors go after beneficiaries?

When a person dies, creditors can hold their estate and/or trust responsible for paying their outstanding debts. Similarly, creditors may be able to collect payment for the outstanding debts of beneficiaries from the distributions they receive from the trustee or executor/administrator.

How can I protect my money from debt collectors?

Seven Ways to Protect Your Assets from Litigation and Creditors
  1. Purchase Insurance. Insurance is crucial as a first line of protection against speculative claims that could endanger your assets. ...
  2. Transfer Assets. ...
  3. Re-Title Assets. ...
  4. Make Retirement Plan Contributions. ...
  5. Create an LLC or FLP. ...
  6. Set Up a DAPT. ...
  7. Create an Offshore Trust.

How do you escape a wage garnishment?

5 Ways to Stop a Garnishment
  1. Pay Off the Debt. If your financial situation is dire, paying off the debt may not be an option. ...
  2. Work With Your Creditor. ...
  3. Find a Credit Counselor. ...
  4. Challenge the Garnishment. ...
  5. File a Claim of Exemption. ...
  6. File for Bankruptcy.

Can I quit my job to avoid wage garnishment?

Wage garnishment usually only occurs when you're in the difficult financial position of owing a lot of money and often, to a number of creditors. While quitting your job might stop the garnishment, it also stops your flow of income, which can be problematic for a number of reasons.

How do I write a letter to stop wage garnishment?

At a minimum, your written objection to the garnishment should include the following information:
  1. the case number and case caption (ex: "XYZ Bank vs. John Doe")
  2. the date of your objection.
  3. your name and current contact information.
  4. the reasons (or "grounds") for your objection, and.
  5. your signature.