Dealing with that Pesky Administrative Wage Garnishment Notice

Yes, you heard right – no one likes dreading debt. It’s a nightmarish fellowship that unites a large number of American adults. Some sink in it deeper than others, but mostly, we’re all in the same boat.

But let me tell you, things get pretty serious when you owe a debt to a government agency. Imagine receiving an administrative wage garnishment notice from the Small Business Administration, or some other government body, asking for a portion of your hard-earned paycheck every week! Yep, the government can legally take a bite out of your income before you even see it. But don’t fret; it doesn’t have to be a one-way street. You can mount a defense against such an action, and I’m here to spill the beans on that.

The ABCs of Administrative Wage Garnishment

Imagine you’ve taken out a loan from the government, obtained federal aid, or used government-backed school loans. They might need their money back and garnishing your wages is a permitted way to recoup. But hey, they aren’t villains! They cannot rob you blind without a proper tribunal.

So, what actually is garnishment? It’s a legal process by which the government mandates a third party, say your employer, to hand over some of the money due to you. But that would be, in a way, your money paid to your creditor, in this case, the government.

But you don’t necessarily have to declare bankruptcy to outrun the garnishing arm of the government. There are legal defenses and strategies that can help you combat this.

Arguing Against Wage Garnishment

Once that garnishment notice lands in your mailbox, it’s high time you enlisted the services of a seasoned attorney, such as Lawscape of the Lawscape. It’s quite a challenge to hold the fort on your own against the legal disruption like the administrative wage garnishment. Now the nifty thing about this is that you only have a very short window after the receipt of the notice to request a hearing.

What Can Serve as Grounds to Challenge Wage Garnishment?

There are various defenses you can argue against wage garnishment. Maybe you’ve already done your due by paying the sum you owe the government via other modes, make this known to the court. Or it could be that you don’t owe the claimed debt, well then, time to get down to proving the facts with your lawyer.

Sometimes, the amount levied as debt might be incorrect. Challenge it; you have the right to! You might also argue that the garnishment would cause an undue financial hardship.

The Hearing Game

Should you launch an official objection, anticipate to hear back from a government hearing officer within a few weeks about the hearing. But don’t delay! A missed deadline to file a hearing request could result in a garnishment order being issued to your employer.

The hearing is your platform to showcase your supporting evidence and arguments. Most of the time, it’s a “paper” hearing. No showing up for a face-off, just your lawyer putting forth a well-backed legal brief.

How The Lawscape Can Protect You

Dealing with a garnishment notice can be stressful, to say the least. But prompt action can turn the tide! The insights I’ve offered can equip you to fight effectively and determine your next step of action.

Say you need lightning-fast help with your case? Just give us a call or initiate a chat with us online for swift assistance. Lawscape and the team are all set to offer a free case assessment.

The Lawscape has a golden track record in helping clients crawl their way out of the debt maze. Be it millions in SBA Debts resolved via Offer in Compromise and Negotiated Repayment Agreements, or defending Treasury Debts, we’ve done it all – without pushing our clients into bankruptcy or home foreclosure.

Our attorneys are authorized under the Agency Practice Act to represent Federal debtors across the nation before the SBA, The SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals, the Treasury Department, and the Bureau of Fiscal Service.