If you’re having bank accounts garnished, another bit of advice is to pay everything you’d normally pay via check via money order or cashier’s check instead. It adds some cost, sure, but it beats bounced check fees (and getting evicted when your rent check bounces).
I learned that tidbit from a deadbeat co-worker I used to have. Even when he was doing OK, he made a point of paying the rent with a money order on the payday two weeks before rent was due.
I suggest you get a lawyer.
If I were you, I might wish to read the following post on frustrating your creditors:
Incidentally, if you DO have the money to pay your legitimate creditors, I suggest you do so. It’s the right thing to do. However, we should all realize that you don’t always have all of the money to pay everyone everything you owe them RIGHT NOW without losing your residence in the process.
This advice comes directly from experience. I had a similar situation a few years ago. The company I owed nabbed my bank account just like yours. I did a bit of research and found out that you (in the state of VA, anyway) are allowed to protect some of your assets. In VA I could protect up to $5,000 by filing a Homestead Deed with the court. It cost around $21.00. I protected my beat-up car and the funds in my bank account. When I appeared in court about a week later the judge released the funds back to me. It did take an additional week to get my money back but it was mine and the lawyers never tried that ploy again.
However, I will second the comments about paying this debt off ASAP. I originally owed $4,000 but it quickly rose to nearly $20,000 with interest, fees, and an assortment of add-ons. Knock this out as quickly as you can, the relief you will feel is indescribable.
Check this out with the court clerk. He should be able to give you the details.
My threshhold for “substantial” is somewhere below $1400.
Additionally, just because I temporarily have $1000 sitting around doesn’t mean that my mortgage lender doesn’t want $900 and my electricity supplier doesn’t want $100.
heres the deal in NC. creditors cannot garnish your wages…HOWEVER, if the garnishment was ordered in another state that DOES allow it, NC will enforce the garnishment, due to the fair faith and credit clause in the constiution. I think the entitity can have a precence in another state and order it there (not sure about this part)
I found this out when a collections agency bought out our company, and began garnishing wages from employees who owed their clients!
