How to Reduce a Bank Garnishment Amount
Going to the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) on payday only to find all of your funds gone due to a garnishment can be frightening and feel unfair. If you owe someone money, one of the ways they can get it from you is through wage or bank account garnishment. Bank garnishments are only allowed by court order. In most cases, a bank account garnishment is a last resort for a creditor to whom you owe money.
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Instructions
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Locate the garnishing order issued by the court. The order will state the amount to be garnished and the means allowed to obtain the money.
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Find out if any of your funds are exempt. Any funds you receive from the Social Security Administration, child support payments, retirement plans, or other payments are exempt from garnishment. If you have exempt funds, separate them from your other accounts. The bank must freeze nonexempt funds, meaning you can't withdraw them or write checks with them.
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Contact the creditor and find out if there is a way to reduce the amount being garnished. In some cases, if you arrange automatic deductions over a period of time, the creditor will accept a lesser amount.
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File an appeal with the court. If the garnishment is causing a hardship to your ability to pay essentials such as rent, you may be able to reduce the amount garnished.
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Close your bank account, stop making deposits to it or have your deposits made to a family member's account. The quickest way to stop a bank garnishment is to stop putting your money into the account. This is effective if you are unable to reduce the amount being taken. If you are paid by direct deposit, you can either request a paper check or have the money deposited onto a prepaid card.
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