Can Social Security benefits be garnished? In some situations, the answer is a definite no, but in others, it becomes a distinct possibility. Ultimately, it depends on who’s doing the garnishing.
What Is Wage Garnishment and How Does It Work?
Here’s how garnishing works. A commercial creditor to whom you are in debt takes you into court and wins a judgment against you. Then the creditor asks the judge for an order to garnish your wages, bank account, and any other assets you may have to satisfy that debt. The judge approves the garnishment to square the debt. Are all your assets vulnerable, including Social Security and retirement benefits such as a 401(k) or an individual retirement account (IRA)?