Legal Definitions - wage attachment

Definition: Wage attachment, also known as wage garnishment, is a legal order that allows a creditor to take a portion of a debtor's wages to pay off a debt. The court orders the debtor's employer to withhold a certain amount of the debtor's paycheck and send it directly to the creditor until the debt is paid off. This type of order is commonly used for debts related to child support, taxes, government fines, and defaulted educational loans.

• John owes $10,000 in back taxes to the IRS. The IRS obtains a wage attachment order, and John's employer is required to withhold a portion of his paycheck and send it directly to the IRS until the debt is paid off.
• Sarah has defaulted on her student loans and owes $20,000. The lender obtains a wage attachment order, and Sarah's employer is required to withhold a portion of her paycheck and send it directly to the lender until the debt is paid off.

These examples illustrate how wage attachment works in practice. In both cases, the creditor obtains a court order that allows them to take a portion of the debtor's wages to pay off a debt. The debtor's employer is required to withhold the specified amount from the debtor's paycheck and send it directly to the creditor until the debt is paid off.