Can a creditor garnish my wages in the state of Texas?
NO, not unless the debts are of a certain type. Unlike most other states, Texas protects its resident debtors from having their wages garnished for any consumer or commercial debt. It is one of only four such states in the US that does so. In fact, Texas has a state slogan that goes, “Like a whole other country”, and it can be said, this protection of debtors may be one of the perks of being Texan (I’m sure there are many proud Texans who would certainly agree with me!)
To protect its debtor residents, Texas imposes significant limitations on creditors seeking to garnish a debtor’s wages to satisfy unpaid debt. Generally speaking, the only debts for which a debtor’s wages can be garnished in Texas are for the following:
- The government, for unpaid taxes, fines and penalties.
- Unpaid child support and alimony.
- Court-ordered child support and alimony even if not in arrears.
- Unpaid student loans that have been declared in default.
That doesn’t mean, however, that creditors have no remedies to enforce their money judgements against Texas debtors. Thus, today’s featured article discusses in detail what debts can and cannot be garnished under the unique garnishment and collection rules of the state of Texas.
