Wage garnishment is a serious matter in Arizona. With up to 25% of your non-exempt disposable earnings at risk of being taken by creditors, it’s always a good idea to talk to a Mesa wage garnishment lawyer if you believe a creditor may take legal action. Learn more about how an attorney can help and learn to recognize these four signs that it’s time to seek professional legal advice.
#1: You Haven’t Made a Payment in Six Months or More
Wage garnishment may become a genuine risk if you haven’t made a payment on an outstanding debt or haven’t attempted to work out a repayment plan with a creditor for a period of six months or more. In many cases, a creditor will sell the debt to a debt collector after this much time has passed.
Debt collection agencies’ sole purpose is to get debtors to pay, so attempts to collect will likely ramp up after this much time has passed. Depending on the type of debt and how much you have, the agency may continue trying to collect for up to a year after they acquire the debt. At this point, if you’ve made no attempts at repayment, you should assume that your creditor will pursue a money judgment and wage garnishment in the coming weeks or months. Before this happens, you should seek the advice of a qualified wage garnishment or bankruptcy lawyer.
#2: You’re Getting Harassing Calls from Creditors
It’s almost impossible to forget that you’re in debt when you’re being harassed day and night by creditors demanding payment. They may call you, your family members, your workplace, or send letters threatening legal action.
When you start getting these kinds of phone calls or receiving these kinds of communications, it’s a good time to brush up on your consumer rights against debt collectors and schedule a consultation with a Mesa wage garnishment lawyer to determine whether the legal action is real or little more than an empty threat. Knowing where you stand can give you a better idea of what action to take next to protect your income from garnishment.
Related: How to Stop Harassing Calls from Debt Collectors
#3: You’ve Received a Summons for Debt Collection
If a creditor decides to sue you for nonpayment of a debt, you’ll likely be served a summons for debt collection along with a complaint detailing what kind of compensation the creditor is pursuing. These documents will usually be served by a process server or delivered via certified mail, which should clue you in to their importance.
A creditor or debt collector may threaten to sue for months without actually taking any action, but a valid summons and complaint is a sure sign that a possible money judgment may be secured against you. Now is a critical time to talk to an attorney who is well-versed in Arizona debt collection laws. Not only can they explain what to expect going forward, but they can also help you prepare a defense against the lawsuit and put a stop to wage garnishment.
#4: Your Employer Has Received a Garnishment Notice
When you are struggling financially, it may be tempting to just bury your head in the sand and try to put off the inevitable as long as possible. But once a creditor has secured a money judgment and your employer receives a garnishment notice, wage garnishment is bound to begin shortly thereafter.
If you’ve put off facing your debt up until this point, you should know that it’s not too late to seek legal advice. By reaching out to an experienced Mesa wage garnishment lawyer, you can explore all possible solutions to your financial troubles, including settling with the judgment creditor, filing for bankruptcy, and other alternatives.
Contact a Mesa Wage Garnishment Lawyer Today
You don’t have to face wage garnishment alone. With assistance from Lerner and Rowe Law Group, you may be able to prevent wage garnishment, put a stop to harassing phone calls from creditors, and begin building a brighter financial future.
To get a free consultation with our legal team, call us 24/7 at 602-667-7777. LiveChat agents are also standing by online to answer any questions you may have. To request your no-obligation case review, you can also fill out this simple form to be forwarded to our office. Concerned about the cost of hiring legal representation? Learn more about filing a $0 down bankruptcy and check out our affordable payment plans.