Can a debt collector freeze a bank account that contains Social Security benefits?

MoneyWatch: Managing Your Money Can a debt collector freeze a bank account that contains Social Security benefits? We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms. .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-moneywatch.jpg'); } By Angelica Leicht Angelica Leicht Senior Editor, Managing Your Money Angelica Leicht is the senior editor for the Managing Your Money section for CBSNews.com, where she writes and edits articles on a range of personal finance topics. Angelica previously held editing roles at The Simple Dollar, Interest, HousingWire and other financial publications. Read Full Bio Angelica Leicht May 14, 2026 / 9:03 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google It's important to know how bank levies work when the account contains funds from your Social Security benefits. Pla2na/Getty Images Social Security just isn't supplemental income for millions of Americans — it's their sole source of funding in retirement. More than 75 million people currently receive Social Security benefits, and for many recipients, and older adults, in particular, those monthly deposits, which average just over $2,000 per month in 2026, provide the funds necessary to keep the lights on and the rent paid. Given the importance of these funds, federal law places strict limits on who can garnish them, and the protections seem airtight: Private debt collectors simply cannot garnish them. A debt collector doesn't need to garnish your benefits to disrupt your access to them, though. They can use a bank levy instead.Bank levies work differently from garnishment, and that distinction matters more than most people realize. In general, when a creditor wins a court judgment against you, they can instruct your bank to freeze funds in your account and send them payment, up to the full judgment amount. That means your account is locked, leaving you without access to the money that you...