What happens to a wage garnishment if you change jobs?

MoneyWatch: Managing Your Money What happens to a wage garnishment if you change jobs? 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 27, 2026 / 11:47 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Changing jobs may interrupt an active wage garnishment, but it typically doesn't end that process for good. Getty Images/iStockphoto It makes sense that more Americans are falling behind on their bills right now, as household debt levels are climbing, credit card interest rates are elevated and inflation is rising, which is adding more strain to budgets. As more borrowers fall behind on their bills, debt collector activity is picking up. For some borrowers, that simply means dealing with annoying phone calls and letters about their unpaid balances. For others, that means increasing balances due to compounding interest and fees. In certain cases, though, the fallout is more serious, resulting in a court-ordered bank levy or wage garnishment instead.For those who are already living paycheck to paycheck, having a portion of their earnings withheld to repay debts can quickly turn a manageable financial situation into a serious one. At the same time, though, many employees are changing jobs in search of higher pay, more stability or better benefits in today's uneven labor market. But for borrowers dealing with debt collection lawsuits or active garnishments, a job transition can raise a complicated question: What actually hap...