What to do if wage garnishment makes your bills unaffordable

MoneyWatch: Managing Your Money What to do if wage garnishment makes your bills unaffordable 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 April 6, 2026 / 12:24 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google A wage garnishment can be a major hurdle to overcome, but there are ways to respond and reduce the strain. Stewart Waller/Getty Images When it comes to debt collection tactics, wage garnishment is no longer a rare tool reserved for extreme financial situations. With credit card balances sitting at record highs right now and more borrowers falling behind on payments, it can be tough for creditors to get the money they're owed on delinquent accounts. As a result, creditors are increasingly turning to legal channels to collect what they're owed. For some borrowers, that could mean having a portion of their paycheck withheld before it ever hits their bank account, and the impact of that outcome can be immediate and disruptive. Rent, utilities and grocery bills don't just shrink just because your take-home pay does. And while federal law generally caps how much can be garnished from your wages, even a reduced paycheck can quickly make an already tight budget unmanageable — especially for borrowers who are already juggling high interest rates and rising living costs.But while wage garnishment can feel like a financial hurdle that's impossible to overcome, there are ways to respond, reduce the strain, and in s...