Stop Wage Garnishment In Utah

Dena Standley | June 21, 2023

Edited by Hannah Locklear

Wage garnishment can leave individuals unable to meet their debt obligations and can be a financially devastating experience for many families in the United States. Utah wages can be garnished legally if the creditor obtains a court order, leaving those in debt feeling helpless and overwhelmed.

After a creditor has obtained a court order against an individual, indicating that they are legally entitled to collect the sought debt, wages can be garnished in a legal process in which a creditor can collect by taking money directly out of an individual's paycheck. Wage garnishment can be a scary reality for many, as it limits the cash available each month for the individual to take home.

Thankfully, some steps can be taken to stop wage garnishment and regain control of your finances in Utah. In this article, we’ll explain how you can stop or prevent wage garnishment in Utah.

Avoid wage garnishment through debt settlement.

What is wage garnishment?

Utah law ( UT Code § 70C-7-103) allows creditors to garnish up to 25% of your disposable earnings. Disposable earnings are defined as the amount of income left over after taxes and other mandatory deductions have been taken out.

If the amount of your disposable earnings that exceeds 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage of $7.25 is less than 25% of your disposable earnings, then that is the amount that will be garnished according to Utah law.

Here is an example to illustrate:

What causes wage garnishment?

There are various reasons why you might be subject to wage garnishment, and some of the most common reasons include the following:

• Unpaid child support: If you fall behind on child support, your wages may be garnished in Utah to collect the outstanding amount.
• Unpaid taxes: If you owe back taxes to the state or federal government, your wages may be subject to garnishment to collect the debt.
• Unpaid debts: Creditors may also seek wage garnishment as a last resort to collect unpaid debts, such as medical expenses or credit card debt.

How to stop wage garnishment in Utah

If you're currently facing wage garnishment in Utah, you can make several moves to stop or reduce the amount being garnished from your wages. Some of the most strict and effective strategies assist people in stopping wage garnishment, regaining control of their finances, and moving on with their lives. Some of the strategies include:

Contact the creditor

Reach out to the creditor to negotiate a payment plan or settlement once you receive a wage garnishment notice. Creditors are often willing to work with individuals and avoid garnishment, which can be lengthy and expensive.

Once you contact the creditor, you should be prepared to provide documentation of your expenses in your income. In addition, include any extenuating circumstances that may be impacting your ability to pay, such as a sudden illness or job loss that has impacted you financially.

Request a hearing for unjust or excessive garnishes

If you think the wage garnishment is unjust or excessive, you have the right to request a hearing to contest the garnishment. File a request with the court within ten days of receiving a garnishment notice.

At this hearing, you'll have the opportunity to present evidence and argue your case as to why the amount being garnished should be reduced or eliminated. It is important to consult with a legal professional before the hearing so that they may guide you on the best strategies for presenting your case and assist you.

File a claim exemption

Certain types of income are exempt from garnishment in Utah, and creditors are not legally allowed to take these funds to pay off debts. Some examples of exempt and come in Utah include:

• Supplemental security income
• Public assistance benefits
• Worker's Compensation
• Veterans benefit
• Social Security benefits
• Unemployment compensation

File for bankruptcy

If you cannot negotiate a settlement with a creditor, filing for bankruptcy can be an option to help stop wage garnishment. When you file for bankruptcy in Utah, an automatic stay is put in place, preventing creditors from taking further collection action, including garnishing wages.

It's important to know that filing for bankruptcy should be an absolute last resort as it can have long-term negative consequences on your credit report and financial standing. Notably, not all debts can be discharged in bankruptcy, and certain assets may be at risk of being seized to be paid off creditors such as your car or home.

There are resources for people facing wage garnishment in Utah

Utah Legal Services may help low-income clients connect with a volunteer bankruptcy attorney who will take care of their case for free. This service also assists qualifying clients with debt collection and credit concerns. The Utah Courts website includes a county-by-county list of free legal clinics. People can access the court system and civil legal rights using free, low-cost, and sliding-scale legal aid services.

The following official Utah state and nonprofit organization websites have helpful information about wage garnishment:

• Garnishment and Debtor's Rights, Utah Court resources
• BYU Community Legal Clinic
• Debt Collection, Utah Court resources
• Utah's Online Court Assistance Program (OCAP)
• Utah Veterans' Legal Clinic
• Request Pro Bono Help, Utah State Bar
• National Consumer Law Center

Wage garnishment is a stressful and overwhelming experience for individuals and can leave them with reduced income and the inability to meet their financial obligations. Thankfully, some steps can be taken to stop or reduce wage garnishment in Utah, and if you're facing wage garnishment, it is important to take action immediately to regain control of your finances. Consulting with appropriate legal resources could help you determine the best course of action.

Avoid wage garnishment in Utah with debt settlement

One way to protect yourself from wage garnishment is to settle your debt. Debt settlement involves offering to pay off a portion of your debts in order to clear your name of the obligations. Through debt settlement, you can avoid dealing with the effects of a judgment or wage garnishment.

SoloSettle makes the debt settlement process easier. Our software helps you send and receive settlement offers until you reach an agreement with your creditor or the debt collector. Once the agreement is documented, SoloSettle helps you send over your settlement payment, helping you protect your financial information and keep it private.

Learn more about debt settlement in the following video:

What is SoloSuit?

SoloSuit makes it easy to fight debt collectors.

You can use SoloSuit to respond to a debt lawsuit, to send letters to collectors, and even to settle a debt.

SoloSuit's Answer service is a step-by-step web-app that asks you all the necessary questions to complete your Answer. Upon completion, we'll have an attorney review your document and we'll file it for you.

>>Read the FastCompany article: Debt Lawsuits Are Complicated: This Website Makes Them Simpler To Navigate

>>Read the NPR story on SoloSuit. (We can help you in all 50 states.)

How to answer a summons for debt collection in your state

Here's a list of guides for other states.

All 50 states.

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Guides on how to beat every debt collector

Being sued by a different debt collector? Were making guides on how to beat each one.

• Absolute Resolutions Investments LLC
• Accredited Collection Services
• Alliance One
• Amcol Clmbia
• American Recovery Service
• Asset Acceptance LLC
• Asset Recovery Solutions
• Associated Credit Services
• Autovest LLC
• Cach LLC
• Cavalry SPV I LLC
• Cerastes LLC
• Colinfobur
• Covington Credit
• Crown Asset Management
• CTC Debt Collector
• Cypress Financial Recoveries
• Delanor Kemper & Associates
• Eagle Loan of Ohio
• Educap
• Estate Information Services
• FIA Card Services
• Forster & Garbus
• Freshview Solutions
• Fulton Friedman & Gullace LLP
• Harvest Credit Management
• Howard Lee Schiff
• Hudson & Keyse LLC
• Integras Capital Recovery LLC
• Javitch Block
• Jefferson Capital Systems LLC
• LVNV Funding
• Mannbracken
• Mariner Finance
• Medicredit
• Michael J Adams PC
• Michael J Scott
• Midland Funding LLC
• Mullooly, Jeffrey, Rooney & Flynn
• Mountain Land Collections
• MRS Associates
• National Collegiate Trust
• Nationstar Foreclosure
• Northstar Capital Acquisition
• NCEP LLC
• NRC Collection Agency
• OneMain Financial
• Palisades Collection LLC
• Pallida LLC
• Paragon Revenue Group
• Pinnacle Collections Agency
• PMAB LLC
• Portfolio Recovery Associates
• Provest Law
• PYOD LLC
• Reunion Student Loan Finance Corporation
• Revenue Group
• Regents and Associates
• RSIEH
• Salander Enterprises LLC
• Second Round Sub LLC
• Security Credit Services
• Sherman Financial Group
• Suttell and Hammer
• T-Mobile
• Transworld Systems
• Tulsa Teachers Credit Union
• UCB Collection
• Velo Law Office
• Velocity Investments
• Waypoint Resource Group
• Weinberg and Associates
• Wolpoff & Abramson

Win against credit card companies

Is your credit card company suing you? Learn how you can beat each one.

• Bank of America
• Capital One
• Chase
• Credit One Bank
• PayPal Synchrony Card
• SYNCB/PPEXTR
• Synchrony Bank
• Target National Bank
• Wells Fargo

Going to Court for Credit Card Debt — Key Tips

How to Negotiate Credit Card Debts

How to Settle a Credit Card Debt Lawsuit — Ultimate Guide

Get answers to these FAQs

Need more info on statutes of limitations? Read our 50-state guide.

Why do debt collectors block their phone numbers?

How long do debt collectors take to respond to debt validation letters?

What are the biggest debt collector companies in the US?

Is Zombie Debt Still a Problem in 2019?

SoloSuit FAQ

If a car is repossessed, do I still owe the debt?

Is Portfolio Recovery Associates Legit?

Is There a Judgment Against Me Without my Knowledge?

Should I File Bankruptcy Before or After a Judgment?

What is a default judgment?— What do I do?

Summoned to Court for Medical Bills — What Do I Do?

What Happens If Someone Sues You and You Have No Money?

What Happens If You Never Answer Debt Collectors?

What Happens When a Debt Is Sold to a Collection Agency

What is a Stipulated Judgment?

What is the Deadline for a Defendants Answer to Avoid a Default Judgment?

Can a Judgement Creditor Take my Car?

Can I Settle a Debt After Being Served?

Can I Stop Wage Garnishment?

Can You Appeal a Default Judgement?

Do I Need a Debt Collection Defense Attorney?

Do I Need a Payday Loans Lawyer?

Do student loans go away after 7 years? — Student Loan Debt Guide

Am I Responsible for My Spouses Medical Debt?

Should I Marry Someone With Debt?

Can a Debt Collector Leave a Voicemail?

How Does Debt Assignment Work?

What Happens If a Defendant Does Not Pay a Judgment?

How Does Debt Assignment Work?

Can You Serve Someone with a Collections Lawsuit at Their Work?

What Is a Warrant in Debt?

How Many Times Can a Judgment be Renewed in Oklahoma?

Can an Eviction Be Reversed?

Does Debt Consolidation Have Risks?

What Happens If You Avoid Getting Served Court Papers?

Does Student Debt Die With You?

Can Debt Collectors Call You at Work in Texas?

How Much Do You Have to Be in Debt to File for Chapter 7?

What Is the Statute of Limitations on Debt in Washington?

How Long Does a Judgment Last?

Can Private Disability Payments Be Garnished?

Can Debt Collectors Call From Local Numbers?

Does the Fair Credit Reporting Act Work in Florida?

The Truth: Should You Never Pay a Debt Collection Agency?

Should You Communicate with a Debt Collector in Writing or by Telephone?

Do I Need a Debt Negotiator?

What Happens After a Motion for Default Is Filed?

Can a Process Server Leave a Summons Taped to My Door?

Learn More With These Additional Resources:

Need help managing your finances? Check out these resources.

How to Make a Debt Validation Letter - The Ultimate Guide

How to Make a Motion to Compel Arbitration Without an Attorney

How to Stop Wage Garnishment — Everything You Need to Know

How to File an FDCPA Complaint Against Your Debt Collector (Ultimate Guide)

Defending Yourself in Court Against a Debt Collector

Tips on you can to file an FDCPA lawsuit against a debt collection agency

Advice on how to answer a summons for debt collection.

Effective strategies for how to get back on track after a debt lawsuit

New Hampshire Statute of Limitations on Debt

Sample Cease and Desist Letter Against Debt Collectors

The Ultimate Guide to Responding to a Debt Collection Lawsuit in Utah

West Virginia Statute of Limitations on Debt

What debt collectors cannot do — FDCPA explained

Defending Yourself in Court Against Debt Collector

How to Liquidate Debt

Arkansas Statute of Limitations on Debt

Youre Drowning in Debt — Heres How to Swim

Help! Im Being Sued by My Debt Collector

How to Make a Motion to Vacate Judgment

How to Answer Summons for Debt Collection in Vermont

North Dakota Statute of Limitations on Debt

ClearPoint Debt Management Review

Indiana Statute of Limitations on Debt

Oregon Eviction Laws - What They Say

CuraDebt Debt Settlement Review

How to Write a Re-Aging Debt Letter

How to Appear in Court by Phone

How to Use the Doctrine of Unclean Hands

Debt Consolidation in Eugene, Oregon

Summoned to Court for Medical Bills? What to Do Next

How to Make a Debt Settlement Agreement

Received a 3-Day Eviction Notice? Heres What to Do

How to Answer a Lawsuit for Debt Collection

Tips for Leaving the Country With Unpaid Credit Card Debt

Kansas Statute of Limitations on Debt Collection

How to File in Small Claims Court in Iowa

How to File a Civil Answer in Kings County Supreme Court

Roseland Associates Debt Consolidation Review

How to Stop a Garnishment

Debt Eraser Review

Do Debt Collectors Ever Give Up?

Can They Garnish Your Wages for Credit Card Debt?

How Often Do Credit Card Companies Sue for Non-Payment?

How Long Does a Judgement Last?

​​How Long Before a Creditor Can Garnish Wages?

How to Beat a Bill Collector in Court