Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
Wage attachment is when a court orders that a person's wages be taken directly from their paycheck to pay off debts they owe. This is usually done for debts related to child support, taxes, government fines, and defaulted educational loans.
Definition: Wage attachment, also known as wage garnishment, is a legal order that allows a creditor to take a portion of a debtor's wages to pay off a debt. The court orders the debtor's employer to withhold a certain amount of the debtor's paycheck and send it directly to the creditor until the debt is paid off. This type of order is commonly used for debts related to child support, taxes, government fines, and defaulted educational loans.
These examples illustrate how wage attachment works in practice. In both cases, the creditor obtains a court order that allows them to take a portion of the debtor's wages to pay off a debt. The debtor's employer is required to withhold the specified amount from the debtor's paycheck and send it directly to the creditor until the debt is paid off.