Being in debt is bad. Having up to 25% of your wages garnished, or having your bank account swept clean without advance notice can be a life-affirming experience…not in a good way. In Florida, debt collectors can take up to 25% of your net pay for things like old credit card debt, medical bills, and/or student loans. Or they can sweep your bank account for the amount that you owe without prior notice—you wake up one day and whatever you owe them, that money got disappeared. Later when you receive that notice of garnishment, you also get a form to file for exemption. Everyone should pay their bills, but you have to be able to stay in your home, feed yourself, and put gas in your car—that is why certain incomes are eligible for exemption, like head-of-household at a certain level, pension income, Social Security benefits, or disability. The key to that exemption is that you have to claim it. Just because you are eligible does not mean you automatically get it. Seek competent legal advice to learn more about exemptions from judgment. (You do not need an appointment to pick up a pamphlet at Legal Aid about collection exemptions […]
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