can creditors garnish a joint bank account

Can Creditors Garnish a Joint Bank Account?

When it comes to managing your money, having a joint bank account with your spouse or another family member can be helpful. But there are some risks when it comes to collecting debts. Creditors may be able to garnishee funds from a joint account to pay off the debt of just one account holder. Read on to learn more about how joint account garnishment works and how you can protect yourself.

What is Garnishment?

Garnishment is the legal process by which creditors can take money from your bank account to pay off a debt. It usually happens after the creditor has sued you for the debt and won, getting a court judgment.

The creditor can ask the court for a garnishment order once they have a judgment. This tells the bank they can freeze your account and give the money to the creditor. Banks are legally required to comply with garnishment orders.

Joint Account Garnishment Rules Vary By State

Whether or not a creditor can garnish a joint bank account depends largely on what state you live in. There are a few key factors:

• Community property vs. common law states—In these states, debts incurred during a marriage are seen as shared responsibility. This means that a joint account can be seized by creditors to pay off the debt of one spouse. Common law states generally treat debts as separate.

• Garnishment limits – Some states only allow half of joint account funds to be garnished. Others permit the full amount to be seized.

• Ownership presumptions – Most states presume equal ownership of joint accounts. This allows garnishment of the account for one owner’s debt, unless contributions can be traced.

• Exempt funds – Certain sources like Social Security are exempt from garnishment, even when deposited into joint accounts.

Here is a breakdown of how joint account garnishment works in different states:

Community Property States

There are 9 community property states – Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. In these states, a creditor can garnish a joint account to collect on the debt of one spouse.

So if your spouse has a credit card debt and the bank account is in both of your names, the creditor can freeze the account and take the money to pay off the debt. The reasoning is that debts incurred during a marriage are viewed as shared responsibility.

The only exception is Texas, where community property laws provide some protection for separate property deposited into joint accounts.

Common Law States

The rest of the states follow common law property rules. These states generally treat debts as the separate responsibility of the spouse who incurred them. However, joint accounts are still vulnerable to garnishment.

Some common law states prohibit creditors from taking more than 50% of joint account funds for one spouse’s debt. So if you jointly own an account with your spouse, up to half the money could potentially be garnished to pay your spouse’s creditor.

Other states allow garnishment of the full balance, unless contributions can be traced to the non-debtor spouse. So it’s crucial to keep records showing which deposits are yours.

Exempt Funds Are Protected

Certain funds are exempt from garnishment even when deposited into a joint bank account. This includes:

• Social Security benefits
• Disability benefits
• Veterans benefits
• Child support
• Workers compensation
• Retirement accounts like 401(k)s

So if you receive Social Security payments, for example, and your joint account is garnished, you can recover those exempt funds. You will need to provide documentation showing the exempt funds.

How to Protect Yourself from Joint Account Garnishment

Here are some tips to reduce your risks:

• Maintain separate accounts for your individual funds rather than joint accounts. This prevents your money from being exposed if your spouse has creditors.

• Keep detailed records of which deposits into joint accounts are yours. This will help you trace your contributions if garnishment occurs.

• Avoid depositing exempt funds like Social Security into joint accounts if possible. Open a separate individual account for exempt funds.

• If you receive a joint account garnishment notice, act quickly. Request a hearing to prove exempt contributions and recover protected funds.

• Consider consulting a lawyer if your joint account is garnished. An attorney can help protect your rights in the state-specific garnishment process.

• Be cautious about adding someone to your bank account for convenience. Their debt could leave your funds vulnerable.

• Communicate with your joint account co-owner. Make sure they are aware garnishment could impact the account.

Joint bank account garnishment is complex, but being aware of the risks in your state and taking preventative steps can help you avoid issues. Act promptly if you receive a notice to recover exempt funds and protect your hard-earned savings. With some caution, joint accounts don’t have to mean jeopardizing your financial security.