How to Avoid Wage Garnishment on Defaulted Student Loans
“Student loan collections can be stopped—know your rights, use your options.”
Introduction:
If you’ve fallen behind on your federal student loans, you may be at risk of wage garnishment—where money is taken directly out of your paycheck. It’s stressful, scary, and can feel like you’ve lost control of your finances.
But here’s the good news: you can stop garnishment before it starts. In this article, we’ll explain what wage garnishment is, how it works, and—most importantly—how to avoid it.
🔹 What Is Wage Garnishment?
Wage garnishment happens when the government takes part of your paycheck to pay back your student loan. You don’t need a court order for this—the Department of Education can do it automatically if your loan is in default (usually after 270+ days of missed payments).
🔹 How Do I Know If I’m at Risk?
You’re at risk of garnishment if:
You’ve stopped making student loan payments for 9 months or more
Your loans are listed as defaulted on studentaid.gov
You’ve received a letter saying collections or garnishment will begin
🔹 How to Avoid Garnishment (Even If You’re in Default)
✅ 1. Apply for the Fresh Start Program
This new government program helps borrowers in default get back on track. It:
Stops collections and garnishment
Restores access to federal aid
Moves your loan out of default
It’s free and available for a limited time—don’t wait.
✅ 2. Request an Income-Driven Repayment Plan (IDR)
If you’re not in default yet, switching to an IDR plan could lower your monthly payment to as little as $0 based on your income. It also keeps you out of default.
✅ 3. Talk to a Debt Specialist
If you’re confused or overwhelmed, we can help you understand your options, contact your loan servicer, and get into the right program quickly.
🔹 What If Garnishment Has Already Started?
You still have options:
You can request a hearing to challenge it
You can rehabilitate your loan to stop garnishment and fix your credit
You can consolidate the loan into a new one to remove it from default
🔹 Don’t Wait for Your Paycheck to Shrink
The sooner you take action, the easier it is to stop garnishment before it affects your income. We’ve helped many borrowers stop collections, lower payments, and regain peace of mind.
👉 Need Help? Let’s Talk
Book a free, confidential consultation with My Debt Navigator today. We’ll walk you through the steps, handle the paperwork, and help you avoid garnishment—without stress or confusion.
