Wage Garnishments

What are wage garnishments?

Wage garnishments are IRS actions that allow the agency to seize a portion of your paycheck to collect unpaid tax debt. Typically, the IRS can take up to 25% to 50% of your disposable earnings after taxes and other deductions, continuing until the debt is paid or resolved.

Why are wage garnishments a concern?

Wage garnishments create financial strain by:

• Reducing your take-home pay, making it harder to cover living expenses.
• Continuing until the tax debt is settled, potentially for months or years.
• Damaging your credit if the underlying debt involves liens or other actions.

They often follow unpaid back taxes or unfiled returns, and stopping them requires addressing the root cause with the IRS.

Options for stopping wage garnishments

You can address wage garnishments in several ways:

• Do it yourselfRequest a release by contacting the IRS, proving financial hardship or proposing a payment plan. This requires understanding IRS criteria, gathering financial documents, and meeting deadlines. Errors can prolong the garnishment or lead to denial.
• Work with the IRS directlyCall or write to the IRS to negotiate, providing income and expense details to stop the garnishment. This demands precise preparation and knowledge of IRS rules, which can be challenging without expertise.
• Hire a tax professional (recommended)A professional is the best way to stop wage garnishments. They assess your situation, submit the necessary forms, and negotiate with the IRS to get your paycheck back in your pocket. If your tax debt includes penalties for multiple years, a professional can also resolve the underlying debt through payment plans or other relief options like penalty abatement.

Last updated October 15, 2026.