A wage garnishment put in place to repay a creditor can be a terrible thing to deal with. The knowledge that a significant portion of your income is being taken from you before you even see it, money that would usually go towards paying for things you need, can be hard to swallow, and it can be tough to know where to turn for help.

This blog deals with wage garnishments – those put in place to deal with civil debts such as credit cards, or loans, as well as tax debts. It does not apply to Family Responsibility debts and some unique types of debt. If you want to know more about how to get rid of a wage garnishment put in place to deal with the former, here is where you need to be.

The easiest way to stop a wage garnishment, obviously, is to pay the debt. Sure, this may seem like a very simple solution, but if you can’t pay the debt, in full, it is a simple solution that really doesn’t help you. Don’t worry, all is not lost.

Two additional ways that you can immediately stop a wage garnishment include a consumer proposal and bankruptcy.

In a consumer proposal, you propose an amount that you are prepared to repay your creditor with a repayment term of usually 5 years. The moment the proposal is filed by a trustee, the garnishment stops. Once your creditors accept your proposal you begin repaying. A consumer proposal can be paid in full at any time. A consumer proposal also stops interest and can even reduce the amount of debt you owe.

In a bankruptcy, a trustee, based on an income calculation, will determine if you have to pay into bankruptcy for 9 or 21 months. During this time you will make a monthly payment to the trustee for the term of the bankruptcy and that payment is based on your income. Generally higher income earners opt for consumer proposals because bankruptcy payments end up being higher. Once you complete your obligation to the trustee you become discharged from bankruptcy. The moment a bankruptcy is filed the wage garnishment stops, interest stops and your overall debt can even be reduced.

It is important to note that, in either scenario, you will need the services of a licensed trustee in bankruptcy; but you do not want to go to the trustee directly because they represent your creditors and you may not get the best deal. A debt counsellor can help you prepare your information and structure relevant information so that the trustee makes an arrangement that is fair for both you and the creditors.

Want to stop a wage garnishment or learn more about how a consumer proposal or bankruptcy can help you clear those debts?

Call DebtCare Canada today at 1-888-890-0888.