3 Ways to Prevent Social Security Garnishment
![3 Ways to Prevent Social Security Garnishment 3 Ways to Prevent Social Security Garnishment](http://g.foolcdn.com/editorial/images/458264/senior-elderly-couple-holding-hands.jpg)
For most retirees, Social Security benefits are a significant percentage of their monthly income, so the threat of having that money garnished by a creditor is a pretty frightening one. Fortunately, you don't just have to stand by and let it happen -- there are steps you can take to protect your Social Security benefits.
If a debt collector wins a lawsuit against you, they can ask the judge to issue a court order requiring your bank to turn over the money in your bank account. However, Social Security benefits get special protection from such action -- if they are direct-deposited into your bank account. By federal law, the bank must protect two months' worth of your direct-deposited Social Security benefits from most creditors (the exceptions are debts to the federal government and child or spousal support debts).
But if you get your Social Security benefits via a paper check, you get no such protection.
Source: Fool.com