Can a credit collector garnish my wages for Dr. bills if I have been paying a little on them each month.

Ohio appears to follow the federal law on garnishments. First, however, the creditor needs to file a lawsuit and get a judgment. If you are not paying per the terms of the agreement (or a modified agreement), then the creditor can sue and seek a garnishment. Federal law limits garnishments to 25% of disposable earnings or the amount by which you exceed 30 times minimum wage ($217.50), whichever is lower. [I am a Virginia attorney. This communication is intended as general information and not specific legal advice, and this communication does not create an attorney-client relationship.]

Your wages can only be garnished after a judgment is entered against you or you sign a confession of judgment. The first thing you need to do if and when you get sued is file an Answer. The summons will tell you that you must “appear” by way of an Answer in 10, 20 or 30 days, “depending on the method of service.” PLEASE CHECK THE LAW IN YOUR STATE AS YOU MAY ACTUALLY HAVE TO APPEAR IN COURT, AS IN VIRGINIA, IN ORDER TO AVOID A DEFAULT! You need a lawyer, but if you cannot afford one right away, rather then do nothing and have a judgment entered against you, is to “appear” by filing something! Many people think this means they have to go to Court and this is incorrect. 90% of all lawsuits end in Default Judgments because the defendant (person getting sued) did not file an Answer. I recommend you go to the free form I have on my website. Print it out and fill it out as instructed. You must answer the numbered paragraphs on the Complaint by writing them into the appropriate lines in the Answer. The Answer will allow you to preserve your rights and will prohibit a default judgment (i.e. you did not show up) from being entered against you. Mimic the paperwork you got when you got sued. Answer all the paragraphs of the Complaint by writing the numbers in lines 1, 2 or 3. Almost 100% of attorneys will deny what is owed because they did not do the calculations and do not know what the basis for the number is… When you file the Answer that is your “not guilty”. You have the right to make the person suing you (Plaintiff) prove their case, but you must also answer the complaint truthfully. Make sure you fill in the name and address of the attorney suing you before you bring this paperwork to the Court. Mail it to the attorney suing you right away! Check out the guide I have drafted on the profile. This will provide more detailed instructions. If it is helpful remember to indicate that and get the guide read! Good Luck! Disclaimer: This answer does not constitute legal advice. I am admitted in the States of New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts only and make no attempt to opine on matters of law that are not relevant to those three States. This advice is based on general principles of law that may or may not relate to your specific situation. Facts and laws change and these possible changes will affect the advice provided here. Consult an attorney in your locale before you act on any of this advice. You should not rely on this advice alone and nothing in these communications creates an attorney client relationship. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author only and the fact that he has worked as an Assistant District Attorney; State Supreme Court Clerk; Special Assistant United States Attorney (Hawaii); Assistant Cornell University Counsel or Judge Advocate, United States Marine Corps should not be relied upon to assume that these statements reflect the policy of these organizations.

The rest of the answer...(not enough space in one box): The amounts that can be taken from your wages to satisfy a garnishment depend on how much you make. Also, this number will change in July 2010, so I am going to give you the new numbers, which in many States will equal or be less then the current minimum wage in your State. The law that controls garnishments is the federal “Consumer Credit Protection Act” 15 USC §§ 1671-1677. It protects a portion of the wages based on the following schedule that is tied to the federal minimum wage. On July 23, 2009 the minimum wage increases to $7.25 per hour. (You can use this number to estimate the current amount protected). The amount of disposable income that cannot be garnished on or after that date is $217.50, or 30 hours at the Federal minimum wage for the week in question. Only the amount over that can begin to be garnished. It is your employers’ duty to determine the appropriate amount of the garnishment, and not just rely on an order from a court. Only the amount over $217.50 can be subject to the garnishment when total compensation is less than $290.00. If disposable earnings are more than $290.00 in any given week up to 25% of the wages can be garnished under federal standards. However State restrictions on garnishment should be checked in every case, as they may provide greater protection. Conversely in many Sates Child Support payments or arrears are subject to higher maximum withholding standards. In New York the maximum amount recoverable is ten percent (10%) of gross income, or the federal maximum, whichever is less. If the debtor is subject to garnishment for alimony, support or maintenance, the combined garnishments cannot exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of disposable earnings, but can be as high as 65% for child support. Income executions are prioritized by order of delivery to the Sheriff, but garnishments for alimony support or maintenance always take priority. The execution is a two-stage process. First, the sheriff serves the execution on the debtor at his or her residence. If the debtor does not begin making payments within twenty (20) days, the sheriff levies on the employer. Good Luck! Disclaimer: This answer does not constitute legal advice. I am admitted in the States of New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts only and make no attempt to opine on matters of law that are not relevant to those three States. This advice is based on general principles of law that may or may not relate to your specific situation. Facts and laws change and these possible changes will affect the advice provided here. Consult an attorney in your locale before you act on any of this advice. You should not rely on this advice alone and nothing in these communications creates an attorney client relationship. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author only and the fact that he has worked as an Assistant District Attorney; State Supreme Court Clerk; Special Assistant United States Attorney (Hawaii); Assistant Cornell University Counsel or Judge Advocate, United States Marine Corps should not be relied upon to assume that these statements reflect the policy of these organizations.