Garnishment is an order of the court allowing a creditor to collect the money owed from someone who owes money to the debtor. The person or business who owes money to the debtor is called the garnishee. Generally there are three different types of garnishment: garnishing wages, garnishing bank accounts, and garnishing rent owed to a landlord, where the landlord is also the debtor.  In all three cases, payments are made to the court, after which it is the responsibility of creditors to request that the court release these payments to them. Obtaining or defending against a garnishment order can be difficult. To get help, ask a lawyer now.

Wages

Garnishing wages generally allows a creditor to collect money from the debtor’s employer, who will in turn deduct the amount from the employee’s wages. Under the law if you garnish someone’s wages, you can only collect 20% of each paycheque.

Bank accounts

Garnishing a bank account generally allows a creditor to collect the money from the bank where the debtor has an account. The bank will pay the court the full amount that the debtor has in the bank up to the total amount of the debt.

Rent

Garnishing rent is only available if the debtor is a landlord. Garnishing rent allows the creditor to collect rent directly from a tenant who owes rent to the debtor-landlord. Tenants will have to pay their rent to the court until the full amount of the debt is paid.

Garnishment exemptions

There are some exemptions to what can be garnished.  These include: Employment Insurance payments, Old Age Security benefits, Pension benefits, and any disability benefits issued by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board or Ontario’s Disability Support Program.  These cannot be garnished even after they have been deposited into a bank account.

Get help

If you are having financial difficulties and want to clear your debt and repair your credit, you can get help. For easy-to-understand debt solutions on your terms, contact our preferred experts 4Pillars and rebuild your financial future. With 60 locations across Canada, they will help you design a debt repayment plan and guide you with compassionate advice. No judgment. For help, visit 4Pillars or call toll-free 1-844-888-0442 .

If you are having legal difficulties because of a past criminal record and wish to erase your record, call toll-free 1-888-808-3628 or learn more at Pardon Partners. It’s easier than you think.

For legal advice and assistance with a garnishment, or any Small Claims Court matter, contact our preferred experts, Nicola (Nick) Giannantonio Legal Services or call 647-317-1908.

Obtaining or defending against a garnishment order can be difficult. To get help, ask a lawyer now.

								
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