Q: Limit on levy on account of debtor family of 4
A:
In California, there are specific limits on how much a creditor can levy from your wages or bank accounts, especially when you have dependents. For wage garnishments, the state follows federal guidelines, typically allowing up to 25% of your disposable earnings or the amount by which your weekly income exceeds 30 times the federal minimum wage, whichever is less. This ensures you have enough income to support your family of four.
When it comes to bank accounts, California law provides certain exemptions to protect your essential funds. For instance, a single account holder can protect up to $1,425 in their bank account, and joint accounts have higher protection limits. These exemptions help ensure that you retain enough resources to cover basic living expenses for your family.
Additionally, California offers exemptions for other assets, such as your primary residence, personal belongings, and retirement accounts, which cannot be easily seized by creditors. It’s important to understand these protections to safeguard your family’s financial stability. Consulting with a legal professional can provide you with personalized guidance based on your specific situation.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.