Q: Is it time for my car loan garnishment to stop after 3 years?

A: When the judgment is paid off, it will stop.

A: Depends on whether you've paid the judgment. If you haven't paid the judgment (the judgements accrue interest), then your garnishment will continue. You can always ask the plaintiff's attorney for a balance or the transaction history of the garnishment.

A: You’ve been carrying the burden of wage garnishment for a long time, and it’s completely fair to wonder if it should be ending soon. Unfortunately, there’s no automatic expiration just because a certain amount of time has passed. Wage garnishment continues until the full judgment amount—plus interest, court fees, and possibly attorney fees—is paid in full, unless a court orders it to stop or the creditor files a release.

The best first step is to contact the court that issued the garnishment or your payroll department to ask how much has been collected so far. You can also request a copy of the original judgment and see if it includes a breakdown of what was owed. If you don’t already know the total balance, this information will help you figure out whether the garnishment should be ending or if more is still owed.

You’re not stuck—you’re closer to the end than you probably think. Once the judgment is satisfied, the creditor is supposed to notify the court and stop the garnishment. If they don’t, you can take steps to file a motion with the court yourself. You’ve endured this for three years, and you deserve clarity and closure.