Once the IRS initiates wage garnishment, a tax problem gets more urgent. Less money lands in your account every pay period, and that can mean falling behind on rent or a mortgage, utilities, groceries, or other bills. The levy keeps affecting each paycheck until something intervenes, and having an employer involved makes an already stressful situation feel much more exposed.
The Law Offices of Jordan F. Wilcox represents Utah taxpayers facing active IRS collection, including wage levies, and helps address both the immediate hit to your paycheck and the tax problem that led to it.
See our Results & Reviews for these and other kinds of tax matters Jordan F. Wilcox has helped resolve.
When the IRS Is Taking Part of Your Paycheck
Commonly called wage garnishment, the IRS treats this situation as a levy on wages, salary, and other income. An IRS wage levy works by going to whoever pays you (your employer, in most cases), who is then required to send a portion of your earnings straight to the IRS.
Unlike an IRS bank levy, which generally only reaches the funds in an account at one moment, a wage levy keeps applying to future paychecks and stays in effect until:
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It’s released.
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The debt is paid.
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Something in the case changes it.
In the short term, the goal is to protect your ability to cover your bills. Long-term, it’s to stop IRS wage garnishment by resolving the underlying IRS issue so you can stop waiting for the next collection action to land.
Can IRS Wage Garnishment Be Stopped?
It is definitely possible to stop IRS wage garnishment, but it depends on the facts of your case. For example, if:
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The debt is paid off.
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The collection period has expired.
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An installment agreement is in place that does not allow for a levy.
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The levy is creating a genuine hardship.
Depending on the resolution being pursued, the IRS may require detailed financial information before agreeing to release the levy or change collection terms.
How The Law Offices of Jordan F. Wilcox Helps with IRS Wage Garnishment
When you’re facing IRS wage garnishment, a lawyer can offer invaluable advocacy. Here’s how we work to address an IRS wage levy to help you get ahead of the IRS, rather than reacting to it.
Determine What the IRS Has Already Done
We review the levy itself, along with prior notices, tax periods, and filing history, and check how the exempt portion of your pay is being calculated. We flag any missed deadlines, potential errors, and your immediate hardship.
Take Over Communication with the IRS
Once you’re represented, we pull your IRS transcripts and account history and communicate with the IRS on your behalf and serve as your primary representative, addressing the wage levy as part of the larger tax collection case rather than in isolation.
Work Toward a Broader Resolution
Depending on your situation, resolution might mean requesting a levy release, pursuing a hardship determination, catching up on filings, setting up an installment agreement, or exploring an appeal.
Take Action—Talk to an IRS Wage Garnishment Attorney Today
A wage levy is not a one-time hit. It keeps taking a bite out of every paycheck until it’s stopped.
The team of professionals at The Law Offices of Jordan F. Wilcox can help. If you’re facing this kind of IRS collection, it’s time to get an advocate who can review the levy, the notices that led to it, and the underlying issue as a whole. Whether your paycheck has already been affected or a deadline is approaching, there may still be options available.
FAQ
The IRS generally must send a Final Notice of Intent to Levy and Notice of Your Right to a Hearing at least 30 days before levy action, subject to specific exceptions.
A tax attorney may be able to request a levy release, pursue appeal rights, or help set up another collection arrangement, depending on your notices, filing history, finances, and overall IRS record. Results depend on the specific facts of the case.
There is no single percentage that applies to everyone. A portion of your wages is exempt, based on your filing status, dependents, and pay frequency, using the IRS’s own tables.
Your employer calculates that exempt amount from the levy paperwork, and if you do not return the required statement, a less favorable default applies. Even with an exemption, the practical hit to your take-home pay can still be significant.
Yes. That is typically the Statement of Dependents and Filing Status, and it is generally due back to your employer within three days. It is used to calculate how much of your pay is exempt from the levy, not to resolve the levy itself.
Not returning the form on time usually results in a default calculation that can result in less of your pay being treated as exempt. However, if that window has already passed, it does not mean your options are closed.
No—unlike most creditors, the IRS can levy wages through its own administrative process without going to court first, which is part of why it can move faster than people expect.