Wage garnishments and collections

Yeah, right, like you’re actually gonna have issues just because of some payment numbering glitch

John Clark6 said:I just wanted to jump back in here—and I really want to expand on what Susan Thompson15 was mentioning—just to clarify things for everyone. To a regular person, it might seem like a total no-brainer, right? Like, why not just build a system where payments are instantly visible and the court's accounting department can see them in real-time? Well, sure, you *could* do that... BUT—and this is a massive but—it costs an absolute fortune. I can tell you from my own experience working in a major US city that whenever I suggest digitizing a process or trying to speed things up through better IT integration, I immediately hit a brick wall—and that wall is usually labeled "budget." Believe me, when it comes to tech services here in America, companies charge a premium for those kinds of upgrades. And it isn't just a one-time fee, either; you’re looking at constant, ongoing costs for maintenance and support. So, yeah... it's expensive! It really is. 🙂

Look, I get that the price tag is steep. But let’s be real—there are countless bureaucrats sitting in offices all over this country who probably justify their entire existence just by nitpicking these kinds of payments. If we actually held those people accountable and trimmed the fat, we'd have more than enough left over to cover the cost of upgrading everything to a modern digital system.

Susan Thompson15 said:Plus, there's the issue of them asking for a case number. Every single court across the US uses the exact same numbering format, and all payments nationwide go into one massive central account... which then gets split up by every department within every courthouse (civil, small claims, probate...). Since you're just entering a raw number without specifying the type of case, and because payment processors—like the post office or various banks—often skip the memo line entirely, it's a total mess.

It’s just too complicated. It’s much easier to simply require them to provide proof of payment.

Just like you were saying, every single number carries its own specific data, right? So, does it actually make sense from a scientific standpoint to include the article too, just so we know exactly which court we're talking about? 🤷

It’s all pretty complicated when you get into the weeds, so honestly, it’s just easier to mandate that they provide proof of payment upfront.

Easier for whom, exactly?
To the idiot who screws someone over—and let’s be honest, you can't exactly claim that kind of stuff never happens—and turns an innocent person's life into a living hell. You all admit it takes an incredible amount of time and patience just to get a wrongful garnishment lifted. Even if you're the most blameless person on the planet, once you fall into the gears of the system, God help you.
The whole system is basically designed to look out for those lazy slackers anyway. If it didn't work that way, people would actually start figuring out who was sitting there handling the payment processing back then—you know, pinpointing exactly who failed to log an entry and whose specific mistake triggered that entire collection process in the first place.
But then again, that would also mean someone actually has to face the consequences for their own laziness and the inconvenience they cause. And let’s be honest—that’s exactly what no part of our system is willing to allow. They know all too well that if things actually started working that way, it might just end up biting them in the rear.

To be honest, I’m a little stumped by what Susan Thompson15 is getting at regarding the payment reference number and the different types of courts? I mean—every single court has its own specific reference number and case type—whether it's an enforcement action, a civil suit, or some other filing category—along with the case number and the year. That’s pretty much it... I guess it’s pretty obvious they can see all that information (though I can't say for certain) because the reference number includes every single detail you need—I know this because you can find instructions online for every local courthouse on how to fill out a payment slip. For me, it feels more like a matter of sticking to the old-school ways and following the laws that protect my interests, rather than me having to call up the finance department just to verify everything. My actual headache is specifically the fact that I have to pay the fee within three days and then somehow prove I actually did it. In my city, that turns into a massive ordeal because I have to draft formal requests and letters that require a signature from the Mayor himself. Honestly, I’ve never quite understood this whole idea that they either can't see or simply don't want to see the payment. Let’s be realistic here—what is the entire purpose of a reference number if it isn't meant to act as a "marker" for my transaction? If this is truly an issue, I suppose one would have to appeal to the Supreme Court and try to establish some sort of legal precedent.

ps. Everything seems pretty straightforward, doesn't it? http://www.uscourts.gov/index.php?linkID=38

Of course it’s possible, it just won't 🙄

That’s basically what I was getting at a couple of pages back—every action needs a reaction.
If someone who isn't paying gets hit with those massive, predatory fees and extra costs—even if it’s just because they’re genuinely struggling to make ends meet—then the people on the other side who are playing games should also face some kind of "penalty." There ought to be a way to hold them accountable, too.

Hey 🙂

So, I woke up this morning to a freaking collection notice for some supposed "debt" of $100—it’s basically just an unpaid fee for my diploma that I haven't cleared yet (even though my actual tuition was paid in full on time). It's regarding an elective course from back in the day, like
2010-2011.
The real kicker here is the legal fees they're slapping on me; they're 3x higher than the actual debt itself, coming out to about $333🙂. Does anyone know if it's even worth trying to fight this, or should I just try to cut a deal with them to pay it off in installments? 🤷 Honestly, I'd have to borrow the cash since I'm currently unemployed and don't have any income coming in. And for the record, I never even got a single warning or heads-up before this hit my doorstep
.
I'm not denying that I owe the money, but these legal costs are absolutely insane

Megan Edwards5 said:Hey 🙂

So, I woke up this morning to a freaking collection notice for some supposed "debt" of $100—it’s basically just an unpaid fee for my diploma that I haven't cleared yet (even though my actual tuition was paid in full on time). It's regarding an elective course from back in the day, like
2010-2011.
The real kicker here is the legal fees they're slapping on me; they're 3x higher than the actual debt itself, coming out to about $333🙂. Does anyone know if it's even worth trying to fight this, or should I just try to cut a deal with them to pay it off in installments? 🤷 Honestly, I'd have to borrow the cash since I'm currently unemployed and don't have any income coming in. And for the record, I never even got a single warning or heads-up before this hit my doorstep
.
I'm not denying that I owe the money, but these legal costs are absolutely insane

Too expensive. At least, that's what the commercial says.
Look, start by checking the standard fees for public notaries and lawyers somewhere online. Do the math yourself. In my opinion, the maximum fee you should be looking at for that amount is around... $167 I'm speaking from memory, so don't take this as gospel.
When you're filing an appeal, you have to keep one thing in mind: the courts charge you. $33 The court just issued an order to freeze the foreclosure. Why? Because I haven't turned in proof that I don't owe property taxes, plus a formal request to waive the legal fees. If I remember correctly, the three-year statute of limitations starts ticking from the moment that order is handed down. Right?
Look, regarding these costs... I've been staring at a whole lot of nonsense lately. And I mean real nonsense.
As far as I'm concerned, here’s how it should be written:
Notary fees.
Legal fees.
The finality clause. That's what we're talking about. It's the point of no return. Once that hammer drops, the case is closed. No more arguments, no more appeals, no more wasting everyone's time. You either deal with the verdict or you don't. Simple as that.
Sales tax. That's it.

I’ve seen plenty of mindless garbage like this before:
Serving papers via a notary public.
Handing this over to FIFA for enforcement.
....

Don't even get me started on the rest of the nonsense. Honest, transparent law firms? They’re hard to find. I've got a question for John Clark6, since he’s the only one here who actually seems straight with us. And look, don't take this personally, guys, but sometimes you all just talk out of your asses. 🙂Isn't hiking up these collection costs just a blatant scam? Look, if I bill someone for a service I didn't actually finish, that's fraud. It's breaking the law because I'm knowingly trying to rip someone off. So why is this any different? Can debtors actually point out this attempted fraud when they file an objection? And let’s clear up the mystery surrounding these fees—where exactly can you find the official regulations on collection costs online? I've had a few friends ask about this. I really hope there isn't some vague "it goes without saying" excuse used to hide the numbers.

Thanks for the intense debate over the "call to numbers." Didn't realize it would spark such a little spat. 🙂

If I were in that position, I’d be filing a formal dispute for the full amount. I’d also hit up accounting and ask them to just issue a corrected invoice for the actual total. Simple as that. $100 Can I just mark this payment as tuition?
By the way, what kind of agency are we even talking about here, if it isn't classified?

I feel like those legal costs are such a gray area—it’s a bit of a double-edged sword since you have the right to claim them, but the court also has the discretion to deny them. I guess if you don't appeal, you're stuck paying everything, but if you do decide to fight it, they might deduct some of those amounts, though you'll end up footing the bill for $33 court fees. Personally, I think the whole system really needs better regulation. Paperwork can justify just about anything, doesn't it? People try to list every little thing imaginable as an expense. In my experience, a judge once slashed my delivery costs from $6.75 down to just 15 bucks and completely tossed out my request for $3.25 photocopying costs—and that was because I wasn't a plaintiff, so I didn't even qualify for those specific reimbursements. It just seems like... well, all sorts of nonsense get passed off as legitimate expenses

Megan Edwards5 said:Hey 🙂

So, I woke up this morning to a freaking collection notice for some supposed "debt" of $100—it’s basically just an unpaid fee for my diploma that I haven't cleared yet (even though my actual tuition was paid in full on time). It's regarding an elective course from back in the day, like
2010-2011.
The real kicker here is the legal fees they're slapping on me; they're 3x higher than the actual debt itself, coming out to about $333🙂. Does anyone know if it's even worth trying to fight this, or should I just try to cut a deal with them to pay it off in installments? 🤷 Honestly, I'd have to borrow the cash since I'm currently unemployed and don't have any income coming in. And for the record, I never even got a single warning or heads-up before this hit my doorstep
.
I'm not denying that I owe the money, but these legal costs are absolutely insane

Haha... same amount, same year, same computer science classes... and they both showed up on the exact same day? Hmm... spooky.🙄 Man, you wouldn't believe the mess my wife just dealt with. She finally gets her diploma in the mail, right? But there was a huge catch—it wasn't even *her* degree! On top of that ridiculous mistake, they hit her up with a massive pile of extra fees and charges. Talk about a total headache. Everything about it just feels like a complete scam. $310Wait, if we’re talking about the same school in the same city? Then hit me up in the DMs.

Even if it were true, I don't think that bit of info would actually do you any good.

Hey everyone! 🙂
Quick question about debt collection. I’ve got a few judgments just sitting there waiting to hit my frozen bank account. Since it doesn't look like this is going away anytime soon, does anyone know what the absolute cutoff is before a judgment expires? Like, how do I actually invoke the statute of limitations? I don't own anything else besides this checking account.

There’s no such thing as an absolute statute of limitations.

If those collections are just sitting there waiting to be cleared from a frozen account, it means they’re still legally valid... and they can stay stuck in limbo for years.
As long as the creditor takes any kind of action toward collecting that debt at least once every ten years, the clock resets. There is no ultimate expiration date. This isn't a criminal proceeding.

What else can a creditor actually do if they can't change up how they're collecting the debt? I'd love to know what their options are, and if I have any right to push back or file an objection in that situation!

So... I’m not entirely sure if this fits under this specific topic...
But here’s the deal—I completely forgot that my December paycheck, which hit the account back in January, was sitting in my boyfriend's checking account. I needed his account specifically for that deposit... but in the meantime, he ended up getting hit with a fine, and now a chunk of my salary is just... gone. I know for a fact he didn't withdraw it himself, since I had the card with me...
I was talking to a friend about it, and she mentioned that the money was basically seized because of his legal trouble—since he hadn't paid his fines yet. Is there any possible way for the state to return that money to me, and then let him pay off what he owes through some kind of payment plan instead?
Is there any workaround at all? Because honestly, man, it's my money. It might not mean much to someone else, maybe just a little $400, but god, I really need it right now...

It really feels like the smartest move is to just withdraw your cash the second it hits the account...
(If this isn't the right place to ask, please feel free to move my post)
I'm just feeling so down about all this... it's really thrown me for a loop... because both he and I are convinced there's no way out. I mean, technically he could just pay me back, but then again, he doesn't have the cash to spare...🤷

Did you get scammed? I mean, seriously—don't you know how to open a checking account for yourself? There is absolutely no way for you to get that money back now!!!

The bill from SF Municipal Garage for moving a vehicle under an order from the Los Angeles Police Department is only valid if a formal misdemeanor proceeding has been launched and the driver’s guilt has actually been established. Since the Los Angeles Police Department ordered the tow, SF Municipal Garage provided a service to the LAPD, and they should be billing the LAPD, not the driver. They can't come after the owner until the Municipal Court finishes determining fault according to the Misdemeanor Act and the Traffic Safety Act.

SF Municipal Garage starts the collections process based on an invoice sent straight to the driver's address, even though there isn't any proof of guilt yet because the case is still pending in court. It makes you wonder what legal standing this whole collection procedure actually has, considering SF Municipal Garage is essentially deceiving the court by jumping the gun. A debt collection is only legitimate against the LAPD since they were the ones who requested the service. For SF Municipal Garage to legally collect from a driver, that charge has to stem from a final, binding court ruling. Instead, they bypass the actual service requester and go straight for the individual via collections. In reality, it feels like a police officer is practically sitting in the SF Municipal Garage office, turning photos taken by parking enforcement into a steady stream of revenue through these citations.

Does the court actually look at these questionable invoices? Who is even verifying them when a notary just passes the same documents along to the court? It looks like a massive shell game played with thousands of invoices.

So, my dad just started receiving survivor benefits after my mom passed away. She had some outstanding debts and garnishments tied to her accounts that she was paying off. Now that he’s officially opted to waive his own pension to take over hers, is it actually legal for those old collectors to come after his money too? Like, can they just attach her old debts to his new income?

Hey. I’ve got a question, and I’m hoping someone can clear this up for me—I know this topic has been dragged through the mud on this thread already, but I haven't had the chance to catch up on everything yet. I just got hit with an enforcement order because of some unpaid Verizon bill from back in January 2012. According to the paperwork, I owe about $233 total, including all the extra fees and whatnot. I called up the law firm handling it, and they’re claiming I owe $300, basically telling me I should just call Verizon myself. So, I went down to a Verizon store and showed them the bill from that month, and they told me that I don't actually owe anything for that one month—it’s actually for December 2011. Of course, I don't have that specific bill on hand. My main thing is, could this be a statute of limitations issue? If the bill is from 2011 and they didn't send the enforcement order until 2014, does that hold water? Thanks for any help. In the meantime, I'll keep digging through this thread, maybe I'll find the answer 🙂

I have a bit of a situation here and I’m hoping someone might be able to shed some light on it... My late husband was the owner and the sole employee of his own small business, which was run right out of our home. After we went through the probate process, I didn't actually transfer any of the company shares into my name, so on paper, the business is still officially under my husband's name—even though it isn't actually operating anymore. Someone at the Commercial Court told me that since there are no outstanding debts, I should just wait for the company to be dissolved by operation of law after three years... but now, out of nowhere, I've received a notice regarding a garnishment order. This is for something related to a lawsuit the company lost about nine months after my husband passed away. So, my big question is, can they actually come after me personally as an individual? I mean, technically I haven't officially taken over the firm, so am I liable just because I inherited the estate?
Thanks in advance.

Kyle Ruiz5 said:Hey. I’ve got a question, and I’m hoping someone can clear this up for me—I know this topic has been dragged through the mud on this thread already, but I haven't had the chance to catch up on everything yet. I just got hit with an enforcement order because of some unpaid Verizon bill from back in January 2012. According to the paperwork, I owe about $233 total, including all the extra fees and whatnot. I called up the law firm handling it, and they’re claiming I owe $300, basically telling me I should just call Verizon myself. So, I went down to a Verizon store and showed them the bill from that month, and they told me that I don't actually owe anything for that one month—it’s actually for December 2011. Of course, I don't have that specific bill on hand. My main thing is, could this be a statute of limitations issue? If the bill is from 2011 and they didn't send the enforcement order until 2014, does that hold water? Thanks for any help. In the meantime, I'll keep digging through this thread, maybe I'll find the answer 🙂

So, the enforcement is for a January 2012 bill. You already paid that bill. File an objection to the enforcement immediately. Everything you need regarding objections is on the previous pages (three copies, www.uscourts.gov — you can draft an objection online for free, plus get a tax certificate to waive court costs). In the objection, state clearly that the bill was paid and demand that all enforcement costs be shifted back to the creditor. This only holds up if the bill was paid before the enforcement proposal was filed with the notary (check the date on the front stamp that says FILED)
In your case, the statute of limitations is likely 3 years. If you just want this mess over with, pay the bill. If you want to gamble, wait until December of this year when, in my opinion, the statute expires. Go ahead.
If the court forces you to pay $33 for the resolution of the objection, those $33 can be recovered from Verizon in the same way 😉

Ryan Lee2 said:So, my dad just started receiving survivor benefits after my mom passed away. She had some outstanding debts and garnishments tied to her accounts that she was paying off. Now that he’s officially opted to waive his own pension to take over hers, is it actually legal for those old collectors to come after his money too? Like, can they just attach her old debts to his new income?

I checked with two different sources. Here’s the deal. Taking over a survivor benefit is a statutory right, not an inheritance. That means there's no way creditors can jump on his pension based on her old debts. They might try to sue him over marital assets later, but that's a different story. Or they could target any property still sitting in her name.