Can creditors come after my social security disability income in the form of a lean for unpaid debts?

Question

Question: I owe a lot of money to some creditors. The only income I have is social security disability, plus I also own my house. Can the credit card company get a social security disability lien and take my income or my house?

Response: The credit card company itself cannot take anything or put a social security disability lien on your income. A lien can only be put on a home and income can only be garnished by a court of law, so your creditors would first have to get a judgment against you. Often, credit card companies do not pursue this because it is expensive. Even if the credit card companies do get a judgment against you, courts typically will not garnish, or take money, from social security disability income in order to pay a judgment unless you owe money to the IRS or for student loans that have different repayment rules and laws.

If the credit card company gets a judgment against you, it is possible the court could put a lien on your house if you cannot pay the judgment, but this is relatively rare. Your best option would be to contact a qualified attorney who specializes in credit card debt settlement or negotiation before the case escalates to the point where a lien or garnishment becomes a possibility.

Answered by Christy Rakoczy

Additional Resource: Property Liens

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