During this time of economic turmoil debtors in distress find themselves wondering: Will my wages be garnished? In deciding how to handle mounting debt, consumers should know that it is a very possible reality.

Garnishment occurs after a creditor or debt collector has obtained a judgment against you in court for the money you owe. To make sure that you pay that judgment, the court orders your employer to pay a certain portion of your wages (sometimes as much as 25 percent) directly to your creditor every payday until your debt is paid in full. For people facing financial hardship, this can turn a bad situation into an even worse nightmare.

If your employer does not already know about your embarrassing debt problems, he will once garnishment is ordered. And making matters worse, most people cannot afford to have 25 percent of their wages garnished.

To stop wage garnishment from happening to you, do not ignore phone calls or notices you receive in the mail. Instead be proactive about dealing with the problem before you are subject to court garnishment orders. To do this, you will need to call the creditor or collector and try to work out a payment plan. Take creditor threats to sue you seriously; failure do so can result in not wondering, “Will my Wages be Garnished,” but actually experiencing it!