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Garnish

1 min read


1 min read


IRS Definition:

An IRS levy permits the legal seizure of your property to satisfy a tax debt. It can garnish wages, take money in your bank or other financial account, seize and sell your vehicle(s), real estate and other personal property.

More from H&R Block:

A wage garnishment, also referred to as a levy, is an enforced collection procedure the IRS uses to collect unpaid taxes. The IRS sends a notice to your employer that requires them to withhold a portion of your wages and send those funds to the IRS.

Your employer will use a table provided by the IRS to determine the amount of wages to be withheld based on your filing status and the number of exemptions you claim. If the wage garnishment prevents you from being able to pay basic expenses such as food and housing, contact the number on the IRS notice you received.

Learn about your options to address an unpaid tax bill.

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