A wage garnishment is one of the most severe actions the IRS can take against your income. Once it starts, a portion of your paycheck is taken before you are paid, leaving you with little control over how much money you bring home. For many taxpayers, this disruption happens suddenly and immediately impacts rent, mortgage payments, utilities, and basic living expenses.
What makes wage garnishment especially dangerous is that it continues every pay period until the IRS decides otherwise. The longer it goes unaddressed, the more financial pressure it creates and the harder it can feel to catch up.
The good news is this: wage garnishments are not permanent, and in many cases, they can be stopped faster than most people realize. The IRS provides multiple ways to release or suspend a garnishment, but only if the right steps are taken, in the right order, and without delay.
Time matters. Your options depend heavily on where you are in the process and how quickly you act. The guide below breaks down exactly what to do, step by step, so you can stop the garnishment, protect your paycheck, and regain control of your financial stability as soon as possible.
Step 1: Confirm Who Is Garnishing Your Wages
Not all wage garnishments are the same. Before taking action, confirm:
- Is the garnishment from the IRS or a state tax agency?
- Is it for income tax, payroll tax, or another obligation?
- Has your employer already received the garnishment order?
The IRS typically issues a wage levy, while states may follow slightly different procedures. Knowing the source matters because resolution options and timelines differ. If your employer has received official paperwork, the garnishment is already active or imminent and should be treated as urgent.
Step 2: Understand Why the Garnishment Started
Wage garnishments do not happen without warning. In most IRS cases, they occur after:
- Unpaid tax balances go unresolved
- Multiple notices are ignored or unanswered
- Deadlines to appeal or respond expire
Common triggers include unfiled tax returns, unpaid balances from past years, penalties and interest compounding, or payroll tax issues for business owners. Understanding the underlying cause helps determine the fastest and most effective way to stop the garnishment.
Step 3: Contact a Tax Professional Immediately
Once a garnishment begins, waiting rarely improves the situation. Each pay period that passes means lost income you may not recover. At this stage, the IRS is no longer asking for cooperation. Reach out to a tax professional to assess the situation and create a plan. Action must be taken to qualify for a release, suspension, or alternative resolution. Quick action can often stop wage garnishment before or shortly after the first paycheck is affected.
Step 4: Determine the Best Resolution Option
There are several ways to stop wage garnishment, but not every option applies to every situation. The most common include:
Installment Agreement
Setting up an approved and negotiated installment plan can stop garnishment by demonstrating compliance. Once the IRS agrees to the plan, the levy is typically released.
Currently Not Collectible Status
If paying would cause financial hardship, the IRS may pause collection entirely. This can suspend garnishment while your financial situation stabilizes.
Offer in Compromise
In some cases, settling the tax debt for less than the full amount owed can stop collection actions entirely once accepted or properly submitted.
Penalty Abatement or Error Correction
If penalties or incorrect assessments triggered the debt, correcting those issues can reduce or eliminate the underlying balance causing the garnishment.
The correct option depends on income, assets, filing status, and compliance history.
Step 5: Communicate With the IRS the Right Way
Calling the IRS without preparation can backfire. Improper statements or incomplete financial disclosures may delay relief or worsen the situation.
At this stage, communication should be:
- Accurate
- Strategically framed
- Backed by documentation
Tax consultants act as authorized representatives, communicating directly with the IRS on your behalf and ensuring conversations are productive rather than damaging. Once a valid resolution path is established, the IRS can issue a release of levy, formally stopping the garnishment.
Step 6: Ensure Your Employer Receives the Release
Stopping a garnishment is not complete until your employer receives official confirmation.
After the IRS issues a levy release, it must be sent to your employer and processed through payroll. This step is critical, as delays can result in continued withholding even after approval.
Monitoring this final step ensures your wages are fully restored.
Step 7: Stay Compliant Going Forward
Stopping the garnishment solves the immediate problem, but long-term success requires compliance.
This typically means:
- Filing all required tax returns on time
- Making agreed payments consistently
- Avoiding new tax balances
Failure to stay compliant can result in garnishment being reinstated, often with less flexibility than before.
Why Professional Help Often Speeds Things Up
While it is possible to resolve garnishments on your own, many people struggle with delays, miscommunication, or choosing the wrong resolution path.
A tax consultant can:
- Identify the fastest viable option
- Communicate directly with the IRS on your behalf
- Prevent costly mistakes during negotiations
- Stop garnishment sooner rather than later
When wages are already being withheld, speed and accuracy matter.
Stopping a Wage Garnishment Is Possible
A wage garnishment is serious, but it is not a life sentence, and it does not mean you have run out of options. Even after garnishment has started, the IRS allows several paths to stop or suspend the levy and replace it with a structured, manageable solution. What matters most is how quickly and correctly you respond.
Every paycheck that is garnished reduces your ability to cover essential expenses and regain financial stability. Unfortunately, many people freeze, hoping the situation will resolve itself or fearing that contacting the IRS will make things worse. In reality, doing nothing is the most damaging choice. Inaction allows the garnishment to continue indefinitely, drains income week after week, and limits your leverage when it comes time to negotiate relief.
The earlier you act, the more control you maintain over the outcome. Prompt action opens the door to options such as payment plans, hardship-based relief, or negotiated settlements; options that can immediately stop the garnishment and restore access to your wages. Delays, on the other hand, can reduce flexibility and increase the financial and emotional toll.
Professional guidance often makes the difference between prolonged withholding and a fast resolution. Experienced tax professionals understand how the IRS evaluates garnishment cases, how to present financial information strategically, and how to pursue the quickest path to release. When handled properly, many garnishments can be stopped before additional paychecks are affected.
If you are facing a wage garnishment, now is the time to take control. Anderson Bradshaw Tax Consultants can review your situation, identify the most effective solution, and act quickly to protect your income. The sooner you take action, the sooner you can replace uncertainty and stress with a clear plan and start moving forward with confidence.
Get in touch with us today by calling 877.550.3911 or visit www.AndersonBradshawTax.com to learn more.
