How to Get Free Help to Stop Garnishing From Student Loans

The process of paying off student loans is a daunting task for many people. Adding to the challenge is dealing with collection efforts if your student loan payments become past due. One course that is taken in the collection of past due student loans is the garnishment of wages or bank accounts. Either type of garnishment seriously hampers your overall financial status. Facing either type (or even both types) of garnishment may motivate you to find free resources to assist in stopping this type of collection activity.

Instructions

1

Make an appointment to meet with an attorney at a legal aid organization in your area. Many communities maintain not-for-profit legal aid organizations that provide free or low cost legal assistance and representation in a variety of areas. Included in the list of legal services provided by these organizations is advice and representation relating to collection defense, including garnishments associated with students loans.

2

Contact the law clinic operated by a law school in you area. Virtually every law school in the United States maintains a clinical program through which students in their final year of study provide free legal services. These clinics typically provide representation to individuals like you dealing with debt and collection issues. Included on the list of services is assisting in stopping a garnishment arising out of student loan debt collection.

3

Schedule an appointment with a lawyer who previously provided you with legal services or an attorney who graduated from the same college or university you attended. Pay particular attention to a lawyer who is active in your school's alumni organization. Although this is not a guaranteed path to free assistance in stopping a garnishment related to a student loan, there are instances when an attorney will provide free legal advice or representation in this type of situation.

4

Telephone the state and local bar associations and see if they maintain a committee of attorneys available to provide pro bono (free) services to people like you dealing with student loan debt. Many of these organizations do sponsor pro bono efforts to aid consumers. Contact information for these groups is available from the American Bar Association.