After a debt judgment in Massachusetts: garnishment, bank levy, exemptions

What can be taken from your pay and bank account, and how to claim exempt money.

Checked against official sources: Oct 24, 2026.

Short answer

After a judgment, the creditor can ask the court to take part of your pay or freeze your bank account, but some money is exempt (protected by law). In small claims, the court holds a payment hearing; income from unemployment, workers' compensation, Social Security, SSI and other public benefits is exempt from any payment order, as is the protected part of your wages.

How long it lasts
20 years
Interest after the judgment
12%
Exemption form
Official exemption form

Protecting exempt money in Massachusetts

In small claims, the court holds a payment hearing; income from unemployment, workers' compensation, Social Security, SSI and other public benefits is exempt from any payment order, as is the protected part of your wages. Bring proof of your income and benefits. In supplementary process (c. 224), the court can order payments only from income above the exempt amount and must dismiss the case for a debtor 60 or older or disabled who has no non-exempt property or income.

Law: M.G.L. c. 246, §§ 28, 28A, 32; c. 224, § 16; Uniform Small Claims Rules 7A-7B

Official exemption form

Count your deadline to claim an exemption

The date is counted in your browser.

Read the notice you got from the court, your bank or your employer.

An estimate from our state data, not legal advice. Court holidays and local rules can change a deadline. File early, and ask the court clerk if you are not sure.

Exemption claim cover letter

How long a judgment lasts in Massachusetts

Interest after the judgment

In a contract case, interest is added at the contract rate if one was set, or otherwise at 12% a year, and the judgment keeps earning interest at the same rate from the day it is entered.

How long it lasts

A judgment is presumed paid after 20 years. An original execution must be issued within 1 year after the creditor is entitled to it; later (alias) executions can be issued and last 5 years each.

Law: M.G.L. c. 231, § 6C; c. 235, §§ 8, 17; c. 260, § 20

Judgment interest and how long a judgment lasts, by state

Wage garnishment in Massachusetts

Stricter than federal – you keep the greater of 85% of your gross wages or 50 times the higher of the federal or Massachusetts hourly minimum wage, for each week. Wages can be taken only with a judge's written permission, after you get at least 10 days' written notice and a chance to object at a hearing.

Law: M.G.L. c. 246, § 28; c. 246, § 32, clause Eighth

These garnishment limits are from our sister site, which checks them against official sources: Debt Collector Map: Massachusetts

For an ordinary debt, a creditor can take at most 25% of your take-home pay, or the part above 30 times the federal minimum wage if that is less. Many states protect more.

Law: 15 U.S.C. 1673(a)

Your bank account after a judgment in Massachusetts

The creditor serves a trustee summons on your bank. $2,500 in your accounts is automatically exempt; the bank may hold only the amount over $2,500. $2,500 in cash, savings or other bank deposits is also exempt from execution.

Law: M.G.L. c. 246, § 28A; c. 235, § 34, clause Fifteenth

Your bank must protect up to two months of Social Security, SSI, VA and some other federal benefits that were paid into your account by direct deposit. You don't have to ask.

Law: 31 CFR 212.5, 212.6

What to do now in Massachusetts

  1. Read every notice

    Notices from the court, your bank or your employer can carry short deadlines.

  2. Gather proof

    Get bank statements and benefit award letters: they prove the source of the money.

  3. Claim your exemptions

    In Massachusetts: In small claims, the court holds a payment hearing; income from unemployment, workers' compensation, Social Security, SSI and other public benefits is exempt from any payment order, as is the protected part of your wages.

  4. Attend the hearing

    Bring your proof to the hearing if the creditor objects.

Where to get free help in Massachusetts

Questions about collection after a judgment in Massachusetts

How much interest does a judgment add in Massachusetts?

In a contract case, interest is added at the contract rate if one was set, or otherwise at 12% a year, and the judgment keeps earning interest at the same rate from the day it is entered.

How long does a judgment last in Massachusetts?

A judgment is presumed paid after 20 years. An original execution must be issued within 1 year after the creditor is entitled to it; later (alias) executions can be issued and last 5 years each.

Can my wages be garnished in Massachusetts?

Stricter than federal – you keep the greater of 85% of your gross wages or 50 times the higher of the federal or Massachusetts hourly minimum wage, for each week. Wages can be taken only with a judge's written permission, after you get at least 10 days' written notice and a chance to object at a hearing.

Can my bank account be frozen in Massachusetts?

The creditor serves a trustee summons on your bank. $2,500 in your accounts is automatically exempt; the bank may hold only the amount over $2,500. $2,500 in cash, savings or other bank deposits is also exempt from execution.

How do I claim an exemption in Massachusetts?

In small claims, the court holds a payment hearing; income from unemployment, workers' compensation, Social Security, SSI and other public benefits is exempt from any payment order, as is the protected part of your wages. Bring proof of your income and benefits. In supplementary process (c. 224), the court can order payments only from income above the exempt amount and must dismiss the case for a debtor 60 or older or disabled who has no non-exempt property or income.

Related Massachusetts pages

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources