After a debt judgment in New Jersey: 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). There is no separate bank account amount. Up to $1,000 of personal property, plus clothing, is protected.

How long it lasts
20 years
Interest after the judgment
See the rule

Some of New Jersey's rules rest on limited sources. Check the official sources below, or ask the court clerk or a legal aid office, before you rely on them.

Your paycheck after a judgment in New Jersey

Stricter than federal law. A wage execution cannot take more than 10% of your wages, unless your income is above 250% of the poverty level for your family size, when the court can order more. Federal limits still cap it.

Law: N.J.S.A. 2A:17-56

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

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)

When a creditor freezes your account in New Jersey

There is no separate bank account amount. Up to $1,000 of personal property, plus clothing, is protected. Federal benefits such as Social Security are protected.

Law: N.J.S.A. 2A:17-19

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

The judgment's life in New Jersey

How long it lasts

A judgment can be revived, or sued on, within 20 years after its date, but not after that.

Law: N.J.S.A. 2A:14-5

Judgment interest and how long a judgment lasts, by state

What to do now in New Jersey

  1. Watch for notices

    Each notice may start a short deadline, so read it right away.

  2. Find where your money comes from

    Benefit letters and bank statements show which money is exempt.

  3. Claim your exemptions

    Ask the court clerk for the exemption form.

  4. Attend the hearing

    Bring your proof to the hearing if the creditor objects.

  5. Ask for free help

    Legal aid can help for free: Legal Services of New Jersey (LSNJ) Legal Hotline.

Free help in New Jersey

Questions about collection after a judgment in New Jersey

Can a judgment be renewed in New Jersey?

A judgment can be revived, or sued on, within 20 years after its date, but not after that.

Can a creditor take my paycheck in New Jersey?

Stricter than federal law. A wage execution cannot take more than 10% of your wages, unless your income is above 250% of the poverty level for your family size, when the court can order more. Federal limits still cap it.

What is a bank levy in New Jersey?

There is no separate bank account amount. Up to $1,000 of personal property, plus clothing, is protected. Federal benefits such as Social Security are protected.

More for New Jersey

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources