If a creditor is taking money from your paycheck, one of the first questions is simply: when does this stop? In Virginia, a garnishment does not run forever on a single order, but it can be repeated — which is why acting to protect your money matters.
Garnishments run in cycles
A wage garnishment is created by a garnishment summons that covers a set period and lists a return date (court date) when the withheld money is turned over to the creditor. When that period ends, the garnishment on that summons ends. Check the return date (court date) printed on your summons — it tells you the deadline that matters most.
Creditors can garnish again
A creditor with an unpaid judgment can issue a new garnishment after the prior one ends, and can keep doing so until the judgment, interest, and costs are paid. That is why simply waiting out one garnishment rarely solves the problem.
How to protect and recover your money
The Virginia homestead exemption lets you protect a portion of your wages and bank funds. To use it, record a Virginia Homestead Deed in your Circuit Court land records and assert your homestead claim in the court handling the garnishment before the return date (court date). See how much you can protect, learn how to stop a garnishment in Virginia, or start your homestead deed online.