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Garnishment of Accounts Containing 

Federal Benefit Payments

(31 CFR 212)

Background and Overview

Many consumers receive Federal benefit payments that are protected under Federal law from 

being accessed or “garnished” by creditors, other than the United States government and certain 

State agencies, through a garnishment order or similar written instruction issued by a court. 

Despite these protections, developments in debt collection practices and technology, including 

the direct deposit of benefits, have led to an increase in the freezing of accounts containing 

Federal benefit payments by financial institutions that receive a garnishment order. As a result, 

the Department of the Treasury (Fiscal Service), the Social Security Administration, the 

Department of Veterans Affairs, the Railroad Retirement Board, and the Office of Personnel 

Management have jointly issued a rule1 (interagency regulation or regulation) that a financial 

institution must follow when it receives a garnishment order against an account holder who 

receives certain Federal benefit payments by direct deposit. The types of Federal benefit 

payments covered by the interagency regulation are:

• Social Security benefits;

• Supplemental Security Income benefits;

• Veterans benefits;

• Federal Railroad retirement, unemployment and sickness benefits;

• Civil Service Retirement System benefits; and

• Federal Employee Retirement System benefits.

The Federal banking agencies are responsible for enforcing compliance with this regulation.2 

Under the regulation, generally, financial institutions that receive a garnishment order are 

required to follow certain procedures, including the following: (1) determine whether any 

account held by the named account holder received exempt Federal payments by direct deposit; 

(2) determine the sum of protected Federal benefits deposited to each individual account during a 

two-month period; and (3) ensure that the account holder has access to an amount equal to that 

sum or to the current balance of such account(s), whichever is lower.

When a financial institution receives a garnishment order, it must first determine whether the 

order was obtained by the United States or issued by a State child support enforcement agency.

3

If so, the financial institution follows its customary procedures for handling the order since 

Federal benefit payments can generally be accessed or garnished by such agencies.

 1 Final rule published in the Federal Register on May 29, 2013. Effective June 28, 2013. 78 FR at 32099. Interim 

final rule published in the Federal Register on February 23, 2011. Effective May 1, 2011. 76 FR at 9939. 2 The regulation specifically defines “Federal banking agency” to include: the Federal Deposit Insurance 

Corporation, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 

and the National Credit Union Administration. See 31 CFR 212.3. 3 A State child support enforcement agency is the single and separate organizational unit in a State that has the 

responsibility for administering or supervising the State's plan for child and spousal support pursuant to Title IV, 

Part D, of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 654. See 31 CFR 212.3.
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If the garnishment order was not obtained by the United States or issued by a State child support 

enforcement agency, the financial institution must follow the interagency regulation to protect 

Federal benefit payments directly deposited into a consumer’s account during a two-month 

“lookback” period. The interagency regulation contains provisions on the timing of an account 

review, the determination of the protected amount, notice to the account holder (including a 

model form) regarding the garnishment order, and record retention. In addition, the interagency

regulation allows a financial institution to rely on the presence of certain ACH identifiers (i.e., 

character “XX” encoded in the appropriate positions of the “Company Entry Description” field

and the number “2” in the “Originator Status Code” field of the Batch Header Record) to 

determine whether a direct deposit payment is a Federal benefit payment for purposes of the

regulation. 

The financial institution must notify the account holder that the financial institution has received 

a garnishment order, if all of the following conditions are met: (1) a covered benefit agency 

deposited a benefit payment into an account during the lookback period; (2) the balance in the 

account on the date of account review was above zero dollars and the financial institution 

established a protected amount; and (3) there are funds in the account in excess of the protected 

amount. For an account containing a protected amount, the financial institution may not charge 

or collect a garnishment fee against the protected amount. The financial institution may charge 

or collect a garnishment fee against additional funds deposited to the account up to five business 

days after the account review date. 

Scope (31 CFR 212.2)

The interagency regulation applies to financial institutions that hold accounts into which the 

following benefits have been directly deposited:

(1) Social Security Administration

• Social Security benefits

• Supplemental Security Income benefits

(2) Department of Veterans Affairs

• Veterans benefits

(3) Railroad Retirement Board

• Federal Railroad retirement, unemployment and sickness benefits

(4) Office of Personnel Management

• Civil Service Retirement System benefits

• Federal Employee Retirement System benefits
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Definitions (31 CFR 212.3)

Account means an account, including a master account or subaccount, at a financial institution to 

which an electronic payment may be directly routed.4

Account holder means a natural person against whom a garnishment order is issued and whose 

name appears in a financial institution's records as the direct or beneficial owner of an account.

Account review means the process of examining deposits in an account to determine if a benefit 

agency has deposited a benefit payment into the account during the lookback period.

Benefit agency means the Social Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, 

the Railroad Retirement Board, or the Office of Personnel Management.

Benefit payment means a Federal benefit payment referred to in 31 CFR 212.2(b) paid by direct 

deposit to an account with the character “XX” encoded in positions 54 and 55 of the Company 

Entry Description field and the number “2” encoded in the Originator Status Code field of the 

Batch Header Record of the direct deposit entry.5

Freeze or account freeze means an action by a financial institution to seize, withhold, or preserve 

funds, or to otherwise prevent an account holder from drawing on or transacting against funds in 

an account, in response to a garnishment order.

Garnish or garnishment means execution, levy, attachment, garnishment, or other legal process.

Garnishment fee means any service or legal processing fee, charged by a financial institution to 

an account holder, for processing a garnishment order or any associated withholding or release of 

funds.

Garnishment order or order means a writ, order, notice, summons, judgment, levy, or similar 

written instruction issued by a court, a State or State agency, a municipality or municipal 

corporation, or a State child support enforcement agency, including a lien arising by operation of 

law for overdue child support or an order to freeze the assets in an account, to effect a 

garnishment against a debtor.

Lookback period means the two-month period that (a) begins on the date preceding the date of 

account review and (b) ends on the corresponding date of the month two months earlier, or on 

the last date of the month two months earlier if the corresponding date does not exist. 

 4 An account does not include an account to which a benefit payment is subsequently transferred following its initial 

delivery by direct deposit to another account. See 76 FR at 9950. If a payment recipient is assigned a customer 

number that serves as a “prefix” for individual sub-accounts, the individual sub-account (and not the “master 

account”) is subject to the account review and lookback. See 78 FR at 32100. 5 For more information, see the Treasury Department’s “Guidelines for Garnishment of Accounts Containing 

Federal Benefit Payments” (http://www.fms.treas.gov/greenbook/guidelines_garnish0311.pdf).
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For example, under this definition, the lookback period that begins on November 15 would 

end on September 15. On the other hand, the lookback period that begins on April 30 would 

end on February 28 (or 29 in a leap year), to reflect the fact that there are not 30 days in 

February.

Other examples illustrating the application of this definition are included in Appendix C of 

the interagency regulation.

Protected amount means the lesser of:

(1) The sum of all benefit payments posted to an account between the close of business on 

the beginning date of the lookback period and the open of business on the ending date of 

the lookback period; or 

(2) The balance in an account when the account review is performed.

6

Examples illustrating the application of this definition are included in Appendix C of the 

interagency regulation.

Initial Action upon Receipt of a Garnishment Order (31 CFR 212.4)

Within two business days after receiving a garnishment order, and prior to taking any other 

action related to the order, a financial institution must determine whether the order was obtained 

by the United States or issued by a State child support enforcement agency.7

 To make this 

determination, the financial institution may rely on a “Notice of Right to Garnish Federal 

Benefits” (see Appendix B of the interagency regulation). For such orders obtained by the 

United States or issued by a State child support enforcement agency, the financial institution 

should not follow the interagency regulation but instead should follow its customary procedures 

for handling a garnishment order. 

For all other garnishment orders, the financial institution is required to follow the procedures in 

31 CFR 212.5 and 212.6.

If a financial institution will not act on a garnishment order due to the operation of State law, the 

financial institution need not examine the order to determine if a Notice of Right to Garnish 

Federal Benefits is attached or included, or take any of the additional steps required under the 

rule.8

 6 The account balance includes intraday items such as ATM or cash withdrawals. The balance does not include any 

line of credit associated with the account. See 78 FR at 32101-32102. 7 Financial institutions will not violate State law by utilizing the two-day period, because the rule preempts any State 

requirement that an order be processed on the day of receipt. See 78 FR at 32104. 8 State law is not inconsistent with the interagency regulation if it protects benefit payments in an account from 

being frozen or garnished at a higher protected amount than required under the regulation. For further discussion on 

preemption of State law (31 CFR 212.9), see “Comments and Analysis” section in Part II of Supplementary 

Information of the final rule. See 78 FR at 32106-32107. 
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Account Review (31 CFR 212.5)

Timing of account review. After having been served a garnishment order issued against a

debtor, a financial institution must perform an account review:

(1) No later than two business days following receipt of both the garnishment order and 

sufficient information from the creditor to determine whether the debtor is an account 

holder; or

(2) By a later date permitted by the creditor in situations where the financial institution is 

served a batch of a large number of orders. The date must be consistent with the 

terms of the orders and the financial institution must maintain records on such batches 

and creditor permissions, consistent with 31 CFR 212.11(b).

No benefit payment deposited during lookback period. If the account review shows that a 

benefit agency did not deposit a benefit payment into the account during the lookback period, 

then the financial institution should follow its customary procedures for handling the 

garnishment order and not the procedures in 31 CFR 212.6.

Benefit payment deposited during lookback period. If the account review shows that a benefit 

agency deposited a benefit payment into the account during the lookback period, then the 

financial institution must follow the procedures in 31 CFR 212.6.

Uniform application of account review. The financial institution must perform an account 

review without consideration for any other attributes of the account or the garnishment order, 

such as:

(1) The presence of other funds, from whatever source, that may be commingled in the 

account with funds from a benefit payment;

(2) The existence of a co-owner on the account;

(3) The existence of benefit payments to multiple beneficiaries, and/or under multiple 

programs, deposited in the account;

(4) The balance in the account, provided the balance is above zero dollars on the date of 

account review;

(5) Instructions to the contrary in the order; or 

(6) The nature of the debt or obligation underlying the order.

Priority of account review. The financial institution must perform the account review prior to 

taking any other actions related to the garnishment order that may affect funds in the account. 
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Separate account reviews. The financial institution must perform an account review separately 

for each account in the name of an account holder against whom a garnishment order has been 

issued. In performing account reviews for multiple accounts in the name of one account holder, 

a financial institution must not trace the movement of funds between accounts by attempting to 

associate funds from a benefit payment deposited into one account with amounts subsequently 

transferred to another account.

Rules and Procedures to Protect Benefits (31 CFR 212.6)

If an account review shows that covered Federal benefits have been directly deposited into an 

account during the lookback period, the financial institution must comply with the rules and 

procedures to protect Federal benefits set forth in 31 CFR 212.6. 

Protected amount. The financial institution must calculate and establish the protected amount for 

an account, ensuring that the account holder has full access to the protected amount.

9

 The 

financial institution may not freeze the protected amount in response to the garnishment order. 

Further, the account holder may not be required to assert any right of garnishment exemption 

prior to accessing the protected amount in the account.

Separate protected amounts. The financial institution must calculate and establish the protected 

amount separately for each account in the name of an account holder, consistent with the 

requirements in 31 CFR 212.5(f) to conduct distinct account reviews.

Funds in excess of the protected amount. For any funds in an account in excess of the protected 

amount, the financial institution must follow its customary procedures for handling garnishment 

orders, including the freezing of funds, provided they are consistent with paragraphs (f) and (g) 

of 31 CFR 212.6.

One-time account review process. The financial institution is only required to perform the 

account review one time after it receives a garnishment order. The financial institution should

not repeat the account review or take any other action related to the order if the same order is 

subsequently served again upon the financial institution. However, if the financial institution is 

subsequently served a new or different garnishment order against the same account holder, the 

financial institution must perform a separate and new account review.10

 9 Where an account holder had debit card access to an account prior to the receipt of a garnishment order, the 

requirement to provide “full and customary” access to the protected amount means the account holder should have 

debit card access to that amount. See 78 FR at 32104. Also, the interagency regulation does not limit a Federal 

credit union’s right to exercise its statutory lien authority against the protected amount in a member’s account. A 

lien may be enforced against an account when the member fails to satisfy an outstanding financial obligation due 

and payable to the Federal credit union. 12 U.S.C. 1757(11) and 12 CFR 701.39. 10 A “new” garnishment order means the creditor has gone back to court and obtained a new order, as opposed to refiling an order previously served (http:// www.fms.treas.gov/greenbook/FAQs-May-12-trsy-ver1.pdf). A 

garnishment order that is re-issued after the return date, under a different execution number, would not constitute a 

“new” garnishment order. 
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No continuing or periodic garnishment responsibilities. The financial institution may not 

continually garnish amounts deposited or credited to the account following the date of account 

review. It also must take no action to freeze any funds subsequently deposited or credited, unless 

the institution is served with a new or different garnishment order.

Impermissible garnishment fee. The financial institution may not charge or collect a garnishment 

fee against a protected amount. The financial institution may charge or collect a garnishment fee 

up to five business days after the account review if funds other than a benefit payment are 

deposited to the account within this period, provided that the fee may not exceed the amount of 

the non-benefit deposited funds.

Notice to the Account Holder (31 CFR 212.7)

A financial institution must send an account holder named in the garnishment order a notice if:

(1) A covered Federal benefit payment was directly deposited into an account during the 

lookback period; 

(2) The balance in the account on the date of account review was above zero dollars and 

the financial institution established a protected amount; and

(3) There are funds in the account in excess of the protected amount. 

Notice content. The notice must contain the following information in readily understandable 

language:

(1) The financial institution's receipt of an order against the account holder;

(2) The date on which the order was served; 

(3) A succinct explanation of garnishment;

(4) The financial institution's requirement under the interagency regulation to ensure that

account balances up to the protected amount specified in 31 CFR 212.3 are protected

and made available to the account holder if a benefit agency deposited a benefit

payment into the account in the last two months;

(5) The account subject to the order and the protected amount established by the financial

institution;

(6) The financial institution's requirement pursuant to State law to freeze other funds in the

account to satisfy the order and the amount frozen, if applicable;

(7) The amount of any garnishment fee charged to the account, consistent with 31 CFR

212.6;
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(8) A list of the Federal benefit payments subject to this interagency regulation, as

identified in 31 CFR 212.2(b);

(9) The account holder's right to assert against the creditor that initiated the order a further

garnishment exemption for amounts above the protected amount, by completing

exemption claim forms, contacting the court of jurisdiction, or contacting the creditor,

as customarily applicable for a given jurisdiction;

(10) The account holder's right to consult an attorney or legal aid service in asserting

 against the creditor that initiated the order a further garnishment exemption for

 amounts above the protected amount; and 

(11) The name of the creditor, and, if contact information is included in the order,

 means of contacting the creditor.

Optional notice content. The financial institution also may provide the account holder in readily 

understandable language any of the following information:

(1) The means of contacting a local free attorney or legal aid service;

(2) The means of contacting the financial institution; and

(3) A disclaimer that the financial institution is not providing legal advice by sending

the required notice to the account holder.

Amending notice content. The financial institution may also amend the content of the notice to 

integrate information about a State's garnishment rules and protections in order to avoid potential 

confusion or harmonize the notice with State requirements, or to provide more complete 

information about an account.

Notice delivery. The financial institution must issue the notice directly to the account holder, or 

to a fiduciary who administers the account and receives communications on behalf of the account 

holder. Only information and documents pertaining to the garnishment order (including other 

notices or forms that may be required under State or local law) may be included in the 

communication.

Notice timing. The financial institution must send the notice to the account holder within three

business days of the date of account review.

One notice for multiple accounts. The financial institution may issue one notice with 

information related to multiple accounts of an account holder.
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Record Retention (31 CFR 212.11)

A financial institution must maintain records of account activity and actions taken in response to 

a garnishment order, sufficient to demonstrate compliance with this part, for a period of not less 

than two years from the date on which the financial institution receives the garnishment order.11

Model Notice to Account Holder (31 CFR 212, Appendix A)

A financial institution may use the model notice found in Appendix A to the interagency

regulation to meet the requirements of 31 CFR 212.7. Although use of the model notice is not 

required, a financial institution using it properly is deemed to be in compliance with 31 CFR

212.7.

 11 The financial institution has discretion in deciding what documentation to retain. The appropriate documentation 

may vary depending on the circumstances of each situation. See 78 FR at 32107. 
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Examination Procedures

Initial Action upon Receipt of a Garnishment Order (31 CFR 212.4)

(1) Determine whether, prior to taking any action relating to a garnishment order, the financial 

institution reviewed the order within two business days of receiving the order to ascertain 

whether it was obtained by the United States or issued by a State child support enforcement 

agency. 

a) If the garnishment order was obtained by the United States or issued by a State child 

support enforcement agency as indicated by an attached or included Notice of Right to 

Garnish Federal Benefits, determine whether the financial institution followed its 

customary procedures to comply with the order.

b) If the garnishment order is not accompanied by a Notice of Right to Garnish Federal 

Benefits, proceed with the remaining examination procedures to determine whether the 

institution followed the requirements of 31 CFR 212.5 and 212.6.

Account Review (31 CFR 212.5)

(2) Determine whether the financial institution performed an account review:

a) No later than two business days following receipt of both the garnishment order and 

sufficient information from the creditor to determine whether the debtor is an account 

holder;

or

b) By a later date permitted by the creditor in situations where the financial institution is 

served a batch of a large number of orders. The date must be consistent with the terms of 

the orders and the financial institution must maintain records on such batches and creditor 

permissions consistent with 31 CFR 212.11(b).

Rules and Procedures to Protect Benefits (31 CFR 212.6)

(3) If an account review shows that a covered benefit agency deposited a benefit payment into an 

account during the lookback period (i.e., the preceding two-month period as defined in 31 

CFR 212.3), determine whether the financial institution has appropriately calculated and 

established the protected amount, and has done this separately for each account in the name 

of the account holder, if applicable. 

(4) Determine that the account holder has full and customary access to the protected amount 

established after the account review.
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(5) If a garnishment fee has been assessed, determine that it was charged or collected up to five 

business days of the account review date and was not charged against a protected amount.

(6) For any funds in an account in excess of the protected amount, determine whether the 

financial institution followed its customary procedures for handling garnishment orders, 

including the freezing of funds.

(7) Determine whether the financial institution ceased to garnish amounts deposited or credited 

to the account following the date of account review.

(8) Determine whether the financial institution performed one-time account review upon the first 

service of the order and only took action to freeze funds subsequently deposited or credited if 

the institution was served with a new or different garnishment order consistent with the 

interagency regulation. 

Notice to the Account Holder (31 CFR 212.7)

(9) If a covered benefit agency deposited a benefit payment into an account during the lookback 

period, the balance in the account on the date of account review was above zero dollars, the 

financial institution established a protected amount, and there are funds in the account in 

excess of the protected amount, determine whether the financial institution sent a notice to 

the account holder named in the garnishment order in readily understandable language within 

three business days of account review and included the following:

a) The financial institution's receipt of an order against the account holder.

b) The date on which the order was served.

c) A succinct explanation of garnishment.

d) The financial institution's requirement under the interagency regulation to ensure 

that account balances up to the protected amount specified in 31 CFR 212.3 are 

protected and made available to the account holder if a benefit agency deposited a 

benefit payment into the account in the last two months.

e) Identification of the account subject to the order and notice of the protected amount 

established by the financial institution.

f) The financial institution's requirement pursuant to State law to freeze other funds in 

the account to satisfy the order and the amount frozen, if applicable.

g) The amount of any garnishment fee charged to the account, consistent with 31 CFR 

212.6.

h) A list of the Federal benefit payments subject to this interagency regulation, as 

identified in 31 CFR 212.2(b).
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i) The account holder's right to assert against the creditor that initiated the order a 

further garnishment exemption for amounts above the protected amount, by 

completing exemption claim forms, contacting the court of jurisdiction, or 

contacting the creditor, as customarily applicable for a given jurisdiction.

j) The account holder's right to consult an attorney or legal aid service in asserting 

against the creditor that initiated the order a further garnishment exemption for 

amounts above the protected amount.

k) The name of the creditor, and, if contact information is included in the order, means 

of contacting the creditor.

A financial institution may also provide optional notice content or amend the notice content 

consistent with this section of the regulation. 

A financial institution may use the model notice in Appendix A of the interagency regulation to 

meet the requirements of 31 CFR 212.7. Although use of the model notice is not required, a 

financial institution that uses it properly is deemed to be in compliance with this section.

Record Retention (31 CFR 212.11)

(10) Determine whether the financial institution maintains records of account activity and

 actions taken in response to a garnishment order for at least two years from the date on

 which it receives the garnishment order.
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Garnishment of Accounts Containing 

Federal Benefit Payments

Examination Checklist 

Yes No NA

Initial Action upon Receipt of a Garnishment Order (31 CFR 212.4)

1. Does the financial institution, within two business 

days after receiving a garnishment order, review a 

garnishment order before taking any other action 

with regard to the order to ascertain whether the 

order is obtained by the United States or issued by a 

State child support enforcement agency?

• If a garnishment order is obtained by the United 

States or issued by a State child support 

enforcement agency as indicated by an attached 

or included Notice of Right to Garnish Federal 

Benefits, does the financial institution follow its 

customary procedures to comply with the order?

If a garnishment order is not accompanied by a Notice of Right to Garnish 

Federal Benefits, proceed with the remaining examination procedures to 

determine whether the institution follows the requirements of 31 CFR 212.5 

and 212.6.

Account Review (31 CFR 212.5)

2. Does the financial institution perform an account 

review:

• No later than two business days following 

receipt of both the garnishment order and 

sufficient information from the creditor to 

determine whether the debtor is an account 

holder; 

or

• By a later date permitted by the creditor in 

situations where the financial institution is 

served a batch of a large number of orders? 

NOTE: The date must be consistent with the 

terms of the orders and the financial institution 

must maintain records on such batches and 

creditor permissions consistent with 31 CFR 

212.11(b).
Page 14 of 16

Garnishment of Accounts Containing 

Federal Benefit Payments

Examination Checklist 

Yes No NA

Rules and Procedures to Protect Benefits (31 CFR 212.6) 

3. If an account review shows that a covered benefit 

agency deposited a benefit payment into an account 

during the lookback period (i.e., during the 

preceding two month period as defined in 31 CFR 

212.3), does the financial institution appropriately 

calculate and establish the protected amount, and if 

applicable, do this separately for each account in the 

name of the account holder?

4. Does the financial institution refrain from charging 

or collecting a garnishment fee against the protected 

amount?

5. Does the financial institution refrain from charging 

or collecting a garnishment fee against additional 

funds deposited to the account after five business 

days of the account review date?

6. For any funds in an account in excess of the 

protected amount, does the financial institution 

follow its customary procedures for handling 

garnishment orders, including the freezing of funds?

7. Does the financial institution cease to garnish 

amounts deposited or credited to the account 

following the date of account review?

8. Does the financial institution perform a one-time 

account review upon the first service of the order 

and only take action to freeze funds subsequently 

deposited or credited, if the institution is served with 

a new or different garnishment order consistent with 

the interagency regulation?

Notice to the Account Holder (31 CFR 212.7) 

9. If a covered benefit agency (a) deposited a benefit 

payment into an account during the lookback period, 

(b) the balance in the account on date of account 

review was above zero dollars and the financial 

institution established a protected amount, and (c) 

there are funds in the account in excess of the 

protected amount, does the financial institution send 

a notice within three business days of account 

review to the account holder named in the 

garnishment order?

10. Does the notice include the following:
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Garnishment of Accounts Containing 

Federal Benefit Payments

Examination Checklist 

Yes No NA

• The financial institution's receipt of an order 

against the account holder?

• The date on which the order was served?

• A succinct explanation of garnishment?

• The financial institution's requirement under the 

interagency regulation to ensure that account 

balances up to the protected amount specified in 

31 CFR 212.3 are protected and made available 

to the account holder, if a benefit agency 

deposited a benefit payment into the account in 

the last two months?

• The account subject to the order and the 

protected amount established by the financial 

institution?

• The financial institution's requirement pursuant 

to State law to freeze other funds in the account 

to satisfy the order and the amount frozen, if 

applicable?

• The amount of any garnishment fee charged to 

the account, consistent with 31 CFR 212.6?

• A list of the benefit payments subject to this 

part, as identified in 31CFR 212.2(b)?

• The account holder's right to assert against the 

creditor that initiated the order a further

garnishment exemption for amounts above the 

protected amount, by completing exemption 

claim forms, contacting the court of jurisdiction, 

or contacting the creditor, as customarily 

applicable for a given jurisdiction?

• The account holder's right to consult an attorney 

or legal aid service in asserting against the 

creditor that initiated the order a further 

garnishment exemption for amounts above the 

protected amount?

• The name of the creditor, and, if contact 

information is included in the order, means of 

contacting the creditor?
Page 16 of 16

Garnishment of Accounts Containing 

Federal Benefit Payments

Examination Checklist 

Yes No NA

Record Retention (31 CFR 212.11)

11. Does the financial institution maintain records of 

account activity and actions taken in response to a 

garnishment order for at least two years from the 

date on which it receives the garnishment order?