Nearly all states exempt a part of your income from garnishment.  But in most cases, you have to ask the judge at your hearing to apply for exemptions. If you fail, your state’s exemptions may not apply. In some states, the amount exempted is pitifully low.  Most federal benefits are exempt from garnishment other than in exceptional circumstances, such as when that garnishment is happening because you owe back taxes or late child support payments.  The problem here is identifying which deposits are federal benefits and which are other forms of income. The easiest way to avoid confusion is to have a separate account in which all your exempt benefits are directly deposited – and only those benefits. That way, anyone can see by glancing at your statements that the account’s contents are exempt.