Failure to process a garnishment correctly can leave a financial institution directly liable for the funds it failed to deliver.  In some states, that failure can make it liable for the entire amount of the judgment.   In this compliance arena, decisions must be made quickly and correctly based on pre-established mechanisms.

When an account subject to garnishment receives certain identified federal recurring payments, Treasury Department regulations require that special routines be used to determine whether any of the funds in the account are protected under the regulation and to how to proceed in responding to the garnishment order. Failure to follow these special routines can result in remitting protected funds to the garnishor, which can cause an avoidable hardship for your depositor, or failing to remit the funds required, either of which risks liability for the bank.

Attendees at this webinar will receive information on –

• Which types of federal payments can be “protected funds” under Treasury’s rule
• The types of deposits covered by the rule
• What types of accounts are affected
• What happens to “protected funds” if they are transferred to other accounts
• How to recognize levies or garnishments covered by the rule
• How to recognize garnishments or levies exempted by the rule
• How to respond to garnishments when “protected funds” are involved
• How to complete an “account review” under the rule
• When the account review must be completed
• How many months of federal payments can be protected
• Multiple garnishment orders

This presentation does not address state rules on garnishments and levies. It focuses only on the Treasury Department’s regulation on Garnishment of Accounts Containing Federal Benefit Payments, 31 CFR Part 212.