Social Security and Bankruptcy

FUTURE socialsecurity

Can a Bankruptcy Trustee Take My Social Security?

When you file a bankruptcy petition, you are asking for court-ordered protection from your creditors. A court-appointed trustee will take any assets the law does not exempt from seizure. These assets are taken to satisfy your outstanding debts and can include:
  • personal property
  • vehicles
  • cash
  • a portion of your wages

Social Security Exemption

By federal law, monthly Social Security benefits that you receive are exempt from seizure or garnishment, except:
  • unpaid federal income taxes
  • student loans
  • back child support
If you file for bankruptcy, your Social Security benefits remain exempt from seizure by the court trustee, while all collection actions are put on hold by a court-ordered stay.

Social Security Back Benefits

If you have received a lump-sum benefit from Social Security, it may be exempt from seizure, depending on how you handle the money. When you apply for Social Security disability benefits, you may be entitled to a lump-sum back benefit on approval of your claim.

The agency pays back benefits effective up to 12 months before the date of your application; the exact date depends on when the agency establishes the “onset,” or beginning date, of your disability.

Many disability beneficiaries are entitled to sizable back-benefit awards because the approval process can take as long as two years or more.

Separate Accounts

The bankruptcy trustee may seize a lump sum back benefit that you collect before filing for bankruptcy if you do not keep the money in a separate account. If Social Security deposits the money into a bank account that also holds other income, then the funds may be considered “commingled” if you or the trustee cannot identify the portion of the account that consists solely of the Social Security lump sum.

The trustee may consider the money as exempt after you apply certain exemptions allowed for cash or the “wildcard” exemption for property of your choosing.

It is important to set up a separate and dedicated account for lump-sum benefits, so they cannot be seized by a bankruptcy trustee.

Exemptions After Bankruptcy

While your Chapter 7 bankruptcy case is pending, all creditors are stayed from collection actions by federal law, but non-dischargeable debts will survive the bankruptcy.

After the bankruptcy case closes, the IRS can levy a portion of your Social Security benefits — whether or not they are in a separate account — for back taxes, and the federal government can seek repayment of a federally backed loan.

Social Security benefits are never exempt from a child-support order. If you would like more information about bankruptcy, contact the Law Office of Howard Tagg today at (903) 581-9961 to schedule your free consultation or fill out the form below.

 

 

 

 

 

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