IRS Wage Garnishment & Levy Help Fort Lauderdale
By Chardley Point Du Jour, Enrolled Agent
Last updated: September 28, 2026
How does an IRS levy work?
An IRS levy is the legal seizure of your property to satisfy a tax debt. Before the IRS can levy your wages, it must send a Final Notice — Letter 1058 or LT11 — and give you 30 days to respond before collection action begins.
The process follows a strict sequence. First, the IRS assesses the tax and sends a bill (a notice of demand for payment). If the balance goes unpaid, the IRS sends the Final Notice of Intent to Levy — Letter 1058 or LT11. That notice is not a threat; it is the legal trigger that starts a 30-day window in which you can still act before the levy is carried out.
If nothing changes during that window, the IRS issues Form 668-W to your employer. That is the Notice of Levy on wages, and it requires your employer to withhold a large portion of each paycheck — leaving you only an exempt amount based on your filing status and dependents. Unlike a private garnishment, an IRS wage levy is not limited to 25% of disposable income; it can take the vast majority of your paycheck.
A wage levy stays in place until the debt is resolved or the IRS releases the levy. The sooner you respond after receiving the Final Notice, the more options remain open. PDJ Tax Experts reviews your notice and your situation in a free case review so you know exactly where you stand.
What is the 30-day Collection Due Process hearing?
Within 30 days of the date on your Final Notice (Letter 1058 or LT11), you can file Form 12153 to request a Collection Due Process hearing. Filing that request on time suspends all levy action while your case is reviewed.
Collection Due Process, or CDP, is your formal right to challenge the levy before an independent IRS appeals office. You request it by filing Form 12153, Request for a Collection Due Process or Equivalent Hearing, within 30 days of the date on your Final Notice.
Filing Form 12153 on time does two important things: it stops levy action while your case moves to Appeals, and it preserves your right to challenge how the IRS handled your case — including proposed collection alternatives such as an installment agreement or an Offer in Compromise.
The CDP deadline is one of the most time-sensitive dates in IRS collection. Missing it closes off a formal appeal route and lets the levy proceed. If you have a Final Notice in hand, treat the date printed on it as a hard deadline and get your situation reviewed before it expires.
How do I get an IRS levy released?
A levy is released when the debt is paid in full, when you enter an installment agreement the IRS accepts, or when you demonstrate that the levy creates an immediate economic hardship. Each path has requirements, and none is automatic.
The main routes to a levy release are:
- Pay in full. Once the balance, interest, and penalties are satisfied, the levy is released. This is rarely realistic for a large debt, but it is the fastest resolution.
- Installment agreement. A payment plan the IRS accepts can result in the levy being released, because collection is proceeding another way.
- Hardship release. If the levy prevents you from meeting basic living expenses — rent, food, utilities — you can request a release, and the case may be moved to currently-not-collectible status.
None of these happens on its own. Each requires accurate financial disclosure and the right forms, and hardship claims must be documented. A rejected request can cost weeks of pay, which is why PDJ Tax Experts starts with a free case review — to identify the path your finances actually support before anything is filed with the IRS.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I stop the IRS from garnishing my wages?
Pay in full, enter an installment agreement, get a levy release for hardship, or file a Collection Due Process hearing request (Form 12153) within 30 days of the Final Notice — that filing suspends levy action.
What is the 30-day deadline on my IRS notice?
From the date on Letter 1058/LT11 you have 30 days to request a CDP hearing; mailed and postmarked by day 30 counts as timely.
My employer got Form 668-W — what now?
Withholding starts with the next pay period; act before the first reduced paycheck if possible.
Can the IRS take money from my bank account?
Yes, via a bank levy (Form 668-A) after the same notice process.
Results vary by case. Prior outcomes do not guarantee or predict similar results in your situation. Release of a levy and eligibility for any collection alternative depend on your specific circumstances and IRS requirements. Nothing on this page is tax, legal, or financial advice.
The 30-Day Window Doesn't Wait
If you received a Final Notice of Intent to Levy — or your employer already got Form 668-W — every paycheck you wait costs you money. PDJ Tax Experts offers a free case review with an Enrolled Agent: we'll read the notice, explain your options, and tell you honestly which path — release, payment plan, or another resolution — fits your situation.
if you received a Final Notice, the clock is running.