Protecting the Rights of Consumers For Over 25 Years

Question: Can a bank account be garnished if it’s a joint account and the debt has nothing to do with me?

Answer: Yes. In Illinois, the funds in a joint account are presumed to be 100% the property of each account holder. All account holders have to be notified of the legal process. They can then come into court and show who the funds actually belong to.

Also note that there is a $4000 “wildcard” exemption that can be applied to a bank account.