Stop bank levy · Beverly Hills
Stop a Bank Levy in Beverly Hills and Protect Your Account
To stop a bank levy in Beverly Hills, a bankruptcy filing blocks new levies and can help you recover protected funds that were frozen. If your bank just froze your account, call (310) 362-9071 today. Frozen money is often turned over to the creditor within weeks.
- Filing stops new levies
- Exempt funds may be returned
- Levies in the 90 days before filing may be recovered
- Move fast: deadlines are short
Signs you are facing a bank levy
- Your bank says your account is frozen or on hold
- You received a Notice of Levy from the sheriff or a levying officer
- A creditor won a judgment against you, even if you were never served
- The IRS or Franchise Tax Board sent a final notice before levy
In California, a judgment creditor gets a writ of execution and has a levying officer serve your bank. The bank holds the money for a short time so you can claim exemptions, then sends what is not protected to the creditor.
How we stop a levy, step by step
- Find the deadline. We look at the levy notice to see when the bank will release the funds.
- Check exemptions first. Some money, such as Social Security and a small automatic amount in each account, is protected. A claim of exemption may get it back without bankruptcy.
- File if bankruptcy fits. When there are several debts or more levies coming, we file. New levies must stop.
- Notify the bank and levying officer. We send proof of filing so the hold is addressed.
- Seek return of funds. Protected funds, and in some cases levied money from the 90 days before filing, may be returned to you.
Cost and timeline
Our flat fees start at $1,200 plus the court filing fee, with payment plans. You get the exact fee in writing at the consultation.
Timing is the whole game with levies. The bank usually holds funds only for a short window before sending them to the creditor. Call the day you learn about the levy.
Bank levies in Los Angeles County
Most bank levies on Los Angeles County judgments are served through the Sheriff's civil division as levying officer. The notice you receive explains how to file a claim of exemption. Your bankruptcy is filed in the Los Angeles Division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California, at 255 East Temple Street.
California automatically protects a set amount in a deposit account and gives extra protection to Social Security and some other benefits. Keeping those benefits in a separate account makes them easier to protect.
Mistakes to avoid
- Waiting to see if it lifts. It will not. The funds go to the creditor after the hold.
- Mixing benefits with wages. Commingled funds are harder to trace and protect.
- Opening a new account at the same bank. The next levy can reach it.
- Ignoring the notice. Claim-of-exemption deadlines are short.
Related services
Levies often come with paycheck garnishments, so read how to stop wage garnishment in Beverly Hills. If the creditor has not won yet, see how to stop creditor lawsuits. Or browse all of our bankruptcy service options.
More on lawsuits and collections
Bank levy questions
Will bankruptcy unfreeze my bank account?
Bankruptcy can help unfreeze your bank account. Filing stops new levies, and money that is exempt or was levied shortly before filing can often be returned. Funds already sent to the creditor are harder to recover, so act quickly.
Can a creditor levy my Social Security?
Generally, no. Social Security deposited directly into an account has special protection from most creditors. The bank must protect a set amount of those deposits automatically.
Can I get money back that was levied before I filed?
Sometimes you can get back money levied before filing. If more than $600 was taken within 90 days before filing, it may be recoverable, depending on your exemptions.
Does bankruptcy stop an IRS bank levy?
Yes, filing bankruptcy stops an IRS bank levy while the case is open. Whether the tax itself goes away depends on its age and type.
Free consultation
Act before the bank releases your money
Call (310) 362-9071 or send the form. Have the levy notice in hand.
Law Offices of John Asuncion9454 Wilshire Blvd., Penthouse Floor
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 362-9071
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.