28 U.S.C. § 3204

Current through P.L. 118-106 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/04/2024)

Section 3204 - Installment payment order

(a) AUTHORITY TO ISSUE ORDER.-Subject to subsection (c), if it is shown that the judgment debtor-

(1) is receiving or will receive substantial nonexempt disposable earnings from self employment that are not subject to garnishment; or

(2) is diverting or concealing substantial earnings from any source, or property received in lieu of earnings;

then upon motion of the United States and notice to the judgment debtor, the court may, if appropriate, order that the judgment debtor make specified installment payments to the United States. Notice of the motion shall be served on the judgment debtor in the same manner as a summons or by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested. In fixing the amount of the payments, the court shall take into consideration after a hearing, the income, resources, and reasonable requirements of the judgment debtor and the judgment debtor's dependents, any other payments to be made in satisfaction of judgments against the judgment debtor, and the amount due on the judgment in favor of the United States.

(b) MODIFICATION OF ORDER.-On motion of the United States or the judgment debtor, and upon a showing that the judgment debtor's financial circumstances have changed or that assets not previously disclosed by the judgment debtor have been discovered, the court may modify the amount of payments, alter their frequency, or require full payment.

(c) LIMITATION.-

(1) An order may not be issued under subsection (a), and if so issued shall have no force or effect, against a judgment debtor with respect to whom there is in effect a writ of garnishment of earnings issued under this chapter and based on the same debt.

(2) An order may not be issued under subsection (a) with respect to any earnings of the debtor except nonexempt disposable earnings.

28 U.S.C. § 3204

Added Pub. L. 101-647, §3611, 104 Stat. 4955.

STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

EFFECTIVE DATESection effective 180 days after Nov. 29, 1990, and applicable with respect to certain actions for debts owed the United States pending in court on that effective date, see section 3631 of Pub. L. 101-647, set out as a note under section 3001 of this title.

Court: "Court" means any court created by the Congress of the United States, excluding the United States Tax Court.
Debt: "Debt" means-(A) an amount that is owing to the United States on account of a direct loan, or loan insured or guaranteed, by the United States; or(B) an amount that is owing to the United States on account of a fee, duty, lease, rent, service, sale of real or personal property, overpayment, fine, assessment, penalty, restitution, damages, interest, tax, bail bond forfeiture, reimbursement, recovery of a cost incurred by the United States, or other source of indebtedness to the United States, but that is not owing under the terms of a contract originally entered into by only persons other than the United States;and includes any amount owing to the United States for the benefit of an Indian tribe or individual Indian, but excludes any amount to which the United States is entitled under section 3011(a).
Debtor: "Debtor" means a person who is liable for a debt or against whom there is a claim for a debt.
Earnings: "Earnings" means compensation paid or payable for personal services, whether denominated as wages, salary, commission, bonus, or otherwise, and includes periodic payments pursuant to a pension or retirement program.
Judgment: "Judgment" means a judgment, order, or decree entered in favor of the United States in a court and arising from a civil or criminal proceeding regarding a debt.
Nonexempt disposable earnings: "Nonexempt disposable earnings" means 25 percent of disposable earnings, subject to section 303 of the Consumer Credit Protection Act.
Property: "Property" includes any present or future interest, whether legal or equitable, in real, personal (including choses in action), or mixed property, tangible or intangible, vested or contingent, wherever located and however held (including community property and property held in trust (including spendthrift and pension trusts)), but excludes-(A) property held in trust by the United States for the benefit of an Indian tribe or individual Indian; and(B) Indian lands subject to restrictions against alienation imposed by the United States.
United States: "United States" means-(A) a Federal corporation;(B) an agency, department, commission, board, or other entity of the United States; or(C) an instrumentality of the United States.