A wage garnishment hits harder than almost any other IRS action.

One day, your paycheck looks normal.
The next day, the IRS has already taken 20–25% before you even see it.

In both Illinois and Nevada — for different reasons — losing that income creates immediate crisis:

In Peoria:

• Mortgage, utilities, groceries, car repairs, and medical bills are already tough to manage.

In Las Vegas:

• Rent, gas, insurance, and childcare are expensive, and most people rely heavily on consistent pay.

The good news is that wage garnishments can be stopped — and often faster than people expect.

Here’s the full guide.

How Wage Garnishment Works

Before the IRS can touch your paycheck, they must send:

• A series of collection notices

• Escalating warnings

• A Final Notice of Intent to Levy

When that final notice expires, the IRS can contact your employer and require them to:

• Deduct part of your wages

• Send it directly to the government

• Continue until the debt is resolved or the levy is released

There is no judge and no court case first.

Why Wage Levies Hit Illinois Residents Hard

Illinois families often run lean monthly budgets due to:

• High childcare

• Rising rents

• Medical costs

• Fluctuating manufacturing/trade hours

• Supporting extended family

• Vehicle insurance and car repair expenses

• Commuting costs across counties

When a wage levy hits during a slow month, the fallout is immediate.

Why Wage Levies Hit Nevada Residents Hard

Nevada households, especially Las Vegas, struggle with:

• Volatile hospitality & gaming income

• Rising rent

• Dependence on car transportation

• Tip income fluctuations

• Spousal separation creating two households

• Family members supported by one main income

• High insurance costs for drivers

A levy during a slowdown (which happens often in hospitality) can destabilize everything.

Step One: Identify the Correct IRS Unit

Wage levies may be controlled by:

• Automated Collection System (ACS)

• Local IRS revenue officers

• Specialized field units

• (Separate from this) Nevada wage garnishments from other agencies

Trying to negotiate with the wrong office wastes critical time.

Total IRS Relief identifies the correct IRS staff quickly.

Step Two: Stop the Levy — Fastest Options

1. Hardship Release (Most Common and Fastest)

If the levy causes you to:

• Miss rent/mortgage

• Be unable to buy groceries

• Fall behind on utilities

• Miss car payments

• Lose access to medical care

• Lose childcare

• Risk eviction or repossession

…the IRS can pause or release the levy.

2. Filing Missing Returns

Unfiled returns put the IRS in “aggressive mode.”
Filing missing years often triggers:

• A temporary pause

• A reduced levy

• A full release (depending on circumstances)

3. Temporary Collection Hold

A hold pauses everything while you:

• Submit documents

• Catch up on compliance

• Negotiate a long-term plan

4. Installment Agreement

A reasonable monthly payment amount can replace the garnishment once approved.

5. Offer in Compromise

If you qualify for settlement, enforcement may pause while the case is reviewed.

6. Appeals (When the IRS Breaks Procedure)

If:

• Notices went to the wrong address

• You were denied your right to a hearing

• There are errors in your IRS record

…the levy can be overturned.

What the IRS Needs

To release or reduce a levy, the IRS usually needs:

• Recent pay stubs

• 2–6 months of bank statements

• Rent/mortgage statements

• Utility bills

• Car payments and insurance

• Medical bills

• Childcare invoices

• Proof of dependents

• A complete financial statement

Total IRS Relief organizes this into IRS-ready format — structured, clear, and impossible to misunderstand.

Why Levies Are Often Released Faster Than People Expect

Because once the IRS sees:

• That a levy creates hardship,

• That your real-life expenses exceed their outdated assumptions, or

• That you simply cannot survive with the reduced income…

…they typically adjust quickly.

This is especially true for:

• Illinois households with high childcare + commuting

• Nevada households with volatile hospitality income

• Anyone with medical or elder-care expenses

• Anyone supporting extended family

• Anyone with seasonal or unpredictable income

After the Levy Is Released

Stopping the garnishment is the immediate goal.
Preventing it from returning is the long-term goal.

Total IRS Relief helps clients evaluate:

• OIC (settlement)

• Partial-pay installment agreements

• Full installment agreements

• Currently Not Collectible (CNC)

• Penalty abatement

• Audit reconsideration

• Nevada-specific income corrections (for gaming-related returns)

A levy should be the last crisis — not a recurring one.

Final Thought

A wage garnishment feels like the IRS has all the power.
But with the right steps, you can get your paycheck back — and rebuild stability.

Total IRS Relief helps Illinois and Nevada taxpayers stop wage levies quickly and create long-term solutions that keep enforcement from returning.