While efforts to claim top dog status for any single life form will always founder on questions of definitions, what such discussions surely highlight is the complex interdependency that exists between the millions of different species of life on Earth.
Supplemental Security Income cannot be garnished under any circumstance. Among the government creditors who can grab a piece of your Social Security check, the strongest arm belongs to the IRS. Via the Federal Payment Levy Program, Social Security benefits are subject to a 15 percent levy to pay delinquent taxes. Unlike nontax debts to other agencies, for which the first $750 of your monthly benefits are off-limits to garnishment, the IRS can take its 15 percent cut regardless of how little money you're left with. Lump-sum death benefits and Social Security benefits paid to children are not subject to this levy.
Generally, the government can garnish Social Security benefits described in Title II of the Social Security Act (OASDI). Section 6331 of the IRS code does not exempt Social Security from garnishment in order for the Internal Revenue Service to collect Federal taxes owed. The IRS may utilize the Federal Payment Levy Program or a manual levy. This includes Social Security disability program payments, retirement payments, and survivor payments. Contrastingly, lump sum death payments, childrenâs benefits, and supplemental Security Income (under title XVI) are exempt.