If a company is trying to collect from you, the first question is not just "do I owe this?" It's also "what can they actually take?" 

In Illinois, some income and property is protected from debt collection. For some people, almost everything they have is protected.

What collection proof means

Being collection proof means that even if a company wins a judgment against you, there is nothing they can legally take.

You can be collection proof for a while, then not — or the other way around. Your situation can change if you get a new job, inherit money, or buy property.

Learn how long a consumer judgment can last in Illinois.

What Illinois protects from collections

Some of your most important protections include:

• Wages:  At least $675 of your weekly take-home pay (wages above that can be garnished up to 15%),
• Bank account: Up to $4,000 in a bank account or other personal property — this is called the "wildcard" exemption,
• Government benefits:  Social Security, SSI, SSDI, unemployment, veterans' benefits, and most other public benefits,
• Home:  Up to $100,000 equity in a home for married couples (up to $50,000 for singles), and 
• Car:  Up to $3,600 in equity in a car. 

📌 Tip: For judgments entered on or after January 1, 2020, $1,000 in a checking or savings account is automatically protected until the court holds a hearing.

Why this matters when you're deciding what to do

Knowing what is protected can change how you respond to a collector or a lawsuit.

• If a company can't actually collect anything from you, you may have more room to negotiate — or decide the risk of ignoring the debt is smaller than it feels,
• If you have a judgment against you, you can go to the citation hearing and tell the judge which of your assets are protected, and
• If a creditor tries to take something that is protected, you can ask the court to give it back.

⚠️ Be careful: Protections are not automatic in most cases. You usually have to show up and tell the court what you want to protect.

See what applies to you

Every situation is different, so the fastest way to see what is protected in your case is to walk through it one step at a time.

🛠️ Use our collection-proof tool to answer a few short questions about your income and property. The tool will show you what Illinois law protects and what, if anything, a creditor could try to take.