Yes and no. Your checking account, if they want to go to the trouble/expense to find it, is fair game. Section 207 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 407) protects Social Security benefits from assignment, levy, or garnishment with five exceptions: Can be garnished to enforce child support and/or alimony obligations, can be garnished to collect unpaid federal taxes, beneficiaries can elect to have a percentage of their benefits withheld and paid to the Internal Revenue Service to satisfy their federal income tax liability for the current year. Can be withheld and paid to another federal agency to pay a non-tax debt the beneficiary owes to that agency, and fifth: The IRS can collect overdue federal tax debts of beneficiaries by levying up to 15 percent of each monthly payment until the debt is paid. This is straight from the SS handbook. So if you have a huge bank account, watch out, but it is very hard for anyone to go after your SS benefit.
