Justice in Real Life: Tanya W.

Tanya’s story reveals the human cost of unchecked wage garnishment in Virginia.

Tanya Webb’s entire paycheck disappeared—without warning. Two weeks later, it happened again.

She had fallen behind on her personal property taxes in Cumberland County. The county’s response was swift and devastating: a full wage seizure, followed by another. No call. No notice. Just… gone.

“I’ve always worked,” Tanya said. “Retail, EMT—I’ve done what I had to do. Sure, things were tight, but I was making it.” Not anymore.

The garnishment sent her life into freefall. She couldn’t pay rent and was evicted. She missed her court date because she couldn’t take time off. Her car insurance lapsed, and she lost her registration. Health care became unaffordable. She started skipping meals. Depression set in.

Eventually, she found an apartment—but only barely. With an eviction on her record, few landlords would take her. She scraped together first month’s rent and a deposit equal to that—more than she could afford.

When she later asked her former landlord for help getting the eviction removed from her record, his response was blunt:

“What’s in it for me?”

Tanya earns $20 an hour—too much for legal aid, too little to survive. In Virginia, a single adult needs at least $24 an hour just to cover the bare minimum.

Tanya’s story is not rare. Tens of thousands of Virginians are one garnished paycheck or bank account seizure away from collapse.

Virginia Poverty Law Center works to end abusive collection practices, fight for consumer protections, and make the legal system more fair and accessible—because no one should lose their home, their job, or their health because of a debt they couldn’t afford to pay.

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Justice in Real Life is a photography and storytelling campaign launched by VPLC in 2025. It shares real stories from Virginians facing poverty and injustice, highlighting their struggles and the changes we’re advocating for. Want to tell your story? Contact VPLC Communications Director Connie Stevens, connie@vplc.org.