Can Social Security back pay be garnished or frozen over unpaid debt?

Article excerpt

Social Security back pay, lump-sum payments owed to beneficiaries for past months, enjoys legal protections that shield it from most creditors and debt collectors. However, those safeguards have limits. Federal debts like unpaid taxes or student loans can still trigger garnishment, and some state laws create additional vulnerabilities. The article walks through which debts pose genuine risks and what protections actually hold up in practice.