Garnishment: Federal Benefit Payments: Lookback Period Calculation Examples
Last Reviewed: June, 2017

Lookback Period Calculation Examples (From Appendix 4 of The Guidelines for Garnishment of Accounts Containing Federal Benefit Payments)

The following examples illustrate this definition of lookback period:

Example 1: Account review performed same day garnishment order is served

  1. A financial institution receives garnishment order on Wednesday, March 17.
  2. The financial institution performs account review the same day on Wednesday, March 17.
  3. The lookback period begins on Tuesday, March 16, the date preceding the date of account review.
  4. The lookback period ends on Saturday, January 16, the corresponding date two months earlier.

Example 2: Account review performed the day after garnishment order is served

  1. A financial institution receives garnishment order on Wednesday, November 17.
  2. The financial institution performs account review next business day on Thursday, November 18.
  3. The lookback period begins on Wednesday, November 17, the date preceding the date of account review.
  4. The lookback period ends on Friday, September 17, the corresponding date two months earlier.

Example 3: No corresponding date two months earlier

  1. The financial institution receives garnishment order on Tuesday, August 30.
  2. The financial institution performs the account review two business days later on Thursday, September 1.
  3. The lookback period begins on Wednesday, August 31, the date preceding the date of account review.
  4. The lookback period ends on Wednesday, June 30, the last date of the month two months earlier, since June 31 does not exist to correspond with August 31.

Example 4: Weekend between receipt of garnishment order and account review

  1. a) A financial institution receives garnishment order on Friday, December 10.
  2. b) The financial institution performs the account review two business days later on Tuesday, December 14.
  3. c) The lookback period begins on Monday December 13, the date preceding the date of the account review.
  4. d) The lookback period ends on Wednesday October 13, the corresponding date two months earlier.