Turn Your Court Judgment Into Actual Money
You won in court. The judgment is real. But the debtor hasn’t paid a dime — and the court isn’t going to collect it for you. A bank account levy, executed by an official NYC Marshal, is how you close that gap.
Why Creditors Across NYC Work With Us
Appointed by the Mayor
Edward F. Guida Jr. holds an official mayoral appointment — the legal authority no collection agency or attorney can replicate.
All Five Boroughs Covered
We execute bank levies in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island — wherever your debtor banks.
Multi-Generational Marshal Experience
Our office carries decades of NYC civil enforcement knowledge, built across two generations of the Guida family.
DOI-Regulated and Accountable
We operate under oversight from the NYC Department of Investigation — a standard no private collection agency meets.
Bank Account Levy NYC
What a Bank Levy Actually Does for You
A bank account levy is a legal enforcement action that compels a bank to freeze a judgment debtor’s account and turn over non-exempt funds to satisfy the debt. It’s one of the most direct tools available to creditors in New York — and it can only be executed by an official enforcement officer like a NYC Marshal or the NYC Sheriff.
A restraining notice, which an attorney can issue, freezes the account but doesn’t move the money. A levy, executed by our office, is what actually gets funds transferred to you.
If you’ve already got a money judgment from NYC Civil Court or the New York State Supreme Court, you’re closer than you think. The enforcement step is where most creditors get stuck — and it’s exactly what we do.
Enforce Your Judgment — NYC Marshal
What Changes When You Work With a Marshal
From the Bronx to Staten Island, here’s what a properly executed bank levy actually delivers for judgment creditors.
- Your judgment stops being a piece of paper and becomes a real claim against the debtor’s bank account.
- We can levy up to double the judgment balance — building in room for accrued interest and costs.
- The bank is legally required to hold the funds and turn them over once the process runs its course.
- You pay roughly $50–$100 to issue the execution, and we earn 5% poundage only on what’s actually collected.
- Our office covers all five boroughs, so the debtor’s bank location — Chase in Brooklyn, Citibank in the Bronx, TD Bank in Staten Island — doesn’t limit your recovery.
- Every levy we execute is served in full compliance with New York law, protecting your enforcement action from being voided on a technicality.
Restraining Notice vs. Bank Levy
Freezing Funds Is Not the Same as Collecting Them
This is one of the most common points of confusion for creditors — and it matters. A restraining notice, which your attorney can serve on a bank, prohibits the bank from releasing the debtor’s funds. That’s useful. But it doesn’t compel the bank to hand anything over to you. The money sits frozen, and you wait.
A bank account levy, executed by our office under CPLR § 5232, is the step that actually moves money. Once we serve the execution on the bank, the bank is required to hold non-exempt funds and, after the statutory timetable runs, transfer them to us for delivery to you.
Many creditors spend months with a restraining notice in place, assuming the process is moving forward. It isn’t — not until a marshal executes the levy. If you’re in that situation right now, across any of the five boroughs, this is the call to make.
NYC Marshal Bank Levy Process
Compliance Is What Keeps Your Levy From Being Voided
Under New York’s Exempt Income Protection Act (EIPA), every bank levy must be accompanied by specific exemption notices and claim forms served on the bank at the same time as the execution. If those notices aren’t served correctly — and simultaneously — the levy is void by operation of law. This isn’t a technicality buried in the fine print. It’s a real procedural requirement that has undone enforcement actions across the city.
Our office uses current technology and established procedures to make sure every levy is executed correctly the first time. We know which funds are protected — as of 2025, a base amount of $3,425 is exempt when qualifying benefits were received — and we know how to navigate exemption claims when they’re filed. Getting this right matters, and it’s something our office takes seriously on every case we handle across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island.
How We Execute a Bank Levy
A Straightforward Process With Real Results
Submit Your Judgment Documents
You provide us with your money judgment and any known debtor banking information — we handle the rest from there.
We Serve the Bank Execution
We serve the levy execution and required EIPA notices on the debtor’s bank, triggering the legal freeze on their account.
Funds Are Turned Over
After the statutory timetable runs and absent a valid exemption claim, the bank transfers non-exempt funds to our office for delivery to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a restraining notice and a bank account levy in New York?
A restraining notice is something your attorney can serve on a bank to prevent the debtor from withdrawing or transferring funds. It freezes the account. But that’s where it stops — a restraining notice doesn’t move money to you. A bank account levy, executed by a NYC Marshal under CPLR § 5232, is the enforcement action that actually compels the bank to hold non-exempt funds and transfer them to the marshal for delivery to the creditor. Think of the restraining notice as locking the door, and the levy as the step that actually opens it in your favor. If you have a judgment and only a restraining notice in place, the collection process hasn’t really started yet.
Can a NYC Marshal execute a bank levy in any of the five boroughs, or only in Queens?
We can execute bank levies across all five boroughs — the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. Although our office is located in Corona, Queens, NYC Marshals are not restricted to the borough where their office sits. Our authority to enforce money judgments extends citywide. So whether your debtor banks at a Chase branch in Brooklyn, a Citibank in the Bronx, or a TD Bank in Staten Island, that doesn’t limit our ability to execute the levy. Judgments from any of the five borough civil courts — including the Bronx Civil Court at 851 Grand Concourse, the Brooklyn Civil Court at 141 Livingston Street, and the Queens Civil Court at 89-17 Sutphin Boulevard — are all within our enforcement jurisdiction.
How much does it cost to have a NYC Marshal execute a bank account levy?
The upfront cost to issue a bank levy execution to our office is approximately $50–$100. Beyond that, we earn 5% poundage on the amounts actually collected — which means our fee is tied directly to your recovery. If nothing is collected, the poundage isn’t triggered. This fee structure is set by New York State statute, not by our office, so there’s no ambiguity about what you’ll owe. For most creditors, this makes a bank levy one of the most cost-effective enforcement tools available — especially compared to extended litigation or hiring a collection attorney on an hourly basis.
What happens if the debtor claims their bank account funds are exempt from the levy?
New York’s Exempt Income Protection Act (EIPA) protects certain funds in a debtor’s bank account from being levied. As of 2025, a base amount of $3,425 is automatically protected when qualifying direct-deposit benefits — such as Social Security or unemployment — were received in the 45-day look-back period. There are also wage-based protected amounts that apply depending on where the debtor works. If the debtor files an exemption claim, the bank reviews it and determines whether the funds are protected. Importantly, not all funds in an account are automatically exempt — amounts above the protected threshold that come from non-exempt sources are still subject to the levy. Our office is experienced in navigating these claims correctly so your enforcement action isn’t derailed by a procedural misstep.
Do I need an attorney to work with a NYC Marshal on a bank levy?
You don’t necessarily need an attorney to engage our office — creditors can work with us directly. That said, many creditors do work through their attorneys, particularly when the judgment involves a more complex commercial debt or when post-judgment discovery tools like information subpoenas are needed to locate the debtor’s bank accounts. If you already know where the debtor banks and you have a valid money judgment from NYC Civil Court or the New York State Supreme Court, the process of engaging our office is fairly straightforward. We’re happy to explain what documentation we need and walk you through the next steps. Our office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
What is the difference between using a NYC Marshal and the NYC Sheriff for a bank levy?
Both NYC Marshals and the NYC Sheriff’s Office are authorized to execute bank account levies in New York, but they operate under different court systems. NYC Marshals, including our office, primarily enforce judgments issued by the NYC Civil Court and the New York State Supreme Court within the five boroughs. The NYC Sheriff handles enforcement for a broader range of courts and also handles certain tax warrants and out-of-city enforcement actions. For most creditors with a standard money judgment from a NYC Civil Court — whether that’s in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, or Staten Island — a NYC Marshal is the direct, efficient path to enforcement. The key distinction is that NYC Marshals are independent public officers appointed by the Mayor, which gives our office a focused mandate and deep familiarity with the local court system and its enforcement procedures.
Call us at (718) 779-2134 or email us at guidajr@nycmarshal14.com to see how we can help you.