Collections Add-On: California Small Claims Judgment Recovery Kit
Collections Add-On: California Small Claims Judgment Recovery Kit
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Digital download. No physical shipping. Educational use only. Not legal advice. Purchase grants a personal-use license (not ownership).
You won the judgment, and they still aren't paying. That's the most common moment in California small claims, and it's the moment this kit is built for.
The Collections Add-On gives you the post-judgment forms, scripts, and walkthroughs that turn a paper judgment into money in your bank account. Wage garnishment, bank levy, property lien, post-filing settlement. 12 documents, including two insider field guides. California-specific. Built around the same Judicial Council forms the Complete kit uses, sold separately for buyers who already won.
What's inside
12 post-judgment documents covering the four California recovery paths, including two insider field guides:
- The debtor exam script. A ready-to-use question sequence for the post-judgment examination, the hearing where you find out what the defendant actually has and where it's kept. Built on the small claims and limited civil forms (SC-134, EJ-125).
- Where the Money Hides, asset discovery field guide. A field guide to locating a defendant's bank, employer, and real property from your own laptop, packaged as a one-week protocol you work through in order.
- Wage garnishment walkthrough (WG-001, WG-002). The Application for Earnings Withholding Order, the Earnings Withholding Order itself, and the step-by-step of getting the sheriff to serve the defendant's employer so wages start flowing to you.
- Bank levy guidance (EJ-130, EJ-152). The Writ of Execution, the supporting documents, and a no-jargon walkthrough of finding the defendant's bank, filing the levy, and collecting from the account.
- Property lien template (EJ-001). The Abstract of Judgment you record at the county recorder's office so the defendant can't sell or refinance their real estate without paying you first.
- Post-filing settlement scripts (SC-133). Most defendants finally want to talk once they've lost. These scripts give you the language for accepting a lump sum, a payment plan via Request to Make Payments, or a partial settlement, plus the script for the call where you say no.
- Case timeline log. A printable record of every step you've taken so you can prove diligence if the court asks.
- Acknowledgment of satisfaction (EJ-190). The form you file once you've been paid in full so the judgment closes out cleanly.
- Bonus scripts. Calm language for the conversations that don't go well: the stalling defendant, the one who suddenly says they can't pay, the one who disappears.
Who this is for
- You won your California small claims case and the defendant isn't paying
- You filed somewhere else (with Core, on your own, or with another service) and now need the recovery side
- You're a small business owner with an unpaid judgment from a contractor, tenant, or customer
- You're a landlord or tenant who won and needs to enforce
- You want California-specific forms, not generic recovery templates
How it works
- Buy and download. Instant PDF delivery to your email and your customer account.
- Read the Start Here folder. Pick the recovery path that fits the defendant: wages, bank, real property, or settlement.
- Use the walkthrough for that path. If you don't know where the defendant banks or works, run Where the Money Hides first.
- Fill the form. Pay the small filing fee at the court. The sheriff or court does the rest. You collect.
"It broke down every step for me. Saved me from making so many mistakes."
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What you get
- 12 California-specific post-judgment PDF documents, including 2 insider field guides
- Every Judicial Council form referenced: WG-001, WG-002, EJ-001, EJ-130, EJ-152, EJ-155, EJ-190, SC-133, SC-134, EJ-125, FW-001
- Instant download to your email and your account
- Lifetime access. No subscription.
- Free updates whenever the forms or fees change
- Use on phone, laptop, or tablet
Why ClaimKit Help
Most California small claims winners never collect on their judgment. Not because they didn't earn it, but because nobody walked them through the recovery steps, and nobody handed them a script for the one court hearing where the defendant has to disclose their finances. This kit is that walkthrough and that script, with the actual Judicial Council forms (WG-001, EJ-130, EJ-001), the timing for each one, the scripts for what comes next, and two insider field guides you won't find in any other DIY kit, for $49.
Real help when it matters most.
Already filed with us, or thinking about it?
If you haven't filed yet and you want the full pre-court through collection set in one purchase, see Complete ($179). Complete now includes everything in this add-on, the same recovery forms and the same two insider field guides, so there's no reason for Complete buyers to add Collections separately. If you bought Core ($99) and you've now won your case, Collections is the add-on that turns your verdict into a paycheck.
ClaimKit Help provides educational templates and information, not legal advice. We are not a law firm, and using these documents does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Frequently asked questions
What's included in the $49 Collections Add-On?
Twelve post-judgment documents covering the four California recovery paths after a small claims judgment, including two insider field guides. The core ten cover wage garnishment (WG-001 and WG-002), bank levy (EJ-130 and EJ-152), property lien (EJ-001), post-filing settlement (SC-133), the Acknowledgment of Satisfaction (EJ-190), a case timeline log, and bonus scripts for the calls that don't go smoothly. The two field guides are the Judgment Debtor Examination script (your questions for the post-judgment exam) and the Where the Money Hides asset discovery field guide.
What are the two insider field guides?
First, the Judgment Debtor Examination script. The debtor exam is the one court hearing where the defendant has to answer your questions about their finances, under oath, and most pro-se plaintiffs walk in without a plan. The guide gives you the questions to ask, in order, so you leave the hearing knowing where the money is. Second, the Where the Money Hides asset discovery field guide: a set of legal methods for finding the defendant's bank, employer, and real property without ever leaving your laptop, packaged as a one-week protocol you work through in order.
How is Collections different from the $179 Complete kit?
Complete is a full pre-filing-through-collection kit for buyers who haven't filed yet (74 documents, $179). Collections is the post-judgment recovery slice, sold standalone, for people who already won their case. Everything in Collections, including the two insider field guides, is also in Complete, so there's no reason for a Complete buyer to add Collections. Pick Collections only if you already have a judgment in hand and just need the recovery side.
I won my case somewhere else. Can I still use this?
Yes. You don't need to have filed with ClaimKit Help to use Collections. As long as you have a California small claims judgment in your name, the WG-001, EJ-130, EJ-001, and the other forms apply the same way. The walkthroughs assume nothing about how you got to the judgment.
How does ClaimKit compare to hiring a lawyer for wage garnishment?
A California collections attorney typically charges $300 to $500 per hour, and a single WG-001 filing usually runs $400 to $800 in legal fees. The Collections kit is $49 and walks you through the same form, the same sheriff service step, and the same employer compliance follow-up that an attorney would handle. Where a lawyer adds value is in contested cases where the defendant is hiding assets through trusts or shell entities. For straightforward defendants-with-jobs cases (the majority of small claims judgments), the kit's WG-001 walkthrough is the same workflow at a fraction of the cost.
What value do I get from ClaimKit compared to free legal resources online?
Free resources are scattered. The Judicial Council forms are free at courts.ca.gov. The California Civil Code is free at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. There are YouTube walkthroughs. The Collections kit's value is integration: the right forms in the right order, the timing rules built into the workflow, the scripts for moments when you have to talk to the defendant or their employer, and the two field guides (debtor exam questions and asset discovery) that don't exist freely online in structured form. The $49 buys you the integration and the field guides, not the raw forms (those stay free).
What is the WG-001 form, and how does wage garnishment work in California?
WG-001 is the Application for Earnings Withholding Order. You fill it out, file it with the court, pay the small filing fee, and the sheriff serves the order on the defendant's employer. The employer then withholds up to 25 percent of the defendant's disposable earnings and sends that money to you until the judgment is paid. The kit walks you through WG-001 line by line, including what counts as disposable earnings and what to do if the defendant is self-employed.
What are the legal limits on wage garnishment in California?
California limits garnishment to 25 percent of the defendant's disposable earnings, or the amount that exceeds 40 times the state-minimum-wage floor per week (whichever is less). The state minimum wage adjusts annually, so the exempt threshold shifts each year. The defendant can also file WG-006 (Claim of Exemption) if their income falls below the published hardship thresholds. The Collections kit's WG-001 walkthrough includes the current-year math.
Are there exemptions from wage garnishment that I should be aware of?
Yes. Several income types are fully exempt from garnishment in California: Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Veterans benefits, unemployment insurance, state disability insurance (SDI), workers' compensation, public assistance (CalWORKs, CalFresh), and child or spousal support received by the defendant. If the defendant's only income is one of these, wage garnishment won't reach them and bank levy is risky too (exempt funds keep their character once deposited if traceable). The Collections kit's WG-001 walkthrough covers how to spot exempt-only defendants before you spend court fees on a filing.
What can I do if I don't receive payment after the wage garnishment is filed?
Wage garnishment doesn't pay instantly. The sheriff serves the employer, the employer has up to 10 business days to start withholding under CCP 706.022, and the first deposit usually lands 4 to 6 weeks after that depending on the defendant's pay frequency. If 60 days pass with no payment from a verified-employed defendant, the kit walks you through filing a Motion for Order to Show Cause against the employer for non-compliance. If the defendant has changed jobs, you'll need a fresh WG-001 against the new employer.
What steps should I take if the employer refuses to comply with the garnishment order?
California Code of Civil Procedure 706.154 makes employers personally liable for the full judgment amount if they ignore a properly served Earnings Withholding Order. First step is a written demand to the employer's payroll or HR contact, citing the served WG-002 by date. If that doesn't move them within 10 business days, you file an Order to Show Cause re Contempt with the court that issued the WG-001. The employer has to appear and explain. Most employers comply once that's filed.
How does a bank levy work in California small claims?
You file an EJ-130 Writ of Execution at the court, pay the filing fee, and a registered process server or the sheriff serves it on the defendant's bank. Whatever's in the account on the day the levy lands, up to the judgment amount, gets frozen and sent to you. The hard part is usually knowing where the defendant banks. The kit's Where the Money Hides field guide covers legal ways to find that out, and the debtor exam script gets it straight from the defendant under oath.
What is a property lien, and when does it make sense?
A property lien is a recorded notice that attaches to any real estate the defendant owns. You file an EJ-001 Abstract of Judgment with the county recorder where the property sits. The defendant can't sell or refinance without paying off your judgment first. It's the slowest recovery path, and it works best when the defendant owns their home and you're patient.
Can I garnish wages on a California judgment if the defendant moved out of state?
Yes, with an extra step. California judgments are enforceable in other states under the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act (UEFJA). You register your California judgment in the state where the defendant lives or works, then use that state's wage garnishment process (not WG-001, which is California-only). Each state has its own registration form and a small filing fee. The judgment debtor exam in the Collections kit still works on a CA judgment to surface the defendant's out-of-state employer, so you know where to register.
The defendant says they can't pay. What do I do?
First, get it in writing. The kit includes a script for the conversation that asks for a payment plan in writing using form SC-133 (Request to Make Payments). If they refuse to put it in writing, that's a signal you'll need wage garnishment or bank levy. The bonus scripts walk you through the calm version of those conversations.
Are there court fees on top of the kit?
Yes, but they go to the court, not ClaimKit. Wage garnishment filing is around $30. Bank levy filing is around $40. Recording a property lien runs $10 to $50 depending on the county. The judgment debtor exam filing is around $60. The FW-001 fee waiver is available if you qualify based on income.
Are there payment plans for the Collections kit?
No installment plans on our end. The $49 is paid in full at checkout. Shop Pay and PayPal offer their own pay-in-installments options at checkout for orders that qualify, and ClaimKit doesn't add any fee either way.
I have multiple unpaid judgments. Do I need to buy the kit more than once?
One Collections purchase covers every California small claims judgment in your name. The WG-001, EJ-130, EJ-001, and SC-133 templates can be used against any defendant on any judgment you're enforcing. Landlords with three or four unpaid judgments don't need three or four kits, just one. If you genuinely need multiple seats (you're representing other plaintiffs or running a small enforcement service), email support@claimkithelp.com.
How long does collecting a judgment usually take in California?
It depends on the path. A wage garnishment that lands on a steady employer can start paying you within 30 to 60 days. A bank levy can pay out within 30 days once it hits the account. A property lien can sit for years before the defendant sells or refinances. California judgments are good for 10 years and can be renewed, so time is on your side.
Is there a money-back guarantee?
Yes. 7-day refund, no questions. Email support@claimkithelp.com.
How is the kit delivered?
Instant zip download to your email and your customer account. The zip is organized into Start Here, How To Collect, Insider Field Guides, and Help for the Hard Times folders. Works on phone, laptop, or tablet.
Is ClaimKit Help legal advice?
No. Collections is a DIY guide, not legal advice, and we're not a law firm. California small claims is one of the few areas of court where self-representation is the rule, not the exception. We package the steps so you can follow them.
What’s included
What’s included
Everything in Starter (19 documents), plus
Phase 2 case preparation and Phase 3 filing and court. Everything you need to walk into that courtroom ready.
50 documents total. Digital download. Instant access.
Digital delivery
Digital delivery
Instant digital download after purchase.
You’ll receive access on the order confirmation page and by email. No physical item will be shipped. Save the files to your computer or drive and print what you need for your own use.
For access issues, email support@claimkithelp.com.
Refund policy
Refund policy
Because this is a digital product delivered instantly, all sales are final except where required by law. If you have trouble accessing your files, email support@claimkithelp.com and we’ll help.
License terms
License terms
Your purchase includes a personal, single-user, non-transferable license to use these materials for your own case(s). You may not share, resell, distribute, reproduce, or post the materials online.
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