I have a fairly large amount of equity in my home of 28 years. Due to a business failure, I accrued $50k in cedit card debt. I pleaded with the card companies to lower the % rate so I could pay them off but they said they couldn't help. I paid these companies for almost 2 years after the business was gone some at $1k a month and more. Finially, money gone I quit. Now, a couple of years later, collection agencies are sueing me. My family and I live on my husband's retirement ($1700 per month). We are tired, and tired-looking! So in this economy it is almost impossible to even get an interveiw for a job much less winning out over 20 and 30 year-olds. My question, can they take my house? Don't have any great bank accounts so don't care about that, but would like to keep the house we raised our children in and have put every extra cent into most of our lives. Can they garnish retirement check?