Your account is frozen — read this first

The first $4,080 in your account is yours by law. Your bank just doesn't know it yet.

A debt collector froze your bank account. New York's Exempt Income Protection Act protects the first $4,080 automatically — $3,840 outside NYC. Social Security, unemployment, child support, and 90% of your recent paycheck are protected on top of that. We generate the exact one-page form your bank must accept by law. Built by a New York attorney.

Check what's protected — free → Build my packet — $79

Bank doesn't release in 8 days? Full refund, plus we upgrade you to attorney-led service free.

Built by a NY attorney

Statewide NY (all 62 counties)

CPLR § 5222-a compliant

Free 60-second checker

Find out exactly how much of your money the law protects.

Answer 6 quick questions. No email, no signup, no commitment. We'll show you what statutes apply to your situation and what to do next.

Eligibility Checker

Question 1 of 6

100% private
nothing saved

See exactly what you'll get

A complete 5-document packet, attorney-drafted, ready to sign and mail.

Tap any preview to see it full size. The watermark is removed in your version.

Cover Letter to Bank

Cites CPLR § 5222-a, demands release within 8 days. Sent certified mail.

Exemption Claim Form

The statutorily-required form, exactly as written in CPLR § 5222-a(b)(4)(b). All 14 exemption categories.

Sworn Affirmation

Sworn statement under penalty of perjury, citing every applicable statute (5205, 5222-a, federal benefits laws).

Cover Letter to Creditor

Demands the creditor's attorney instruct release within 7 days. Includes bad-faith damages warning ($1,000 + fees).

Plain-English Instructions

Five steps. Print, sign, copy, certified-mail. Most people finish in 30 minutes. Includes the "what if" scenarios.

Your packet will look exactly like these previews. The only differences: your real name, address, account info, and the specific exemptions that apply to your situation will be filled in (you tell us via a 4-minute form after purchase). The diagonal "SAMPLE — NOT FILE" watermark you see here will not appear on your version. Drafted and reviewed by Ettrick Campbell, Esq. (NY Bar Reg. No. 3938966).

📄 Download the full sample packet (PDF)

All 5 documents, watermarked. 22KB. No email required.

How it works

Three steps. Done from your phone.

Tell us what happened

Answer questions about your account, your income sources, and the freeze. Our attorney-built logic identifies every applicable exemption under CPLR §§ 5222 & 5222-a.

~ 4 minutes

Get your forms instantly

We generate your Exemption Claim Form (EJ-001), supporting affirmation, and a cover letter — all citing the exact statutes your bank's legal team will recognize.

~ 30 seconds

Sign & file

Sign on your phone. We mail certified to your bank and the creditor's attorney (or you mail it yourself). The 8-day countdown starts the moment they receive it.

Same-day

Pricing

The fastest path is the cheapest one — $79.

9 out of 10 customers pick the Form Kit. You get the same attorney-built documents as the higher tiers — just instantly, in any of the 62 NY counties.

Recommended

Most Customers

Form Kit

$79

One-time. Instant download. All 62 NY counties.

Complete 5-document packet, generated in seconds
Cover letter to bank (cites CPLR § 5222-a)
Sworn affirmation with all applicable statute citations
Cover letter to creditor's attorney (with bad-faith warning)
Plain-English filing instructions (Page 5)
Same legal documents as the higher tiers
Print, sign, certified-mail — done in 30 minutes
Email support within 1 business day

8-Day Release Guarantee: If your bank doesn't release your protected funds within 8 days of certified mailing, we refund $79 and upgrade you to attorney-led service free.

Build My Packet — $79 →

For NYC Area Only

Filing Service

$349

Limited capacity · 24–48 hr delay

Everything in the Form Kit
We print + certified-mail to the bank
We certified-mail to creditor's attorney
Tracking numbers + delivery confirmations
Follow-up if creditor objects within 8 days

Best for: people in NYC, Long Island, or Westchester who can't print, can't get to a post office, or don't have access to a printer. Adds 1–2 day delay while we coordinate.

Inquire About Filing Service

Special Cases Only

Bank Release

$899

Conflicts check required · Limited intake

NY-licensed attorney represents you
Order to Show Cause if bank delays
Direct negotiation with creditor's counsel
Motion to vacate the underlying judgment (if eligible)
Possible CCFA counterclaim with fee recovery

Most cases do NOT need this. Reserved for: contested objections, judgments that can be vacated entirely (you were never served), or cases where the bank refuses to comply.

Request Conflicts Check

Who this is for

If any of these sound like you, your money is probably protected.

Common scenarios where the Form Kit recovers the frozen funds. Most cases settle in 8 days without a hearing.

★★★★★

"I get Social Security and a small VA pension. Old credit card debt from 2019 came back as a lawsuit I never knew about. They froze my checking. Filed the form, bank released the money on day 8."

Retired Veteran, Bronx

Composite scenario · Social Security + VA exempt

★★★★★

"Single mom. Found out my account was frozen when my card got declined at the grocery store. The funds were my last paycheck and child support. The form pointed the bank to the exact statutes. Funds released."

Working Parent, Queens

Composite scenario · 90% of recent wages + child support exempt

★★★★★

"Lost my job last year, on unemployment. Old hospital bill from 2020 went to collections without me knowing. They froze about $2,800. The cover letter to my bank cited the right CPLR sections. Money back in 7 days."

Unemployed Worker, Erie County

Composite scenario · Unemployment insurance exempt

Scenarios above are composite, illustrative cases based on common situations our research covers — they are not testimonials from named individual clients. Outcomes depend on whether your funds qualify for one of the statutory exemptions covered in your packet. Run the free 60-second checker to see if your situation matches.

The Law

The statutes the creditor's lawyer doesn't want you to read.

Every form we generate references the exact provisions below. When the creditor's attorney sees these citations, they know you know.

CPLR § 5222-a

8-day automatic release

Once your exemption claim is properly served, the bank must release your funds within 8 days unless the creditor objects in writing.

CPLR § 5222(i) (EIPA)

First $4,080 is auto-protected

As of January 2026, banks cannot freeze any account holding $4,080 or less in NYC/Long Island/Westchester ($3,840 elsewhere in NY State). If they did, the restraint is void.

CPLR § 5205

Categorically exempt income

Social Security, SSI, SSDI, VA benefits, unemployment, child support, public assistance, pensions, and 90% of last 60 days of wages — all protected, period.

CPLR § 5222(d)

Defective notices = void restraint

If the creditor failed to send the statutory notice in the proper form, the entire restraining notice is legally void from the start.

Built by a NY attorney

An actual lawyer made this. Not a chatbot.

UnfreezeMyAccount.com was designed by Ettrick Campbell, a New York–licensed attorney admitted to the New York State Bar (Reg. No. 3938966). Every form, citation, and instruction was reviewed for accuracy. The Self-Serve and Filing tiers are document-preparation services — when you need an attorney to appear or fight back, the Bank Release tier connects you directly to attorney representation under a written engagement letter.

NY Bar Admitted Reg. No. 3938966 Consumer Debt Defense CPLR Practice

Follow @unfreezemyaccountny — daily NY law breakdowns

Common questions

Quick answers before you decide.

How fast can my account actually be unfrozen?

Once your properly-completed exemption claim is delivered to your bank, NY CPLR § 5222-a requires the bank to release the funds within 8 days — unless the creditor's attorney files a written objection. If no objection is filed, release is automatic. The Filing Service tier guarantees same-day or next-day mailing so the 8-day clock starts immediately.

What if my account has direct-deposited Social Security or unemployment?

Those are categorically exempt under CPLR § 5205 and federal law. Banks are required to identify direct-deposited federal benefits and protect at least the last 2 months of those deposits without you doing anything. Our wizard catches this — and if your bank failed to honor it, you have additional remedies.

What if I never got notice of the lawsuit in the first place?

This is extremely common — over 90% of NY consumer-debt judgments are entered by default, and many people are never properly served. If that's your situation, the underlying judgment may be vacatable entirely, which terminates the freeze permanently. Our Attorney-Led tier addresses this directly.

Is this legal advice?

The Self-Serve Form Kit and Filing Service are document-preparation tools — not legal advice or representation. The Attorney-Led Bank Release tier is the only tier where a New York attorney represents you, with a full engagement letter and conflict check. This separation is required by NY ethics rules and protects you.

My account is frozen but it's a joint account. Does this still work?

Yes, with care. Banks generally cannot turn over funds in a joint account without a court order, because the creditor must prove how much of the money belongs to the debtor. We flag joint-account situations during the wizard and adjust the forms accordingly.

What does my bank account showing a huge negative balance mean?

Banks typically restrain twice the judgment amount, which can show as a large negative balance. You don't actually owe that — it's just the freeze hold. The exemption claim process unwinds it.

Will using this hurt my credit?

No. Filing an exemption claim is a procedural right under NY law, not a credit event. It won't appear on credit reports.

What if you can't help me?

If our wizard determines the tool doesn't fit your situation (very rare — the law applies broadly), we tell you immediately and don't take payment. If you've paid for the Form Kit and your situation isn't covered, we refund within 24 hours, no questions.

The first $4,080 in your account is yours by law. Your bank just doesn't know it yet.

Find out exactly how much of your money the law protects.

A complete 5-document packet, attorney-drafted, ready to sign and mail.

Cover Letter to Bank

Exemption Claim Form

Sworn Affirmation

Cover Letter to Creditor

Plain-English Instructions

Three steps. Done from your phone.

Tell us what happened

Get your forms instantly

Sign & file

The fastest path is the cheapest one — $79.

If any of these sound like you, your money is probably protected.

The statutes the creditor's lawyer doesn't want you to read.

8-day automatic release

First $4,080 is auto-protected

Categorically exempt income

Defective notices = void restraint

An actual lawyer made this. Not a chatbot.

Quick answers before you decide.

Know someone whose account just got frozen?

The 20-day clock is already running.