Can joint bank accounts put your Social Security at risk?

You should know if you're exposing yourself to risk before you add a second name to your bank account. Getty Images/iStockphoto Federal law treats your Social Security benefits, whether they're retirement benefits, disability benefits or otherwise, as some of the hardest money in the country for a creditor to touch. A debt collector who wins a judgment against you generally can't seize those benefits directly from your check , even if a garnishment or levy order is issued by the court, and your bank is required to shield a portion of them automatically. On paper, those are some of the strongest financial protections available to you. However, that protection isn't tied to you as a person. It's tied, in large part, to where the money is held and how cleanly it can be traced. In turn, one of the most common banking decisions people make — opening a joint bank account — may inadvertently blur those lines. So, while adding an adult child to an account to help with bills, merging finances with a new spouse, or keeping a shared account with a sibling rarely feels like a risk, it might actually be in some cases. As a result, it's important to know whether you're exposing yourself to unnecessary risk before you add a second name to the bank account where your benefits land. So, can keeping your Social Security benefits in a joint bank account really cause issues? Find out how to get rid of your debt before it escalates . …