Tracking Partial Payments on a Wisconsin Judgment

Why Tracking Matters

When a debtor makes partial payments — whether voluntarily or through garnishment — you need an accurate running ledger. Wisconsin courts require you to state the exact balance owed when you file for additional enforcement actions like a second garnishment or a Writ of Execution. An inaccurate balance can delay or void your filing, and overstating what's owed invites the debtor to challenge you in court.

WCCA (Wisconsin Circuit Court Access) does not track your judgment balance for you. It shows the original judgment amount and case activity, but it doesn't account for partial payments, accrued interest, or added enforcement costs. The ledger is your responsibility.

The Payment Allocation Rule

Wisconsin law applies partial payments in a specific order:

1. Accrued post-judgment interest — paid first
2. Approved post-judgment costs — statutory fees you've incurred (docketing, garnishment filing, sheriff fees, transcript fees)
3. Principal judgment balance — whatever remains reduces the original amount

This sequence matters because interest accrues on the principal, not on costs. A $500 payment against a judgment with $200 in accrued interest and $100 in costs only reduces the principal by $200 — and the daily interest recalculates on the lower principal from that date forward.

How Post-Judgment Interest Works

Under Wis. Stat. § 815.05(8), post-judgment interest is simple interest calculated as the Federal Reserve prime rate plus 1%. The rate is set at judgment entry and stays fixed for that judgment:

• Judgments entered January 1 – June 30 use the prime rate on January 1 of that year
• Judgments entered July 1 – December 31 use the prime rate on July 1

For 2026, the prime rate has been 6.75% on both reference dates, making the post-judgment interest rate 7.75% for all judgments entered during the year.

Daily interest equals the principal balance multiplied by the annual rate divided by 365. On an $8,000 principal at 7.75%, that's $1.70 per day. Over 6 months, that adds $310 to what the debtor owes.

Building Your Ledger

A judgment balance ledger tracks five things per entry:

• Date of the transaction
• Description — payment received, garnishment disbursement, cost incurred, interest accrued
• Credits — payments reducing the balance
• Debits — costs added to the balance
• Running balance — principal + accrued interest + approved costs

Recalculate interest every time a payment comes in. The payment clears accrued interest to date, then costs, then principal. The next day's interest accrues on the new, lower principal.

What Costs You Can Add

Only statutory costs authorized by the court or by specific statute can be added to the judgment balance. These include:

• Docketing fee: $5 (Wis. Stat. § 814.61(5))
• Transcript of Judgment: $14
• Earnings garnishment filing: $121 (Wis. Stat. § 814.62(1))
• Electronic filing surcharge: $35 per party (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(7)(c))
• Garnishee fee: $15 (Wis. Stat. § 812.33(1))
• Sheriff service fees (Wis. Stat. § 814.70)

Private investigator costs, attorney consultation fees, or mailing expenses generally cannot be added without a court order.

When the Balance Reaches Zero

Once your ledger shows a zero balance — all principal, interest, and costs paid — execute and deliver Form GF-129 (Satisfaction of Judgment). Under Wis. Stat. § 806.21, you must do so within 5 business days after the debtor's written demand, or face a $100 penalty plus actual damages. Submit the signed form to the court with the $5 satisfaction fee.

Keep your ledger permanently. If the debtor later claims overpayment or disputes the satisfaction, the ledger is your evidence of correct accounting.

The Wisconsin judgment collection guide includes a fillable Judgment Balance Tracking Ledger and Post-Judgment Interest Calculator Worksheet that handle the allocation math automatically.

See more Wisconsin guides →