Wage Garnishment: Limits, Types and How It Changes Your Paycheck
Wage garnishment is a court-ordered or government-ordered deduction from your paycheck to pay a debt. It can take a large share of your take-home pay, but federal and state laws limit how much can be withheld, and there are ways to respond. This guide explains the types of garnishment, the federal limits, how the deductions appear on your pay stub, and what you can do if a garnishment is wrong or you cannot afford it.
This is general information, not legal advice. Laws vary by state, and a legal aid office or attorney can advise on your specific situation.
In this guide:
- What wage garnishment is
- Federal limits on ordinary garnishment
- Child support and alimony
- Tax levies and student loans
- How garnishment appears on your paycheck
- Worked example
- Garnishment, bank accounts and other protected income
- Records and resources
- Exemptions, hearings and what to do
- Protecting your pay and avoiding garnishment
- Garnishment limits by pay frequency
- Garnishment of different kinds of income
- Talking to your employer about a garnishment
- A worked example at three pay levels
- Frequently Asked Questions
1. What wage garnishment is
Garnishment is a legal process in which an employer withholds part of an employee's earnings and sends it to a creditor or agency. Most ordinary creditors, such as credit card companies and medical providers, must first sue and win a court judgment before garnishing wages. Some debts, such as child support, unpaid federal taxes and defaulted federal student loans, can be collected by administrative garnishment without a court judgment.
Your employer receives a garnishment order or notice and must follow it. Employers who ignore it can be held liable for the debt. It is illegal in the United States for an employer to fire an employee because of garnishment for a single debt under federal law, though protection is more limited for multiple garnishments.
Garnishment appears on your pay stub as a post-tax deduction, taken after taxes are calculated.
2. Federal limits on ordinary garnishment
For most consumer debts, the Consumer Credit Protection Act limits garnishment to the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings for the week or the amount by which disposable earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage, which is $217.50 a week at $7.25 an hour. Disposable earnings are pay after legally required deductions such as taxes and Social Security, not after voluntary deductions like health insurance or 401(k) contributions.
For example, if disposable earnings are $600 a week, 25% is $150. The amount over $217.50 is $382.50, and the lesser of the two is $150, so up to $150 can be garnished. If disposable earnings are $250 a week, the amount over $217.50 is only $32.50, so at most that is garnished. If disposable earnings are $217.50 or less, nothing can be garnished for ordinary debts.
Some states protect more of your pay than federal law, and a few states, such as Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and South Carolina, generally prohibit wage garnishment for ordinary consumer debts.
3. Child support and alimony
Garnishment for child support and alimony is allowed at higher levels. Federal law generally permits up to 50% of disposable earnings if you support another spouse or child, and up to 60% if you do not, with an additional 5% if you are more than 12 weeks in arrears, for a maximum of 55% or 65%. State rules can set other limits.
Orders are usually issued through a state child support agency and the employer sends payments through a central processing center. The amount is typically set in the order and is withheld from each paycheck. If your circumstances change, ask the court or agency to modify the order.
Child support and alimony garnishments generally take priority over other garnishments.
4. Tax levies and student loans
The IRS can levy wages to collect unpaid federal taxes. The amount that is exempt from levy depends on your filing status and dependents and is calculated from an IRS table. The rest is taken from each paycheck until the debt is paid or the levy is released. State tax agencies may have similar powers.
Defaulted federal student loans can be collected by administrative wage garnishment of up to 15% of disposable earnings, but not below 30 times the federal minimum wage per week, with notice and a right to a hearing beforehand. Private student loans require a court judgment first.
If you are in default, contact the loan servicer about rehabilitation or consolidation, which can stop garnishment. For tax debt, ask about an installment agreement or an offer in compromise.
5. How garnishment appears on your paycheck
A garnishment appears as a deduction on your pay stub, often labeled garnishment, levy, support or lien. The employer calculates the amount from your disposable earnings and the order. Compare the amount with the limits described above. Employers may also charge a small administrative fee in some states.
Because garnishment is a post-tax deduction, it does not change your taxable wages. Your net pay falls, but your W-2 shows full wages. Some pay stubs show how much of the debt remains, and some do not, so ask the creditor or agency for a statement.
If multiple garnishments apply, priority rules determine the order, and combined deductions usually cannot exceed the federal maximum, with exceptions for support and taxes.
6. Worked example
A worker earns $900 a week gross. After federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax of $180, disposable earnings are $720. An ordinary creditor could take the lesser of 25%, which is $180, or $720 minus $217.50, which is $502.50, so $180 a week. Take-home pay after the garnishment and after health insurance of $40 would be roughly $500.
If the debt is child support and the worker supports a new spouse, the cap is 50% of disposable earnings, or $360 a week, and take-home pay would be much lower. This is why it matters which type of debt is involved.
Use the paycheck calculator on this site to estimate your disposable earnings and take-home pay, then subtract the garnishment.
7. Garnishment, bank accounts and other protected income
Wage garnishment is separate from a bank levy, in which a creditor with a judgment freezes and takes money in your account. Federal benefits such as Social Security, veterans' benefits and Supplemental Security Income deposited by direct deposit are generally protected and get automatic protection for a certain amount. Ask your bank how it handles a levy and keep benefit deposits in a separate account when possible.
Some income is exempt from ordinary garnishment, including certain public assistance and unemployment benefits depending on the state, and retirement account balances usually have strong protections. Wages you have already been paid and put in a bank account may lose wage protection, so know what applies in your state.
8. Records and resources
Keep the garnishment order, the pay stubs showing deductions, and any correspondence. If you think the employer is taking too much, compare the withholding with the federal limit and your state's rules, and contact the creditor or the court. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division enforces the federal garnishment limits, and legal aid organizations often help low-income workers with garnishment defense and exemption claims for free.
9. Exemptions, hearings and what to do
You may have options to stop or reduce a garnishment. Federal and state exemptions protect certain income, such as some public benefits, and heads of household in some states get a larger exempt amount. You can file a claim of exemption with the court, and a hearing may follow. Check the deadlines in the notice, since they are often short.
If the debt is wrong or has been paid, dispute it in writing and raise it with the court. If you cannot afford the payments, consider negotiating a payment plan with the creditor, asking a legal aid organization for help or consulting a bankruptcy attorney, since bankruptcy can stop garnishment in many cases.
Do not ignore court papers. Defaults often lead to a judgment, and it is harder to fight later.
10. Protecting your pay and avoiding garnishment
Pay attention to court notices, respond on time and keep records. Prioritize debts that can lead to garnishment without a court order, such as taxes, child support and federal student loans. Consider budgeting with the paycheck calculator on this site so you know your actual take-home amount.
A garnishment ends when the debt is paid, the order expires or is released, or a court orders it stopped. Ask for a release letter and confirm that the employer stops the deductions. If you change jobs, the creditor can serve the new employer.
11. Garnishment limits by pay frequency
The federal protected amount for ordinary debts is 30 times the federal minimum wage per week, scaled to your pay period. Disposable earnings at or below these amounts cannot be garnished for ordinary debts:
| Pay frequency | Protected amount | At or above this, 25% applies |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | $217.50 | $290.00 |
| Every two weeks | $435.00 | $580.00 |
| Twice a month | $471.25 | $628.33 |
| Monthly | $942.50 | $1,256.67 |
Between the two amounts, the garnishment is limited to the earnings above the protected amount. Above the second amount, the 25% limit is the smaller one and applies. State limits can be lower.
12. Garnishment of different kinds of income
Wage garnishment rules apply to wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses and pension or retirement payments from an employer. Independent contractor payments are often treated differently and may be reached through bank levies instead. Federal benefits such as Social Security, SSI and VA benefits have their own protections from most private creditors, but can be reached for federal taxes, child support and some federal debts. Unemployment benefits can be intercepted for child support and, in many states, for unemployment overpayments.
13. Talking to your employer about a garnishment
Your employer has no choice about honoring a valid garnishment order, and payroll staff usually cannot negotiate the debt. What they can do is show you how the amount was calculated. Ask for the calculation of disposable earnings and the limit applied for each pay period. If the employer withholds more than the order or the law allows, raise it promptly in writing; employers can be liable for over-withholding. If you have a hardship, the creditor or the court, not the employer, is the one to approach.
14. A worked example at three pay levels
For a worker paid weekly with an ordinary credit card judgment, using federal limits only:
| Weekly disposable earnings | 25% of earnings | Earnings above $217.50 | Maximum garnished |
|---|---|---|---|
| $250 | $62.50 | $32.50 | $32.50 |
| $500 | $125.00 | $282.50 | $125.00 |
| $900 | $225.00 | $682.50 | $225.00 |
At low wages, the protected amount limits the garnishment more than the 25% rule does.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of my paycheck can be garnished?
For ordinary debts, the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the amount over 30 times the federal minimum wage per week.
Can I be fired for wage garnishment?
Not for a single garnishment under federal law, though rules for multiple garnishments are more limited.
Can wages be garnished for child support?
Yes, at higher limits of up to 50% to 65% of disposable earnings.
Do all states allow wage garnishment?
Some states, such as Texas and Pennsylvania, generally prohibit it for ordinary debts.
Is garnishment before or after tax?
It is a post-tax deduction, taken from disposable earnings.
How do I stop a garnishment?
Pay or settle the debt, file for an exemption, negotiate, or seek legal help, depending on the type of debt.
Can an employer take more than the limit?
No. Employers must follow the federal and state limits, and violations can be reported to the Wage and Hour Division.
Does garnishment affect my W-2?
No. Your W-2 shows full wages because garnishment is taken after tax.
Can my bank account be garnished too?
Yes. A judgment creditor can levy a bank account, but federal benefits deposited directly are protected up to two months' worth, and many states protect more.
Does a garnishment end if I change jobs?
No. The creditor can serve the order on your new employer; child support orders follow you through new-hire reporting automatically.
Can a creditor garnish my wages without a court order?
Most private creditors need a court judgment first. Federal agencies collecting student loans, taxes and some federal debts can garnish without one.
Can wages be garnished for medical debt?
Yes, after a court judgment, within the same federal and state limits as other consumer debts.
Can my employer charge me a fee to process a garnishment?
Some states allow a small administrative fee; others do not. It cannot push the total above legal limits.
This article is for general education only and is not tax, legal or investment advice. Figures and rules change; confirm details with the IRS or a qualified professional before making decisions.