Texas Wage Garnishment Calculator: What Can And Cannot Be Taken
See what a creditor can take from your Texas pay
Pick the type of debt to see whether Texas allows any garnishment, and how much. Nothing you enter is stored.
Texas Wage Garnishment Disposable-Earnings Worksheet
Start with gross pay for one paycheck, then enter deductions required by law. The worksheet calculates a disposable-earnings estimate and can place it into the calculator above. Nothing entered here is stored.
Do not subtract a voluntary deduction unless the applicable rule treats it as required. Existing child-support orders or other priority withholdings may change what remains available for another order.
A Texas Disposable-Earnings Example
Assume gross pay of 1,150.00 for one paycheck, with 92.00 in federal withholding, 87.98 in Social Security and Medicare, 46.00 in state or local withholding, and 23.00 in another legally required deduction. The worksheet produces disposable earnings of 901.02. Entering that number into the Texas calculator lets the page apply the rule described above. Voluntary deductions are not automatically subtracted.
How To Read A Texas Wage-Garnishment Estimate
The Texas rule used on this page: Bottom line in TexasFor an ordinary consumer debt, such as a credit card, medical bill, or personal loan, a creditor in Texas cannot garnish your wages at all. The Texas Constitution protects earnings for personal services. The only pay that can be reached is for court-ordered child support or alimony, unpaid taxes, and federal student loans. One important catch: once your wages are deposited into a bank account, a creditor with a judgment may be able to levy the account, so the protection can end at your bank's door.
This rule is for the ordinary consumer-debt situation described on the page. Start with disposable earnings for the correct pay period, then confirm that the order is for the same debt type. A weekly limit cannot be copied directly to biweekly, semimonthly, or monthly pay without converting the protected amount for that pay period.
| Question | What To Confirm |
|---|---|
| Which Debt? | Whether this is ordinary consumer debt or a separate category such as support, taxes, or a federal student loan. |
| Which Pay Period? | Weekly, biweekly, twice-monthly, and monthly payrolls require the matching Texas calculation. |
| Which Earnings? | Use pay after deductions required by law, not the final take-home amount after every voluntary deduction. |
| Which Order? | Check the creditor, court, case number, balance, priority, and any earlier withholding already on the pay stub. |
Does The Texas Limit Follow Wages Into A Bank Account?
Not automatically. Wage garnishment directs an employer to withhold earnings, while a bank levy or account garnishment reaches money after deposit. The procedure and exemptions can be different, so this wage estimate should not be used to predict a bank-account result.
What If The Employer Or Creditor Is In Another State?
Interstate payroll and judgment enforcement can raise additional questions about which court issued the order and which protection applies. Check the employer notice, issuing court, work location, and residence before relying on a single-state estimate.
Documents That Make The Texas Estimate More Useful
- The garnishment summons, order, or employer notice showing the court and debt type.
- A recent pay stub that separates gross earnings, legally required deductions, and voluntary deductions.
- Information about child support or another priority order already being withheld.
- Any exemption form, objection instructions, hearing notice, and response deadline supplied with the papers.
Federal Reference: U.S. Department Of Labor Garnishment Guidance
Why Texas protects your paycheck
Texas is one of only a handful of states where ordinary creditors cannot garnish wages at all. The protection comes from the Texas Constitution, Article XVI, Section 28, backed by Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 63.004. Together they exempt current wages for personal services from garnishment to collect a consumer or commercial debt. That means a credit card company, hospital, or personal-loan lender that sues you and wins still cannot order your employer to withhold part of your pay.
The debts that can still reach your wages
The constitutional shield covers ordinary debts, not every debt. Pay can still be withheld for court-ordered child support and spousal maintenance, for unpaid federal taxes under the IRS levy rules, and for defaulted federal student loans through administrative wage garnishment. The calculator above shows the limits that apply to each of those.
The bank-account catch most people miss
Here is where Texans get caught off guard. The constitutional protection covers wages, but once your paycheck lands in a checking or savings account, a creditor holding a judgment may be able to freeze and levy that account. Some funds, such as Social Security and certain other benefits, keep their exempt status if you can trace them, but ordinary deposited wages may not. If a judgment has been entered against you, do not assume the danger has passed just because your wages cannot be garnished.
If a Texas judgment already has you worried
Even with strong wage protection, an unpaid judgment does not simply go away, and it can still pressure your bank accounts and credit. Depending on your situation, options include claiming exemptions on protected funds, negotiating a settlement to resolve the judgment, or addressing the balance through a broader debt-relief program. CuraDebt is a free service that reviews the information you submit and, where appropriate and permitted by law, matches you with independent, licensed providers for debt relief or tax resolution. CuraDebt is not a law firm and does not provide legal or tax advice. Results vary and are not guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a credit card company garnish my wages in Texas?
No. For ordinary consumer debts like credit cards, medical bills, and personal loans, Texas does not permit wage garnishment. A judgment creditor may still pursue a bank levy or a lien, but your paycheck itself is protected while it is wages.
What debts can still be taken from my pay in Texas?
Court-ordered child support and spousal maintenance, unpaid federal taxes, and defaulted federal student loans. Each has its own limit, which the calculator estimates.
How much child support can be withheld in Texas?
Generally up to 50% of disposable earnings if you support another child or spouse, up to 60% if you do not, and up to 65% when payments are more than 12 weeks behind.
If my wages are safe, why do I still owe the debt?
Because the debt and any judgment remain even though your wages cannot be garnished. The balance can still affect your credit and expose your bank accounts, which is why resolving it still matters.
Does CuraDebt give legal advice or calculate garnishment for my Texas case, and is it a law firm?
CuraDebt is a free service that reviews the information you submit and, where appropriate and permitted by law, matches you with independent, licensed providers for debt relief or tax resolution. CuraDebt is not a law firm and does not provide legal or tax advice. Results vary and are not guaranteed.
Related Resources
- National wage garnishment calculator
- Debt statute of limitations calculator
- Debt settlement savings estimator
- All debt and tax calculators
