Wage Garnishment Calculator
Wage Garnishment Calculator
Estimate the most a creditor can take from one paycheck for an ordinary consumer debt, under the federal limit and your state's rule. No data is stored.
Estimate only. Actual garnishment depends on the type of debt, the court order, your exact deductions, and your state's current rules. Child support, taxes, and student loans use different limits.
How wage garnishment limits work
For most ordinary consumer debts, such as a credit card judgment or a medical bill that went to court, federal law sets a ceiling on how much of your paycheck a creditor can take. Under Title III of the Consumer Credit Protection Act, the most that can be garnished each week is the lesser of two numbers: 25 percent of your disposable earnings, or the amount by which your weekly disposable earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage. At the current federal minimum wage of $7.25, that protected floor is $217.50 a week.
Disposable earnings are what remain after legally required deductions like taxes and Social Security. They are not your pay after rent, car payments, or other bills.
States that protect more, and four that ban it
Many states go further than federal law. A handful cap ordinary garnishment well below 25 percent, and four states, Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Carolina, do not allow wage garnishment for most consumer debts at all. The calculator applies your state's rule and the federal rule, then shows the lower result, because a creditor can never take more than the smaller ceiling allows.
Child support, taxes, and student loans are different
The limits above are for ordinary consumer debts. Child support can reach 50 to 60 percent of disposable earnings. The IRS uses its own exemption tables rather than a flat percentage. Defaulted federal student loans can be administratively garnished up to 15 percent. If your garnishment is one of these, this calculator's consumer-debt estimate does not apply.
What you can do about a garnishment
A garnishment usually means a debt has already reached the court stage, but it is rarely the end of the road. Depending on your situation you may be able to claim an exemption, negotiate a lump-sum settlement to release the garnishment, set up a payment plan, or address the underlying debt through a broader relief program. The right move depends on the type of debt, how many creditors are involved, and your income.
How this calculator works
For an ordinary consumer debt, federal law (Title III of the Consumer Credit Protection Act) caps garnishment at the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the amount by which weekly disposable earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage ($7.25), which is $217.50 a week. This tool converts your pay to a weekly figure, applies both the federal cap and your state's cap, and reports the lower of the two, because a creditor can never take more than the smaller limit allows. Four states bar most consumer-debt garnishment entirely, and several cap it below 25%. Disposable earnings are pay after legally required deductions, not after rent or other bills.
Sources and references
These figures come from primary sources, which are updated as the rules change:
- U.S. Dept. of Labor, Fact Sheet 30 (CCPA wage garnishment)
- 15 U.S.C. 1673, federal garnishment restriction
- CFPB, what is wage garnishment
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of my paycheck can be garnished?
For an ordinary consumer debt, federal law limits garnishment to the lesser of 25 percent of your disposable earnings or the amount your weekly disposable earnings exceed $217.50 (30 times the $7.25 federal minimum wage). Many states protect more. The calculator on this page applies both the federal and your state's limit and shows the lower one.
Which states do not allow wage garnishment?
Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Carolina do not allow wage garnishment for most ordinary consumer debts. All states still allow garnishment for child support, taxes, and, in most cases, federal student loans.
What are disposable earnings?
Disposable earnings are the pay left after legally required deductions: federal, state, and local taxes, Social Security, Medicare, and required unemployment insurance. They are calculated before voluntary deductions and before living expenses like rent.
Can a garnishment be stopped or reduced?
Sometimes. Depending on your situation you may claim a hardship exemption, negotiate a settlement to release the garnishment, or set up a payment arrangement. Because a garnishment means the debt has usually reached the court stage, it is worth reviewing all your options quickly.
How much can be garnished for child support?
Child support uses higher federal limits than consumer debt, generally up to 50 percent of disposable earnings if you support another spouse or child, and up to 60 percent if you do not, with an extra 5 percent for payments more than 12 weeks past due. This calculator estimates consumer-debt garnishment, not support.
How do I stop a wage garnishment?
Common routes include filing a claim of exemption if the garnishment leaves you below the protected amount, negotiating a lump-sum settlement or payment plan to release it, challenging the underlying judgment, or, in some cases, a bankruptcy filing, which triggers an automatic stay that halts most garnishments. The best route depends on the type of debt and your state.
Can the IRS garnish my wages without a court order?
Yes. Unlike ordinary creditors, the IRS and some other federal debts do not need a court judgment to garnish. The IRS also does not use the 25 percent consumer cap; it uses an exemption table based on your filing status and dependents, which can leave less of your pay protected.
How much can be garnished for federal student loans?
Defaulted federal student loans can be administratively garnished up to 15 percent of your disposable pay without a court order, and the garnishment must still leave you at least 30 times the federal minimum wage each week.
Does CuraDebt provide the garnishment calculation, 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
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- California wage garnishment calculator
- Florida wage garnishment calculator
- Georgia wage garnishment calculator
- Illinois wage garnishment calculator
- New York wage garnishment calculator
- North Carolina wage garnishment calculator
- Ohio wage garnishment calculator
- Pennsylvania wage garnishment calculator
- Texas wage garnishment calculator
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