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Wage Garnishment Calculator

If a creditor wins a judgment, there is a legal cap on how much of your paycheck they can take. Enter your weekly take-home (disposable) pay and pick your state to see the limit.

Federal maximum a creditor can garnish from $600.00 weekly disposable pay:

$150.00 per week

Federal law (CCPA) caps ordinary garnishment at the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the amount above $217.50 per week (30x the $7.25 federal minimum wage). Below $217.50/week, nothing can be taken.

California protects more: California uses the lesser of 25% or the amount over 40x the state minimum wage — usually more protective than federal. Your actual cap may be lower than the federal number above.

Child support, unpaid taxes, and federal student loans use higher limits than the ordinary 25% cap.

What you can do about a garnishment

  1. Check the math against your stub — the cap is on disposable (after legally required deductions) pay.
  2. Claim exemptions. Most states let you protect more if the garnishment causes hardship; file the exemption form fast (deadlines are short).
  3. See the federal rules in the DOL CCPA fact sheet, and contact your state labor office or a consumer-law clinic.

Related

General information, not legal advice. The federal calculation is exact for ordinary consumer-debt garnishment; state rules and exemptions vary and change. Confirm with the DOL fact sheet (linked) or a consumer-law attorney before acting.