Wage Garnishment Calculator

Federal law under the Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA) limits garnishment for consumer debt to the lesser of 25% of your disposable earnings, or the amount by which your weekly disposable earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage ($7.25/hr). Many states have stricter limits. Use the calculator above to see the exact cap for your situation.

Social Security benefits are generally protected from garnishment by private creditors. However, the federal government can garnish up to 15% for federal student loan debt, and Social Security can be garnished for child support, alimony, and federal tax debts. State and local taxes cannot garnish Social Security.

No, but limits are higher for support orders. Federal law allows up to 50% of disposable earnings for child support if you are supporting another spouse or child, and up to 60% if you are not. If you are more than 12 weeks behind, those limits increase by 5 percentage points (55% or 65%).

Options depend on the debt type: (1) Pay the debt in full or negotiate a settlement or payment plan with the creditor, (2) File for bankruptcy — an automatic stay immediately halts most garnishments, (3) Claim an exemption if your income falls below protected thresholds, (4) Challenge the garnishment in court if the amount exceeds legal limits or you dispute the underlying debt.

Federal law prohibits employers from firing an employee whose pay is garnished for a single debt. However, if you have garnishments for two or more debts, federal protection does not apply — though some states provide broader protections. Check your state's labor laws.

When you have multiple garnishments, they are applied in priority order. Child support takes the highest priority and is deducted first (up to 50-65% of disposable earnings). Federal tax levies have their own exemption calculation under IRS Publication 1494. Consumer debt and student loan garnishments share the remaining CCPA cap of 25% of disposable earnings. Use the "Multiple" option in the calculator to see the combined impact.

Use the "I'm worried about one" mode in the calculator. Enter your income details and state, and it will show your protected amount (the minimum you keep) and the maximum that could be garnished for each type of debt — creditor judgments, child support, student loans, and tax levies. This helps you plan ahead and know your rights.

The CCPA limit applies to your "disposable earnings" — your take-home pay after legally required deductions like federal and state taxes, Social Security, and Medicare. Voluntary deductions like health insurance, 401(k), and union dues do NOT reduce the base for calculating garnishment.