Wage Garnishment Calculator
If a creditor has a court judgment against you — or you're worried one is coming — this estimates the most that can legally be taken from each paycheck. You'll need your disposable earnings for one pay period (what's left after mandatory deductions, not gross pay) and to know your state, since 12 states have their own rules that override the federal formula, including three that ban ordinary wage garnishment outright.
Wage garnishment estimate — federal formula, plus 10 state overlays
Federal law (Title III, CCPA) sets a floor. Texas, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina bar ordinary wage garnishment for consumer debt entirely; Massachusetts, Illinois, Washington, Arizona, New York, and California set stricter caps than the federal formula; Florida exempts a "head of family" earning $750/week or less; Missouri and Tennessee follow the federal formula with a narrow add-on. Select your state below, or leave it on "Other / not listed" to see the federal ceiling only. State minimum wage figures used here are current as of 2026-07-21.
| Disposable earnings / week | Max garnishable / week |
|---|---|
| $400 | $100.00 |
| $600 | $150.00 |
| $900 | $225.00 |
| $1,200 | $300.00 |
| $1,600 | $400.00 |
Federal law caps garnishment at the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the amount above 30× federal minimum wage ($217.50/week) — above roughly $290/week the 25% cap is always the binding number. States with a stricter cap or a full ban (see the tool below) override this.
This is a general estimate for a single ordinary creditor garnishment, not for child support, federal student loans, or federal tax debt, which follow different rules with different (often higher) caps. Not legal advice — verify against your state's current law and the wording of your own garnishment order. See the full 20-state ranking for citations and additional states.
Questions about this calculator
What counts as "disposable earnings" for this calculator?
Gross pay minus legally required deductions only — federal, state, and local taxes, Social Security, and mandatory retirement contributions. Voluntary deductions like health insurance premiums or a 401(k) match don't reduce disposable earnings for garnishment purposes. See Wage Garnishment for the full definition.
— US Debt Compass Editorial Team
Does this calculator cover child support garnishment?
No. Child support and alimony orders use a separate, higher set of federal caps (up to 50-65% of disposable earnings depending on circumstances), not the ordinary-debt formula this tool runs. See Child Support Income Withholding for those rules.
— US Debt Compass Editorial Team
My state isn't one of the 12 with a verified overlay — what should I do?
Treat the federal formula as a floor: no state can allow more garnishment than federal law permits for ordinary debt, though many states allow less or ban it entirely. Check your state's page for what's actually confirmed there before assuming the federal number applies.
— US Debt Compass Editorial Team