Wage Garnishment Basics
Estimate garnishment exposure, review state-specific wage protection rules, and find plain-English articles that explain how consumer debt, child support, tax levies, and federal student loan garnishment work.
This site helps workers understand how much of their paycheck can legally be garnished, compare federal and state wage garnishment rules, and use a free calculator built on each state's limits.
A step-by-step guide with state-by-state limits, your rights, and an action checklist. Created by someone who's been through it.
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California provides some of the strongest wage garnishment protections in the country. Under Code of Civil Procedure §706.050, revised by SB 1477 effective September 2023, a judgm…
Florida offers one of the strongest wage garnishment protections in the country through its head of household exemption. If you provide more than half the support for a child or o…
Texas is one of the most protective states in the nation when it comes to wage garnishment. The Texas Constitution and state law completely prohibit wage garnishment for consumer…
New York provides some of the strongest wage garnishment protections in the nation. The state limits consumer debt garnishment to the lesser of 10% of gross wages or 25% of dispos…
New Jersey provides strong wage garnishment protections, particularly for lower-income workers. If your income is less than 250% of the federal poverty level, garnishment is limit…
Illinois provides some of the strongest wage garnishment protections in the nation. The state limits consumer debt garnishment to just 15% of gross weekly wages (compared to the f…
Pennsylvania is one of the most protective states in the nation when it comes to wage garnishment. The state completely prohibits wage garnishment for consumer debts, including cr…
Georgia follows the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act for wage garnishment limits. Creditors can garnish up to 25% of your disposable earnings or the amount by which your wee…
Ohio follows the federal wage garnishment limits under the Consumer Credit Protection Act. A creditor may take the lesser of 25% of your disposable earnings or the amount by which…
North Carolina is one of the most protective states in the nation when it comes to wage garnishment. The state generally prohibits wage garnishment for consumer debts such as cred…
Michigan follows the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act for wage garnishment limits. Creditors can garnish up to 25% of your disposable earnings or the amount by which your we…
Virginia provides enhanced wage garnishment protections compared to federal law. The state protects 40 times the Virginia minimum wage from garnishment. With the state minimum wag…