How much can be garnished for child support?

Under federal law, a child-support order can garnish up to 50% of your disposable earnings if you support another spouse or child, or 60% if you do not. Either limit rises by an additional 5% (to 55% or 65%) when you are more than 12 weeks behind on payments. Child support has priority over most other garnishments.

Wage Garnishment Calculator — How Much Can Be Taken

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Walk-through

How to Use This Calculator

5 steps

1

Enter your gross pay and mandatory deductions

Start with your gross pay for one pay period, then enter the taxes and other legally required deductions — federal, state, and local income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and any mandatory retirement contribution. The calculator subtracts these to find your disposable earnings, which is the figure every garnishment limit is based on. Do not include voluntary deductions like health insurance or extra 401(k) contributions.

2

Choose your pay frequency

Select weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, or monthly. The 30× federal-minimum-wage exempt floor is set per week ($217.50) and is prorated to your pay period — $435 bi-weekly, $471.25 semi-monthly, $942.50 monthly. Getting the frequency right matters most for lower earners, where the floor, not the 25% cap, can be the binding limit.

3

Pick the garnishment type

Consumer/creditor debt, child support, a defaulted federal student loan, and unpaid taxes each follow different rules. Consumer debt is capped at 25% of disposable (or less by state); child support runs 50–65%; a federal student loan up to 15%; and an IRS levy has no fixed percentage. For child support, use the two toggles to set whether you support a second family and whether you are more than 12 weeks behind.

4

Select your state

Your state can protect you more than federal law. Four states — Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Carolina — ban wage garnishment for ordinary consumer debt entirely, and others cap it below 25% (New York and New Jersey at 10% of gross, Massachusetts at 15% of gross, Colorado and several others at 20%). These state protections apply only to consumer debt; child support, taxes, and student loans can be garnished everywhere.

5

Read the maximum garnishable and your take-home

The headline shows the most that can legally be taken from a single paycheck and what you keep. Open the By Type tab to compare all four debt types side by side and see the federal limit against your state's, and the State Rules tab for every state's consumer-debt rule. Remember this is the ceiling — you may qualify for added exemptions a court must apply.

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Reference

Formula & Methodology

4 formulas

Disposable earnings

Disposable = Gross Pay − Taxes & Mandatory Deductions

Disposable earnings are what remain after legally required withholdings: income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and mandatory retirement. Every garnishment limit is a percentage of, or a floor against, this figure — never gross pay. Voluntary deductions such as health insurance or union dues are not subtracted.

Consumer / creditor debt (federal CCPA, Title III)

Garnishable = min( 25% × Disposable, Disposable − 30 × $7.25 per week )

For ordinary consumer debt, federal law 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 × 30 = $217.50/week, prorated by pay period). If your state's rule takes less — or bans consumer garnishment — that more-protective limit governs instead.

Child / family support

Garnishable = (50% or 60%) × Disposable, plus 5% if > 12 weeks in arrears

A child-support order can take 50% of disposable earnings if you support another spouse or child, or 60% if you do not. Either limit rises by 5 percentage points (to 55% or 65%) when payments are more than 12 weeks behind. Support garnishment is not reduced by the 30× minimum-wage floor and takes priority over other garnishments.

Federal student loan (administrative wage garnishment)

Garnishable = min( 15% × Disposable, Disposable − 30 × $7.25 per week )

The U.S. Department of Education can garnish up to 15% of disposable pay for a defaulted federal student loan under 20 U.S.C. §1095a, without a court order, but must leave you at least 30× the federal minimum wage. An IRS tax levy, by contrast, uses no fixed percentage — it exempts a base amount from IRS Publication 1494 based on your filing status and dependents and can levy the rest.

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YMYL

Trust, Methodology & Sources

Written by Quinn Sumner · Updated 2026-07-16 · 5 sources

Editorial accountability

Author: Quinn Sumner - Editor

Owner: Quinn Sumner - Editorial owner

Last reviewed: 2026-07-16

Last verified: 2026-07-16

Methodology

The Wage Garnishment Calculator applies the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act (Title III) limits and each state's consumer-debt garnishment rule. Disposable earnings are computed as gross pay minus taxes and mandatory deductions. Consumer debt is capped at the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the amount over 30× the federal minimum wage ($7.25 → $217.50/week), prorated by pay frequency, with the more-protective state rule applied where a state bans or caps garnishment below the federal limit. Child support uses the 50%/60% caps plus 5% for arrears over 12 weeks; defaulted federal student loans use the 15% administrative limit; IRS levies are shown as informational because the exempt amount is set by IRS Publication 1494. Federal figures and state rules were verified in July 2026 against U.S. Department of Labor guidance and published state garnishment statutes.

Assumption: Disposable earnings equal gross pay minus legally required deductions (taxes, Social Security, Medicare, mandatory retirement); voluntary deductions are not subtracted.

Assumption: The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, so the weekly consumer-debt exempt floor is 30 × $7.25 = $217.50, prorated to the selected pay period.

Assumption: State results reflect the general statutory rule for consumer debt; head-of-household exemptions, local court practice, and state-minimum-wage floors that protect more are noted but not individually calculated.

Limitations & guidance

This calculator does not constitute legal advice and cannot account for every exemption, multiple-garnishment priority rule, or court order that applies to your situation.

IRS tax levies are not computed as a fixed amount because the exempt figure depends on your filing status and dependents (IRS Form 668-W / Publication 1494).

Garnishment procedures, notice requirements, and state minimum-wage-based floors vary; always confirm the current rule for your state and debt type with an attorney or legal-aid office.

Professional guidance: The Wage Garnishment Calculator is for general educational and financial-planning purposes only and is not legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship. Federal limits set a maximum; your state and personal circumstances may protect more of your pay. Consult a licensed attorney or a legal-aid office about your specific garnishment.

Primary sources

Fact Sheet #30: Wage Garnishment Protections of the Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA) - U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division

15 U.S.C. §1673 — Restriction on garnishment - Cornell Legal Information Institute

Federal Minimum Wage - U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division

20 U.S.C. §1095a — Wage garnishment requirement (federal student loans) - Cornell Legal Information Institute

Student Loan Default and Collections - Federal Student Aid, U.S. Department of Education

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Glossary

Key Terms Explained

9 terms

Wage garnishment A legal process in which an employer withholds part of an employee's pay to satisfy a debt, sent directly to the creditor, government agency, or court. It can be ordered by a court judgment or, for some federal debts, administratively without a court order.

Disposable earnings Pay remaining after legally required deductions — federal, state, and local taxes, Social Security, Medicare, and mandatory retirement contributions. Garnishment limits are calculated on disposable earnings, not gross pay. Voluntary deductions are not subtracted.

CCPA (Consumer Credit Protection Act) The federal law whose Title III restricts how much of a worker's wages can be garnished and prohibits firing an employee because their wages are garnished for a single debt. It is enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division.

Title III The part of the CCPA (15 U.S.C. §1671–1673) that sets the federal garnishment ceilings: the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the amount over 30× the federal minimum wage for consumer debt, and higher limits for support.

Child support garnishment An income-withholding order for child or spousal support. Under Title III it can reach 50% of disposable earnings if the worker supports another family or 60% if not, plus an extra 5% when payments are more than 12 weeks past due.

Administrative wage garnishment (AWG) Garnishment imposed by a federal agency without a court judgment — most commonly the Department of Education collecting a defaulted federal student loan at up to 15% of disposable pay under 20 U.S.C. §1095a.

Exempt amount The portion of pay that cannot be garnished. For consumer debt it is 30× the federal minimum wage per week ($217.50). For an IRS levy it is a filing-status-and-dependent-based figure from IRS Publication 1494. Many states set higher exemptions.

Writ of garnishment The court order that directs an employer to begin withholding wages after a creditor wins a money judgment. States that permit consumer garnishment issue a writ (or similar order); the four ban states do not allow one for ordinary consumer debt.

Head-of-household exemption A protection in some states that shields most or all wages of a worker who provides more than half the support of a dependent. Where it applies (for example Florida), it can reduce or eliminate consumer-debt garnishment, but it usually must be claimed.

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Scenarios

Real-World Examples

3 worked examples

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Ohio worker, credit-card judgment

A bi-weekly earner with a consumer-debt judgment in a state that follows the federal rule.

Gross pay (bi-weekly) $1,500 Taxes + mandatory $350 Type / State Consumer / Ohio

Disposable earnings are $1,150. The federal cap is the lesser of 25% ($287.50) or the amount over the $435 bi-weekly floor ($715), so $287.50 can be garnished and $862.50 is protected. Ohio follows the federal rule, so nothing changes — but move to a lower-cap state and the number drops.

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Parent behind on child support

Same paycheck, but the garnishment is a child-support order and the worker does not support a second family.

Disposable earnings $1,150 Supporting second family? No (60%) More than 12 weeks behind? No

Child support can take 60% of disposable earnings because the worker is not supporting another spouse or child — that is $690, leaving $460. If they fall more than 12 weeks behind, the cap rises to 65% ($747.50). Support garnishment is far higher than consumer debt and skips the minimum-wage floor.

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Texas worker, same credit-card debt

The identical consumer judgment, but the worker lives in Texas.

Gross pay (bi-weekly) $1,500 Type / State Consumer / Texas Disposable earnings $1,150

Texas bans wage garnishment for ordinary consumer debt, so a credit-card creditor generally cannot take anything — $0 garnished, the full $1,150 protected. Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Carolina offer the same protection. But child support, taxes, and federal student loans can still be garnished in Texas.

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Deep Dive

How Much of Your Paycheck Can Be Garnished?

3 chapters · 6 min read

Wage garnishment lets a creditor take part of your paycheck to pay a debt — but federal law caps how much, and your state often protects you more. This guide explains the federal CCPA limits, the states that ban or cap consumer garnishment, and how the debt type changes everything.

The federal ceiling for consumer debt

For ordinary consumer or creditor debt — credit cards, medical bills, personal loans — Title III of the Consumer Credit Protection Act caps garnishment at the lesser of 25% of your disposable earnings or the amount by which your weekly disposable earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage. The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 since 2009, so that floor is $217.50 per week ($435 bi-weekly, $471.25 semi-monthly, $942.50 monthly). If you earn at or below the floor for your pay period, nothing can be garnished for consumer debt.

Disposable earnings are what is left after legally required deductions — taxes, Social Security, Medicare, and mandatory retirement. They are not the same as gross pay, and using gross pay overstates what a creditor can take.

Your state can protect you more

Federal limits are a ceiling, not a floor. Four states — Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Carolina — prohibit wage garnishment for ordinary consumer debt entirely. Several others cap it well below 25%: New York and New Jersey limit it to 10% of gross wages, Massachusetts to 15% of gross, and Colorado, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and South Dakota to 20% of disposable. Many states also exempt a larger share of low wages by tying the floor to a higher state minimum wage. When state and federal rules differ, the one that garnishes less applies.

These protections cover consumer debt only. No state shields wages from child support, taxes, or federal student loans.

Support, student loans, and taxes follow different rules

Child support can reach 50% of disposable earnings if you support another spouse or child, or 60% if you do not, plus 5 percentage points when you are more than 12 weeks behind — and it is not limited by the minimum-wage floor. A defaulted federal student loan can be garnished administratively, without a court order, at up to 15% of disposable pay. An IRS tax levy uses no fixed percentage at all: the IRS exempts a base amount from Publication 1494 based on your filing status and number of dependents and can levy everything above it. Because the rules diverge so sharply, always confirm the exact figure for your debt type — and remember that added exemptions, such as a head-of-household exemption, may lower the amount further.

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Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

8 questions

How much of my paycheck can be garnished?+

It depends on the debt type and your state. For consumer debt, federal law caps it at the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the amount over 30× the federal minimum wage ($217.50/week). Child support can take 50–65%, a defaulted federal student loan up to 15%, and an IRS levy an amount set by Publication 1494. Four states ban consumer-debt garnishment outright.

What are disposable earnings?+

Disposable earnings are your pay after legally required deductions — federal, state, and local income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and any mandatory retirement contribution. Garnishment limits apply to this figure, not your gross pay. Voluntary deductions like health insurance premiums, union dues, or extra retirement savings are not subtracted.

What is the limit for consumer or credit-card debt?+

The lesser of 25% of your disposable earnings or the amount by which your weekly disposable earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage ($217.50). If you earn at or below that floor, nothing can be garnished. Many states set a lower cap, and Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Carolina prohibit consumer-debt garnishment entirely.

How much can be taken for child support?+

Up to 50% of disposable earnings if you support another spouse or child, or 60% if you do not. Either cap rises by 5 percentage points — to 55% or 65% — when you are more than 12 weeks behind on payments. Child support has priority over most other garnishments and is not reduced by the minimum-wage floor.

How much can be garnished for federal student loans?+

Up to 15% of your disposable pay for a defaulted federal student loan, through administrative wage garnishment under 20 U.S.C. §1095a — the Department of Education can order it without going to court, though it must leave you at least 30× the federal minimum wage and give you notice and a hearing right first.

Can my state stop wage garnishment for consumer debt?+

Yes. Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Carolina ban wage garnishment for ordinary consumer or creditor debt by private creditors. Many other states cap it below the federal 25%. But no state protects wages from child support, taxes, or federal student loans — those can be garnished everywhere.

What if I have more than one garnishment at once?+

The federal caps apply to the total, not to each order separately, and child support has priority. For example, consumer-debt garnishments together generally cannot exceed 25% of disposable earnings. When a support order is in place it is paid first, which can leave little or no room for a creditor garnishment.

Can I stop or reduce a wage garnishment?+

Sometimes. You may qualify for an exemption (such as a head-of-household exemption), you can object to an improper or excessive garnishment, request a hearing for a federal student-loan garnishment, or negotiate with the creditor. This tool is an estimate, not legal advice — a licensed attorney or a legal-aid office can review your specific situation.

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Wage Garnishment Calculator