Wage Garnishment Calculator: How Much of Your Paycheck Can Be Taken?

Wage garnishment is one of the most frightening financial events a person can face — a court order directing your employer to withhold a portion of your paycheck before you ever see it. But garnishment has strict legal limits under federal and state law, and understanding exactly how much can be taken — and how much is permanently protected — is the first step to managing the situation. Federal law under the Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA) sets the maximum garnishment for most consumer debts at 25% of disposable earnings or the amount by which your weekly disposable earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage ($7.25/hr × 30 = $217.50/week), whichever is less. Many states impose stricter limits that protect more of your paycheck. Child support and alimony have higher maximums — up to 65% of disposable income. Federal student loan garnishment is limited to 15% without a court order. IRS tax levies follow separate rules. This calculator applies federal law plus your selected state's rules to your specific pay situation — accounting for pay frequency, filing status, mandatory deductions, and the type of debt being collected — to show you exactly how much can legally be garnished, how much is permanently protected, and whether you have grounds to challenge the garnishment or file for an exemption. It also models the financial impact of garnishment on your monthly cash flow and calculates the payoff timeline at the garnishment rate.