What is the general rule for wage garnishment?
William Burgess
Updated on March 08, 2026
What is the general rule for wage garnishment?
For ordinary garnishments (i.e., those not for support, bankruptcy, or any state or federal tax), the weekly amount may not exceed the lesser of two figures: 25% of the employee’s disposable earnings, or the amount by which an employee’s disposable earnings are greater than 30 times the federal minimum wage (currently …
What is the process of garnishment?
Garnishment, or wage garnishment, is when money is legally withheld from your paycheck and sent to another party. It refers to a legal process that instructs a third party to deduct payments directly from a debtor’s wage or bank account. Typically, the third party is the debtor’s employer and is known as the garnishee.
What is meant by garnishment in law?
Garnishment is a legal process that allows a third party to seize assets of a debtor. If the court finds for the plaintiff, the garnishee will allow the plaintiff to garnish his or her assets in a third party’s control, such as wage or money in a bank account.
What are examples of garnishments?
Some common types of debt that lead to garnished earnings include:
- Unpaid taxes.
- Overdue child support.
- Defaulted government student loans.
- Delinquent credit card loans.
- Outstanding medical bills.
What income Cannot be garnished?
While each state has its own garnishment laws, most say that Social Security benefits, disability payments, retirement funds, child support and alimony cannot be garnished for most types of debt.
What states dont allow garnishments?
At present four U.S. states—Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas—do not allow wage garnishment at all except for tax-related debt, child support, federally guaranteed student loans, and court-ordered fines or restitution.
Can you be garnished without being served?
In most cases, a creditor can’t garnish your wages without first getting a money judgment against you. The creditor has to file a lawsuit in court and either obtain a default judgment (an automatic win because you don’t respond to the suit) or prevail in its case.
How many types of garnishments are there?
Generally there are three different types of garnishment: garnishing wages, garnishing bank accounts, and garnishing rent owed to a landlord, where the landlord is also the debtor.
What is difference between Levy and garnishment?
A levy allows a creditor to withdraw money from a financial account—most commonly, a checking or savings account. (Learn about the levy process.) Garnishment. A garnishment is a collection tool that allows a creditor to instruct your employer to take a portion of your wages from your paycheck.
What are 5 examples of debts that can be repaid through wage garnishment?
State wage garnishments are issued after all federal debt is repaid.
- Child Support. Child support is the first priority for wage garnishments.
- Federal Student Loans.
- State Income Taxes.
- Credit Cards and all Other Debt.
Can a garnishment take your whole check?
Judgment creditors—those who’ve filed a lawsuit against you and won—and creditors with a statutory right to collect back taxes, child support, and student loans can garnish or “take” money directly out of your paycheck. But they can’t take it all. Federal and state law limits the amount a creditor can garnish.
What type of bank account Cannot be garnished?
Certain types of income cannot be garnished or frozen in a bank account. Foremost among these are federal and state benefits, such as Social Security payments. Not only is a creditor forbidden from taking this money through garnishment, but, after it has been deposited in an account, a creditor cannot freeze it.