Wage Garnishments: What They Are, Limits, and Your Rights

Wage garnishments can take 15-65% of your disposable income. Here's what the law says about limits, priorities, and your rights as an employee.

Wage garnishments can take 15-65% of your disposable income. Here's what the law says about limits, priorities, and your rights as an employee.

By ExpertPaystubs Editorial Team. Published 2026-03-20

A wage garnishment is a court order requiring your employer to withhold part of your earnings to pay a debt. It appears on your pay stub as a mandatory deduction that neither you nor your employer can refuse.

Types of Wage Garnishments

1. Consumer Debt Garnishments

For unpaid credit cards, medical bills, personal loans:

  • Federal limit: Lesser of 25% of disposable earnings OR amount exceeding 30× federal minimum wage per week
  • Some states have lower limits: Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina nearly prohibit consumer garnishments

2. Child Support

  • Limit: Up to 50% of disposable income (if supporting another family) or 60% (if not)
  • Add 5% if more than 12 weeks in arrears
  • Maximum: 65% of disposable income
  • Priority: Takes precedence over all other garnishments

3. Federal Tax Levies (IRS)

  • Amount varies based on filing status and number of dependents
  • The IRS provides Publication 1494 with exempt amounts
  • Generally leaves you with a minimum living allowance

4. Federal Student Loans

  • Limit: Up to 15% of disposable income
  • No court order required (administrative garnishment)
  • Only applies to defaulted federal loans

5. State Tax Levies

  • Varies by state
  • Generally similar to federal tax levy procedures

Federal Garnishment Limits (Title III, CCPA)

Type Maximum Withholding
Consumer debt 25% of disposable earnings
Child support (supporting another family) 50%
Child support (not supporting another family) 60%
Child support (12+ weeks in arrears) Add 5%
Federal student loans 15%
Federal tax levy Per IRS Publication 1494

Disposable earnings = Gross pay minus legally required deductions (taxes, FICA, state-mandated insurance).

How Garnishments Appear on Pay Stubs

Gross Pay:                 $2,500.00
Federal Tax:                 -$275.00
State Tax:                   -$100.00
Social Security:             -$155.00
Medicare:                     -$36.25
Health Insurance:            -$125.00
Disposable Earnings:       $1,808.75
Child Support Garnishment:   -$452.19   (25% of disposable)
Net Pay:                   $1,356.56

Priority Order for Multiple Garnishments

When multiple garnishments exist, they follow this priority:

  1. Child support — Always first
  2. Federal tax levies — Second priority
  3. State tax levies — Third
  4. Federal student loans — Fourth
  5. Consumer debt — Last

Employee Rights

  1. You cannot be fired for a single consumer debt garnishment (Title III protection)
  2. Multiple garnishments: Federal law does NOT protect against termination for multiple garnishments
  3. Right to challenge: You can contest the underlying debt or claim exemptions
  4. State protections: Many states offer additional protections (head of household exemptions, higher minimum wage thresholds)

Employer Obligations

  • Must comply with garnishment orders within one pay period of receipt
  • Cannot refuse to process a valid court order
  • Must track and remit garnished amounts accurately
  • Must notify the employee of the garnishment
  • Must continue withholding until notified by the court/agency to stop

Generate pay stubs with garnishment deductions →