Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Maximum garnished this paycheck
$470
Pay you keep
$1,410
Disposable earnings
$1,880
Protected minimum (30× min wage)
$435
Percentage cap amount
$470
Psst — share this and help Rex grow
One click, a permanent link with your numbers baked in.
How to use this
- 1Enter gross pay this period ($).
- 2Enter required deductions (taxes, fica) ($).
- 3Enter pay frequency.
- 4Enter applicable minimum wage ($/hr).
- 5Enter state cap on disposable pay (%).
- 6Read your maximum garnished this paycheck on the right — it updates as you type.
- 7Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Federal law limits ordinary consumer garnishment to the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the amount by which disposable earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage for the pay period. Disposable earnings means gross pay minus legally required deductions — taxes and mandatory withholding, not voluntary items like retirement contributions or insurance. Many states cap garnishment more tightly, and different rules apply to child support, federal student loans, and tax levies. This calculator applies the federal consumer ceiling as a baseline so you can see the maximum a creditor could take from a single paycheck and what is protected. Estimate only; state law and order type can lower the amount substantially.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Gross pay this period: 2400 $
- Required deductions (taxes, FICA): 520 $
- Pay frequency: Every 2 weeks
- Applicable minimum wage: 7.25 $/hr
- State cap on disposable pay: 25 %
Results
- Maximum garnished this paycheck: $470
- Pay you keep: $1,410
- Disposable earnings: $1,880
- Protected minimum (30× min wage): $435
- Percentage cap amount: $470
What each field means
Inputs
- Gross pay this period ($)
- The gross pay this period used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 2400 $ so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–100000 $.
- Required deductions (taxes, FICA) ($)
- The required deductions (taxes, fica) used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 520 $ so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–100000 $.
- Pay frequency
- Pick the option that matches your situation — the maths changes per option. Choices: Weekly, Every 2 weeks, Twice a month, Monthly.
- Applicable minimum wage ($/hr)
- The applicable minimum wage used in the calculation, measured in $/hr. Starts at 7.25 $/hr so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 1–30 $/hr.
- State cap on disposable pay (%)
- The state cap on disposable pay used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 25 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–25 %.
Results
- Maximum garnished this paycheck
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Pay you keep
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Disposable earnings
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Protected minimum (30× min wage)
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Percentage cap amount
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
Do 401(k) contributions reduce disposable earnings?
Generally no. Only legally required deductions count; voluntary retirement and insurance contributions usually do not.
Are child support limits different?
Yes. Support orders can reach 50–65% of disposable earnings depending on circumstances, well above the consumer-debt ceiling.
Can multiple creditors garnish at once?
The federal ceiling generally applies in total for ordinary consumer debts, so a second creditor usually waits in line rather than stacking.
Can I stop a garnishment?
Sometimes — through a claim of exemption, a negotiated payment plan, or bankruptcy. Deadlines are short, so get advice quickly.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
Related tools
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Wage Garnishment Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/wage-garnishment-calculator
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/wage-garnishment-calculator" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wage Garnishment Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Wage Garnishment Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/wage-garnishment-calculator) (2026).