Wage garnishment and exemptions in Alaska

Alaska protects a set dollar amount of your weekly pay. Plus what a creditor can't touch in your bank account and what property you keep.

Short answer

Alaska protects a set dollar amount of your weekly pay. Alaska protects a dollar amount of your weekly net (take-home) pay. The statute says $350 a week, but the amount in effect by regulation is $473 a week (8 AAC 95.030(d)). In a bank account: Only for people without regular weekly, semi-monthly or monthly pay: cash and liquid assets (including deposits) up to $1,890 a month (statute $1,400, raised by 8 AAC 95.030(d)(2)).

Wage limit
$473 a week protected
Federal benefits in a bank account
Up to 2 months protected
Law
AS 09.38.030; AS 09.38.050(b); AS 09.38.115; 8 AAC 95.030

Your paycheck and garnishment in Alaska

Wage limit
Alaska protects a dollar amount of your weekly net (take-home) pay. The statute says $350 a week, but the amount in effect by regulation is $473 a week (8 AAC 95.030(d)). The federal limit also applies; you keep whichever protects more. If you are not paid weekly, semi-monthly or monthly, up to $1,890 a month in cash and liquid assets is protected instead.
Head of household
If your earnings alone support your household, you can sign a sworn affidavit to raise the protected amount: then only your weekly take-home pay above $743 can be taken (statute $550), or up to $2,970 a month in cash and liquid assets is protected (statute $2,200). (AS 09.38.050(b); 8 AAC 95.030(e))
Law
AS 09.38.030; AS 09.38.050(b); AS 09.38.115; 8 AAC 95.030

Where Alaska protects more than the federal 25% cap (15 U.S.C. 1673(a)), the state rule wins.

In nearby states

Property you can keep in Alaska

  • Amounts in effect by regulation (8 AAC 95.030; a further inflation increase was proposed in July 2026): home up to $72,900 (statute $54,000, AS 09.38.010); one vehicle up to $4,050 if it is worth $27,000 or less (statute $3,000/$20,000, AS 09.38.020(e)); household goods and similar items up to $4,050 (statute $3,000, AS 09.38.020(a)).

Also in Alaska

  • Alaska's exemption amounts can change on October 1 of each even-numbered year if inflation has risen 10% or more (AS 09.38.115).
  • July 2026: the Department of Labor and Workforce Development proposed raising all Alaska Exemptions Act dollar amounts (8 AAC 95.030) for inflation.

Bank accounts and garnishment in Alaska

Only for people without regular weekly, semi-monthly or monthly pay: cash and liquid assets (including deposits) up to $1,890 a month (statute $1,400, raised by 8 AAC 95.030(d)(2)). (AS 09.38.030(b))

Two months of federal benefits paid by direct deposit are off-limits to a garnishment, and the bank applies this on its own (31 CFR 212.5, 212.6). How garnishment follows a lawsuit.

The lawsuit comes first in Alaska

If you don't answer in time, the creditor can ask for a default judgment against you.

The time to answer in Alaska: District or superior court debt case: file an Answer within 20 days after you are served with the Complaint.

What to do if you are sued in Alaska

How to claim an exemption in Alaska

  1. Watch for deadlines

    Exemption deadlines on court, employer or bank papers can be short, so mark them at once.

  2. Work out what Alaska protects

    Alaska's wage rule: Alaska protects a dollar amount of your weekly net (take-home) pay. The statute says $350 a week, but the amount in effect by regulation is $473 a week (8 AAC 95.030(d)). If your earnings alone support your household, you can sign a sworn affidavit to raise the protected amount: then only your weekly take-home pay above $743 can be taken (statute $550), or up to $2,970 a month in cash and liquid assets is protected (statute $2,200).

  3. Check your bank deposits

    Alaska also protects money in an account: Only for people without regular weekly, semi-monthly or monthly pay: cash and liquid assets (including deposits) up to $1,890 a month (statute $1,400, raised by 8 AAC 95.030(d)(2)). Two months of direct-deposited federal benefits must be left alone (31 CFR 212.6).

  4. Claim your exemptions in court

    Ask the court clerk for the exemption claim form and file it by the deadline. Start with Alaska court self-help (official).

Questions about garnishment in Alaska

How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Alaska?

Alaska protects a dollar amount of your weekly net (take-home) pay. The statute says $350 a week, but the amount in effect by regulation is $473 a week (8 AAC 95.030(d)). The federal limit also applies; you keep whichever protects more. If you are not paid weekly, semi-monthly or monthly, up to $1,890 a month in cash and liquid assets is protected instead.

Can a creditor empty my bank account in Alaska?

Only for people without regular weekly, semi-monthly or monthly pay: cash and liquid assets (including deposits) up to $1,890 a month (statute $1,400, raised by 8 AAC 95.030(d)(2)). (AS 09.38.030(b))

Is there a head-of-household exemption in Alaska?

If your earnings alone support your household, you can sign a sworn affidavit to raise the protected amount: then only your weekly take-home pay above $743 can be taken (statute $550), or up to $2,970 a month in cash and liquid assets is protected (statute $2,200). (AS 09.38.050(b); 8 AAC 95.030(e))

What property is protected from creditors in Alaska?

Amounts in effect by regulation (8 AAC 95.030; a further inflation increase was proposed in July 2026): home up to $72,900 (statute $54,000, AS 09.38.010); one vehicle up to $4,050 if it is worth $27,000 or less (statute $3,000/$20,000, AS 09.38.020(e)); household goods and similar items up to $4,050 (statute $3,000, AS 09.38.020(a)).

Can a collector take Social Security from my bank account in Alaska?

Two months of federal benefits paid by direct deposit are off-limits to a garnishment, and the bank applies this on its own (31 CFR 212.5, 212.6). Only for people without regular weekly, semi-monthly or monthly pay: cash and liquid assets (including deposits) up to $1,890 a month (statute $1,400, raised by 8 AAC 95.030(d)(2)).

More for Alaska

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources