Wage garnishment limits by state

Federal limit applies: you keep 75% of your wages (Ala. Code § 6-10-7), and federal law also protects 30 times the federal minimum wage per week ($217.50). For consumer credit debts the state law uses the same federal formula (Ala. Code § 5-19-15).

No separate bank account amount.

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)).

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)).

Stricter than federal: no more than 10% of your disposable earnings, or the amount above 60 times the highest applicable (federal, state or local) minimum hourly wage per week, whichever is less. Support orders and tax debts are different.

$5,000 in one account at one financial institution, adjusted each January 1 for inflation since 2024.

federal limit applies: a creditor can take no more than 25% of your disposable earnings, or the amount above $217.50 a week (30 times the federal minimum wage), whichever is less (15 U.S.C. § 1673).

Not confirmed

A creditor can take no more than the lesser of 20% of your weekly disposable earnings, or 40% of the amount by which your weekly disposable earnings exceed 48 times the state minimum hourly wage (or the local minimum wage, if higher where you work). You can ask for more to be protected with a Claim of Exemption (form WG-006).

Money in your bank accounts up to the state's "minimum basic standard of adequate care" for a family of four (Region 1) is protected automatically, per person.

Stricter than federal: no more than 20% of your disposable earnings a week, and none of the pay below 40 times the federal or Colorado minimum hourly wage. (C.R.S. § 13-54-104(2)(a))

Up to $2,500 total in your bank accounts is exempt.

Stricter than federal: a creditor can take no more than 25% of your disposable earnings, or the amount above 40 times the higher of the federal or Connecticut minimum wage per week, whichever is less.

Up to $1,000: the bank leaves up to $1,000 of wages deposited in the last 2 months, or the lesser of your balance or $1,000.

Stricter than federal: 85% of your wages are protected, so no more than 15% can be taken. Only one wage attachment can be made at a time.

Not confirmed

Stricter than federal: only the part of your weekly disposable wages above 40 times the D.C. minimum hourly wage can be reached, and only 25% of that part.

Not confirmed

Stricter than federal for a head of family: if you provide more than half the support of a child or other dependent, all your disposable earnings up to $750 a week are protected, and more than that is protected too unless you waived it in a separate signed document. Others: federal limit (Fla. Stat. § 222.11(2)).

Exempt wages of a head of family stay protected in a bank account for 6 months after deposit if they can be traced as wages (Fla. Stat. § 222.11(3)).

A creditor can take the lesser of 25% of your weekly disposable earnings, or the amount above $217.50 a week (30 times the federal minimum wage). If you earn less than that, your wages can't be garnished.

Not confirmed

Stricter than federal: no more than 5% of the first $100 a month, 10% of the next $100, and 20% of everything above $200 a month (or the weekly equivalent). (HRS § 652-1(b))

Not confirmed

Federal limit applies: up to 25% of your disposable earnings, or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage ($217.50 a week), whichever is less.

Not confirmed

Stricter than federal: no more than 15% of gross weekly wages, or the amount of disposable earnings above 45 times the higher of the federal or Illinois minimum wage, whichever is less.

After a consumer debt judgment, $1,000 in a checking or savings account is automatically protected until the court's return date.

Same cap as federal law: no more than 25% of your disposable earnings, or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage ($217.50 a week), whichever is less. But you can ask the court to lower it to between 10% and 25% if you show good cause.

$450 of intangible property, which includes bank (deposit) accounts and cash.

Stricter than federal: on top of the federal limit, each judgment creditor can garnish only a yearly maximum tied to your expected income — $250 if you expect to earn under $12,000; $400 ($12,000–$15,999); $800 ($16,000–$23,999); $1,500 ($24,000–$34,999); $2,000 ($35,000–$49,999); 10% of expected earnings at $50,000 or more. Support orders and some other debts are exceptions.

Up to $1,000 total in cash, bank or credit union deposits, or other personal property you choose (Iowa Code § 627.6(14)).

A creditor can take the lesser of 25% of your weekly disposable earnings, the amount above 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage, or the amount of the claim. One creditor can't start more than one wage garnishment against you in any 30-day period.

Not confirmed

federal limit applies: up to 25% of disposable earnings, or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage a week, whichever is less. (KRS 427.010(2))

Not confirmed

Federal limit applies: you keep 75% of your disposable earnings, and never less than 30 times the federal minimum wage per week ($217.50).

Not confirmed

The court can order payments of no more than the smallest of: 25% of your weekly disposable earnings (plus exempt income), or the amount above 40 times the higher of the federal or Maine minimum wage per week. If your only income is exempt (for example Social Security or unemployment), no payment order is allowed.

Up to $3,000 in cash and bank or other financial accounts is exempt.

Stricter than federal: you keep the greater of 75% of your disposable wages or 30 times the Maryland minimum hourly wage for each week of the pay period. Medical insurance deducted from your pay is also protected.

$500 in a bank or credit union account is protected automatically.

Stricter than federal: you keep the greater of 85% of your gross wages or 50 times the higher of the federal or Massachusetts hourly minimum wage, for each week. Does not apply to support orders.

$2,500 in cash, savings or other bank deposits (M.G.L. c.

The court's garnishee disclosure form uses the federal tests: the lesser of 25% of your disposable earnings, or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage per week (SCAO form MC 14, citing 15 U.S.C. §§ 1672-1673).

Not confirmed

Stricter than federal, depending on weekly income: 10% of disposable earnings if weekly income is over 40 and up to 60 times the minimum wage, 15% if over 60 and up to 80 times, and 25% if over 80 times; and never more than the amount by which disposable earnings exceed 40 times the higher of the federal or Minnesota minimum wage. If your weekly income is 40 times the minimum wage or less, nothing can be garnished.

No set dollar amount is protected automatically.

Mississippi
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For most people the federal limit applies (25% of take-home pay, or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage, whichever is less). If you are the head of a family and a Missouri resident, no more than 10% can be taken.

Not confirmed

federal limit applies: no more than 25% of disposable earnings, or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage per week, whichever is less.

Not confirmed

Stricter for a head of family: no more than 15% of disposable earnings a week. Others: same as federal (25%, or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage, whichever is less).

Not confirmed

A creditor can take the lesser of: 18% of your weekly disposable earnings if your gross weekly pay is $770 or less (25% if more), or the amount by which your weekly disposable earnings exceed 50 times the federal minimum hourly wage.

If federal benefits such as Social Security were deposited electronically in the last 45 days, $2,000 (or the whole balance, if less) stays available to you automatically.

New Hampshire
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Stricter than federal: a wage execution cannot take more than 10% of your wages, unless your income is above 250% of the poverty level for your family size, when the court can order more. Federal limits still cap it.

No separate bank amount.

You keep the greater of 75% of your disposable earnings or 40 times the highest minimum wage that applies where you earned the wages (federal, state or local) for each week. For child support, 50% is protected.

Up to $2,400 total in bank and investment accounts is protected (plus money from exempt sources such as benefits).

Stricter than federal: an income execution can take no more than 10% of your gross income. It also can never take more than 25% of your weekly disposable earnings or the amount above 30 times the higher of the federal or New York minimum wage, whichever is less, and nothing at all if your weekly disposable earnings are at or below that 30-times amount.

A bank restraint cannot touch an amount equal to 240 times the higher of the federal or New York State minimum hourly wage (CPLR 5222(i)).

Stricter than federal for ordinary consumer debts: your earnings from the last 60 days can't be taken if they are needed to support your family. Child support, taxes and some government debts are exceptions.

Not confirmed

A creditor can take the lesser of 25% of your weekly disposable earnings, or the amount above 40 times the federal minimum hourly wage. That amount is then reduced by $20 a week for each dependent family member who lives with you.

Not confirmed

federal limit applies: you keep the greater of 75% of disposable earnings or 30 times the federal minimum wage per week (60 times biweekly, 65 times semimonthly, 130 times monthly). (R.C. 2329.66(A)(13))

$625 in cash and bank deposits (other than earnings) is exempt from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2028.

Federal limit applies: you keep 75% of wages earned in the last 90 days (Okla. Stat. tit. 31, § 1(A)(18)), and federal law also protects 30 times the federal minimum wage per week.

Not confirmed

75% of your disposable earnings are protected, and you always keep at least $400 a week for wages paid July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. The law sets a separate amount for each longer pay period: $832 for two weeks, $912 for a half month and $1,792 for a month (ORS 18.385(2)).

When a bank gets a garnishment, it must leave you full access to a base amount in all your accounts combined, starting at $2,500 and adjusted each July 1 for inflation (the current figure is posted by the Oregon Judicial Department).

Stricter than federal: your wages generally cannot be garnished for ordinary consumer debts like credit cards or medical bills. State-law exceptions include support, some residential lease judgments, board for four weeks or less, PHEAA student loans and court-ordered restitution.

$300 of any property, including money in a bank account, is exempt from execution (general monetary exemption).

federal limit applies: up to 25% of disposable earnings, or the amount above $217.50 a week (30 times the federal minimum wage), whichever is less. Rhode Island fully protects wages of someone who received public relief, for one year after the relief ends.

$500 in savings or other deposits (R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-26-4(18)).

Stricter than federal: wages can't be garnished for a debt from a consumer credit sale, consumer lease, consumer loan or rent-to-own agreement (S.C. Code Ann. § 37-5-104). SCDCA says the exceptions are money owed to the government, child support, and a garnishment ordered in another state while you lived there.

If you don't claim a homestead exemption, you can protect cash and other liquid assets, including bank deposits, up to $7,600 (amount set on July 1, 2024; the law calls for a new inflation adjustment on July 1, 2026, which may change it) (S.C. Code Ann. § 15-41-30(A)(5), (B)).

Stricter than federal: no more than the lesser of 20% of disposable earnings, or the amount above 40 times the federal or South Dakota minimum wage (whichever is higher) per week. (SDCL 21-18-51)

Not confirmed

Tennessee
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Current wages cannot be garnished for ordinary consumer debts such as credit cards or medical bills. The Texas Constitution allows wage garnishment only for court-ordered child support and spousal maintenance.

Not confirmed

Same as federal for consumer credit judgments: no more than 25% of disposable earnings, or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage per week, whichever is less. For a private education loan, no more than 15%.

Not confirmed

Stricter for consumer credit debts: you keep the greater of 85% of weekly disposable earnings or 40 times the federal minimum wage. Other debts: you keep the greater of 75% or 30 times the federal minimum wage.

$700 in bank deposits (12 V.S.A. § 2740(15)).

A creditor can take the lesser of 25% of your weekly disposable earnings, or the amount above 40 times the federal or Virginia minimum hourly wage, whichever is higher.

No automatic amount.

Stricter than federal for consumer debt: you keep the greater of 80% of disposable earnings or 35 times the Washington minimum wage per week. For private student loans you keep the greater of 85% or 50 times the highest minimum wage in the state.

For consumer debt, $2,000 in bank accounts is protected automatically ($500 for most other debts; $1,000 automatic, up to $2,500, for private student loans).

Stricter than federal: no more than 20% of your wages after taxes, and you must keep at least 50 times the federal minimum wage per week ($362.50).

$1,100 in a federally insured bank or credit union account (W. Va. Code § 38-8-1(a)(4)).

At least 80% of your disposable earnings are protected: the most that can be taken is 20% of your disposable earnings, or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage, whichever is less. Your earnings are fully protected if your household income is below the federal poverty level; if you get (or got in the last 6 months, or are eligible for) certain public benefits such as public assistance, food stamps, SSI or medical assistance; or if at least 25% of your pay is already assigned for support.

Not confirmed

federal limit applies: no more than 25% of disposable earnings, or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage per week, whichever is less.

Not confirmed