The federal ordinary-garnishment formula
For an ordinary garnishment, the Consumer Credit Protection Act limits the amount in a workweek or pay period to the lesser of two figures: 25% of disposable earnings, or the amount by which disposable earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage. The Department of Labor currently lists the federal minimum wage as $7.25 per hour, making the weekly protected floor $217.50.
How the pay-period floor changes
Department of Labor Fact Sheet #30 provides multiples for pay periods longer than one week. At the current federal rate, the protected floors are $217.50 weekly, $435 biweekly, $471.25 semimonthly, and $942.50 monthly. This worksheet uses those published figures and then compares the excess-over-floor amount with 25% of disposable earnings.
Disposable earnings are not gross pay
The federal calculation begins after deductions required by law, such as applicable taxes and required Social Security and Medicare withholding. Deductions that are voluntary may not reduce disposable earnings for this purpose. A pay stub’s “net pay” can therefore be different from the disposable-earnings number used by the rule.
This page covers one debt category only
Do not use the ordinary-debt result for child support or alimony, bankruptcy court orders, state or federal taxes, or federal student-loan administrative garnishment. Different limits and procedures apply. The type of order should be stated on the notice, and the employer, court, agency, or qualified adviser can help identify it.
State law can protect more wages
The federal rule is a ceiling, not a promise that the full displayed amount can be taken. State law may use a higher protected floor, lower percentage, head-of-household protection, hardship process, or other exemption. When state and federal protections differ, the more protective rule may control. Check current local instructions promptly because exemption deadlines can be short.
Multiple orders and employer duties
Fact Sheet #30 explains that the federal cap applies regardless of the number of ordinary garnishment orders, but priority and special-order questions can be more complicated. This worksheet does not allocate money between orders or tell an employer how to process payroll.
Privacy
The calculation runs in your browser and is not submitted to a LegalCalc calculation endpoint. Enter only the disposable-earnings number and pay frequency. Do not enter an employee name, employer, creditor, account number, or case number.