ConverterHub

Garnishment Disposable Income Calculator

Enter weekly disposable income and the federal minimum hourly wage to get the maximum garnishment.

Result

$62.50
$217.50

How it is calculated

The tool applies the U.S. federal wage-garnishment test for ordinary debts, on a weekly basis. With D as weekly disposable income and W as the federal minimum hourly wage, it computes cap = 0.25 × D and excess = max(0, D − 30 × W). The maximum garnishment is min(cap, excess) and the protected amount is D − garnishment. Disposable income here means earnings left after legally required deductions, not gross pay. Both inputs must be zero or more. The result is the federal ceiling only: it does not cover child support, tax debts or student loans, which follow other rules, and many states set lower limits.

Worked example

A worker has $280 of weekly disposable income, and the federal minimum wage is entered as $7.25. The 25% cap is 0.25 × 280 = $70. The protected floor is 30 × 7.25 = $217.50, so the excess above it is 280 − 217.50 = $62.50. The smaller of 70 and 62.50 is $62.50, the maximum weekly garnishment. The protected amount is 280 − 62.50 = $217.50, which stays with the worker.

Try this example →

Common mistakes

  • Entering gross pay instead of disposable income; the rule works on earnings after legally required deductions such as taxes, so gross pay overstates the garnishable amount.
  • Using monthly or annual income: the 30× minimum wage threshold is a weekly figure, so enter weekly income, or convert pay for the period first.
  • Applying the result to child support, unpaid taxes or student loans, which are governed by different, often higher, limits.
  • Forgetting state law: a state may protect more than the federal ceiling, and this tool shows only the federal maximum.
  • Typing the minimum wage as a monthly or total figure instead of the hourly rate; the tool multiplies it by 30.

About this calculator

Under U.S. federal wage garnishment law (Title III of the Consumer Credit Protection Act), most creditors can only garnish the lesser of two amounts: 25% of an employee's weekly disposable earnings, or the amount by which those earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage. Whichever figure is smaller sets the legal cap.

This dual test protects low-income workers — someone earning close to minimum wage may owe little or nothing under the second rule even though the 25% figure would otherwise be sizable. Employers running payroll and workers checking a garnishment order use this calculator to see both the garnishable amount and the protected income that must stay untouched.

Was this helpful?

You can pick up to 3 reactions.

Comments

  • Be the first to comment.

Popular calculators

Loan Calculator

Monthly payment, total interest and full amortization schedule.

Percentage Calculator

Percent change, percent of, and ratio calculations.

Discount Calculator

Calculate final price, savings, and discount amount.

BMI Calculator

Body mass index from height and weight (metric or imperial).

Age Calculator

Compute your exact age in years, months and days from a birth date.

Compound Interest Calculator

Calculate the final amount and interest earned with compounding.

All Calculators