About This Site

Why We Built This

Millions of Americans carry medical debt. Many don't know what creditors can legally do — and what they can't. State laws vary dramatically: four states outright ban wage garnishment for consumer debt, while others limit it to as little as 10% of gross wages. Most people don't find out what applies to them until a garnishment notice arrives.

WageGarnishmentLaws.com was built to close that information gap. Our goal is simple: give anyone in the U.S. fast, clear access to their state's garnishment rules before a creditor lawsuit becomes a paycheck problem.

What This Tool Does

The garnishment checker runs entirely in your browser — no data is sent to any server, no account is required. Select your state, enter your debt amount, and the tool immediately surfaces:

• Your state's maximum garnishment percentage
• The statute of limitations for consumer debt lawsuits
• Whether a court judgment is required before garnishment
• State-specific exemptions and protections
• Links to official state court resources

The tool covers all 50 states plus Washington D.C. Data is sourced from official state statutes, federal Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA) guidelines, and published legal aid organization summaries.

Data Sources

Garnishment rules on this site are drawn from the following authoritative sources:

• U.S. Department of Labor — Wage Garnishment — federal baseline rules under the CCPA
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Debt Collection Resources
• Individual state court self-help portals — cited per-state in the checker results
• State legal aid organization summaries, cross-referenced against current state statutes

All data is reviewed for accuracy and updated periodically. See our Methodology page for full detail on how rules are calculated and what assumptions are made.

Important Limitations

This tool provides general information only. It is not legal advice. Laws change, and individual circumstances matter. The tool does not account for:

• Tax debt, child support, alimony, or federal student loans (which follow different rules)
• Local court practices that may differ from state law
• Income-based exemptions that require individual calculation
• Bankruptcy protections

If you've received a lawsuit, summons, or garnishment notice, consult a consumer law attorney. Many offer free consultations. LawHelp.org connects you with free legal aid by state.

Contact

Questions, corrections, or feedback? Use our contact page. We review and respond to all substantive messages, especially reports of outdated or incorrect legal information.