Garnishment

Limits on Garnishments: Wages (Pay)

There are limits on how much can be taken from your pay for a debt. For a debt, a garnishment can take up to 25% of your wages. Child support is also collected through a kind of garnishment called an Income Withholding Order. For child support, up to 50% of your pay can be taken, 60% if past due child support is also being collected.

Objecting to a Garnishment

You may be able to object to a garnishment for reasons including: the funds or property are protected from garnishment by law (such as social security or pension income), you filed for bankruptcy, you have an installment payment order, the amount taken is over the limit, or the court judgment is already paid. You need to file an Objection to Garnishment if you have a reason to object. Even if you are able to stop the garnishment, you still owe the debt.

Requesting a Payment Plan to Stop a Wage (Pay) Garnishment

You can request a payment plan (Order for Installment Payments) to stop a wage garnishment. You must ask the court for a payment plan by filing a Motion for Installment Payments. If a payment plan is ordered by the court, the wage (pay) garnishment will stop. You must make the payments required by the payment plan or the creditor may file to garnish your pay again.