If you’re a California worker facing wage garnishment, you’re likely asking one urgent question: how much of my paycheck can they actually take?
The answer depends on several factors—your disposable earnings, pay frequency, the type of debt, and California’s protective limits that often exceed federal standards. This guide walks you through exactly how wage garnishment works in California, how to calculate your exposure, and the options you have to reduce or stop the withholding.
Whether you’re dealing with a creditor judgment, unpaid taxes, child support, or student loans, understanding the rules puts you in a better position to protect your income and plan your next move.
A California wage garnishment calculator estimates how much a creditor can legally take from each paycheck under the current 2026 California law. The tool applies the state’s protective formulas to your specific situation, giving you a clear picture of your financial exposure.
Here’s what you need to know about using the calculator:
The calculator is most accurate when you input your actual disposable pay (not gross earnings) from a recent pay stub.
California follows both federal protections under the Consumer Credit Protection Act and its own, often stricter, wage garnishment limits. Understanding the formula helps you anticipate exactly how much a creditor can garnish from a debtor's disposable pay.
“Disposable earnings” refers to the amount left from your gross earnings after mandatory deductions. Disposable pay includes salary, overtime, bonuses, commissions, sick leave, and vacation pay. These legally required deductions, also known as deductions required by law, include:
Voluntary deductions, such as health insurance premiums, retirement contributions, or union dues, are not deducted when calculating disposable pay for garnishment purposes.
For most consumer debts in California, the maximum amount that can be garnished from an individual's earnings is the lesser of:
The garnishment calculator applies this “lesser of” rule automatically once you enter your pay frequency and net disposable pay. At $16/hour, the 40x threshold equals $640 per week—any earnings below this amount are protected from most garnishments. If the employee is not paid weekly, the minimum wage protection calculation must be adjusted to reflect the pay period frequency.
Note that child support, alimony, federal student loans, and taxes have separate, usually higher, limits than ordinary judgment debts. California law is periodically updated, so any calculation should align with the latest statutory changes and state minimum wage adjustments for 2026.
For wage garnishment purposes, California uses the statewide minimum wage figure—not local city minimum wages that may be higher in places like Los Angeles, San Francisco, or San Jose.
This means the calculator produces the same garnishment percentage for someone with the same disposable income, regardless of where they live in California:
This differs from some states where federal versus state minimum wage may create regional variations, but California applies uniform statewide rules across all cities and counties.
Once an employer receives an Earnings Withholding Order from a California levying officer, they must calculate and withhold the correct garnishment amount each pay period. The process follows a specific sequence:
Large employers typically use internal payroll systems or state-provided worksheets, while smaller employers may rely on a garnishment calculator tool for accuracy. The total deductions must be precise—errors can result in employer liability.
Key employer obligations include:
When multiple garnishment orders exist for the same employee, employers must consider priority rules—child support typically comes first, followed by taxes, then ordinary creditor judgments.
Not all wage garnishments are treated equally—some debts have higher legal priority than others, and the collection process varies by debt type.
For most consumer creditors (credit card companies, medical debt collectors, personal loan lenders), the path to wage garnishment follows these steps:
Child support, spousal support, and certain government debts (taxes, federal student loans) can bypass some of these court steps entirely. They have special rules that allow direct withholding or administrative garnishment without a traditional lawsuit.
Priority hierarchy in California typically follows this order:
If multiple orders compete for the same wages, higher-priority debts are paid first. Lower-priority creditors may receive reduced amounts, or none at all, if the debtor’s disposable pay is limited.
Some states (like Texas and Pennsylvania) sharply limit wage garnishment for consumer judgments, but California law allows it, subject to its own percentage caps and the 40x minimum wage protection.
California law adds extra protections beyond federal rules, including exemptions and newer statutes designed to protect debtors from excessive collection.
Core protections for ordinary judgment debts:
Claiming additional exemptions:
Workers can file a Claim of Exemption with the levying officer or the court to request that part or all of their wages be protected due to financial hardship. This requires:
Fully or partially exempt income:
Certain types of income are protected from wage or bank account garnishment under California and federal law:
Recent legislative changes:
AB2837 and related updates have tightened requirements for judgment creditors, including enhanced notice requirements before enforcement actions. The 2026 eGarnishment Program under SB642 modernizes the delivery of garnishment orders via electronic service, reducing paperwork while mandating detailed employer reporting under AB774.
These newer rules aim to reduce wrongful garnishments, protect exempt funds, and give debtors a clearer path to challenge illegal or excessive withholdings.
Disposable earnings—sometimes called the debtor’s disposable pay—refers to the amount left from an employee’s paycheck after legally required deductions. This is the base figure for all garnishment calculations.
Mandatory deductions that reduce disposable earnings:
For information on Arizona judgment collection procedures, see this practical guide.
Deductions that do NOT reduce disposable earnings:
For more information on the wage garnishment process, see The Creditor's Playbook: How to Garnish Wages Like a Pro.
This distinction matters. Your “take-home pay” after all deductions may be lower than your legal disposable earnings for garnishment purposes because voluntary deductions don’t count.
Example calculation:
A semi-monthly worker with $3,000 gross pay might have approximately:
This yields roughly $2,138 in employees’ disposable earnings—the amount subject to the garnishment formula.
Wage garnishment isn’t the only way a judgment creditor can collect. Bank levies and property liens are also common enforcement tools, and understanding the difference helps you see your total exposure.
How bank levies work:
Protected funds in bank accounts:
Federal and California law protect certain funds from bank levies, especially when directly deposited:
Important distinction: Even protected funds can be temporarily frozen, requiring the debtor to quickly file exemption forms to release them. This creates a window during which you may temporarily lose access to the money you need for basic expenses.
The wage garnishment calculator only estimates payroll deductions, not bank levies. However, understanding both collection methods helps you assess your complete financial risk and prioritize protective steps.
Certain debts are subject to federal and state garnishment rules that may exceed California’s usual 25% cap. If you’re dealing with any of these debt types, standard consumer judgment rules don’t apply.
When multiple garnishments exist, employers must follow strict priority rules and may need to limit or suspend lower-priority garnishments until higher-priority debts are satisfied.
Child support and alimony orders in California typically include automatic income withholding, and they take priority over most other wage garnishments.
Under federal law:
California employers must treat these orders as a top priority and apply them before most other garnishments. Support garnishment amounts are usually specified in the court order and may not match the typical 25% cap on consumer judgments in California.
Defaulted federal student loans can be collected through administrative wage garnishment without a state court judgment—the federal government has special collection powers.
Key limits:
These federal rules apply even in California, alongside state protections where they don’t conflict. If you’re facing student loan garnishment, the calculation differs significantly from ordinary creditor judgments.
Tax agencies—both federal and state—have their own garnishment powers that don’t follow the standard percentage formulas. In addition to federal taxes, states and local governments can garnish wages to collect unpaid state and local taxes, with specific limits and procedures that may differ from federal tax garnishments.
IRS wage levies for unpaid taxes:
California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) garnishment:
The FTB provides explicit payment amount tables for state tax-related garnishments:
Tax levies generally have priority over general civil judgments but may still be secondary to child support obligations.
The garnishment calculator isn’t just for estimating how much you’ll lose—it helps you evaluate strategies to protect your income. Several legal options exist to reduce or stop wage garnishment.
Common options to address California wage garnishment:
The best option depends on your debt type, the total amount owed, your income level, and whether you’re facing other collection actions, such as bank levies. Acting quickly after receiving a Notice of Wage Garnishment or Earnings Withholding Order is critical—deadlines to object in California are typically 10-15 days.
California workers can file a Claim of Exemption with the levying officer or the court to request that part or all of their wages be protected due to financial hardship.
The process typically involves:
If the court finds that the garnishment would prevent you from supporting yourself or your family, it may reduce or eliminate the garnishment amount. Deadlines are strict—missing them usually means losing your right to object.
Some creditors will agree to a lump-sum settlement or reduced monthly payment plan in exchange for releasing or not starting a wage garnishment.
Key considerations:
For credit cards, medical bills, and personal loans, negotiated settlements of 40-60% of the original debt are sometimes achievable, though results vary by creditor and your circumstances.
Filing bankruptcy under Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 in California can trigger an “automatic stay” that usually stops most wage garnishments and other creditor remedies, such as property liens in Texas, immediately upon filing.
Important limitations:
Anyone considering bankruptcy should consult a qualified California bankruptcy attorney to review eligibility, costs, and likely outcomes before filing.
Understanding your garnishment exposure is the first step toward protecting your income. Here’s how to move from information to action:
Time matters. Many protective options have short deadlines measured in days, not weeks.
Under the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA), an employer cannot legally fire an employee paid wages because of wage garnishment for a single debt. This protection exists specifically to prevent financial problems from spiraling into job loss.
Important limitations:
Helpful resources:
If you believe your employer is retaliating against you for garnishment, document everything and consult with an employment attorney or legal aid organization promptly.
Whether you’re facing a creditor judgment, tax levy, or support order, understanding how the calculation works gives you the foundation to take meaningful action. Use the wage garnishment calculator with your actual numbers, review your options carefully, and don’t hesitate to seek professional guidance when the stakes are high.
