California Wage Garnishment Calculator
California protects more of your paycheck than federal law. See the most a creditor's wage garnishment can take from each check.
A California wage garnishment for an ordinary debt can take the lesser of 20% of your disposable earnings, or 40% of what you earn above 48 times the minimum wage each week ($811.20 at the $16.90 state minimum). If your weekly disposable pay is at or below that floor, nothing can be taken.
Enter one paycheck: gross pay, the amounts the law requires your employer to withhold, and how often you are paid.
Wage Garnishment Calculator
Maximum Ordinary Garnishment
Disposable earnings
Protected floor
Left after garnishment
How this is calculated
Disposable earnings are your gross pay minus the amounts the law requires your employer to withhold: federal and state income tax, Social Security, Medicare and State Disability Insurance. Voluntary deductions such as health insurance premiums, 401(k) contributions or union dues are not subtracted.
Under Code of Civil Procedure 706.050 (in effect since September 1, 2023), the maximum withheld is the lesser of:
- 20% of your disposable earnings, or
- 40% of the amount by which your disposable earnings exceed a protected floor: the minimum wage times 48 hours for a weekly paycheck, 96 hours biweekly, 104 hours semimonthly, or 208 hours monthly.
The floor uses the state minimum wage ($16.90/hour now), or your city or county minimum wage if you work somewhere with a higher local rate. Look yours up with the minimum wage lookup.
Different rules apply to child and spousal support orders (up to 50% of disposable earnings under CCP 706.052, subject to federal limits), to state tax withholding orders, and to federal debts such as student loans and IRS levies. This calculator covers ordinary creditor judgments only, like credit cards, medical bills and personal loans.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of my paycheck can be garnished in California?
For an ordinary debt, the lesser of 20% of your disposable earnings or 40% of the amount by which your disposable earnings exceed 48 times the minimum wage per week (with matching hours for other pay periods). If your disposable pay is at or below that floor, nothing can be withheld.
What are disposable earnings?
Gross pay minus the deductions the law requires: federal and state income tax withholding, Social Security, Medicare and State Disability Insurance. Voluntary deductions like health insurance, retirement contributions or union dues are not subtracted.
Can I stop or reduce a wage garnishment in California?
You can file a claim of exemption with the levying officer, usually within 10 days of receiving the earnings withholding order, if you need more of your pay to support yourself or your family. A court decides whether to reduce or stop the garnishment. Paying the judgment, negotiating with the creditor or filing for bankruptcy can also end it.
Does my city minimum wage change the garnishment limit?
Yes. If you work in a city or county with a minimum wage higher than the state rate, the higher local rate is used to calculate the protected floor, which protects more of your pay.
Are child support garnishments limited the same way?
No. Support orders follow separate rules and can take up to 50% of disposable earnings under California law, subject to federal limits. This calculator is for ordinary creditor judgments only.
This tool provides an educational estimate only and is not legal advice. It covers ordinary earnings withholding orders; support, tax and federal garnishments follow different rules, and a court can lower a garnishment on a claim of exemption. Contact a legal aid organization or attorney for help with your situation.