Wage Garnishment Quick Check — fast estimate using your take-home pay. No tax lookup needed.
Wage Garnishment MAX — closer estimate using gross salary, filing status, and state.
Both are rough estimates to help you understand your situation — not professional advice. We never collect or sell any information you enter.
| Take-home pay per check ($)Amount deposited to your bank after taxes | |
| Pay frequency | |
| Garnishment %Federal max is 15% — leave blank to estimate maximum |
| Take-home pay per check ($)Amount deposited to your bank after taxes | |
| Pay frequency | |
| Garnishment % being takenCheck your garnishment notice — max is 15% |
This calculator provides a rough estimate. It does not include state taxes or filing status adjustments. Results are based on federal garnishment rules only. For informational purposes — not legal or financial advice. We never collect or sell any information you enter.
This calculator provides a rough estimate. It does not include state taxes or filing status adjustments. Results are based on federal garnishment rules only. For informational purposes — not legal or financial advice. We never collect or sell any information you enter.
| Annual gross salary ($)Before any taxes or deductions | |
| Pay frequency | |
| Filing status | |
| State | |
| Garnishment %Federal max 15% — leave blank for maximum | |
Voluntary Deductions (Added Back Under Federal Law)Health insurance and retirement contributions are not counted as disposable income under federal rules. Enter your per-check amounts to add them back for a more accurate estimate. | |
| Health insurance premium ($)Your share withheld per check | |
| Retirement withholdings ($)401k / 403b withheld per check | |
| Annual gross salary ($)Before any taxes or deductions | |
| Pay frequency | |
| Filing status | |
| State | |
| Garnishment % being takenCheck your notice — max is 15% | |
Voluntary Deductions (Added Back Under Federal Law)Health insurance and retirement contributions are not counted as disposable income. Enter per-check amounts to add them back. | |
| Health insurance premium ($)Your share withheld per check | |
| Retirement withholdings ($)401k / 403b withheld per check | |
Loan Payoff Estimate (Optional) | |
| Total loan balance ($) | |
| Interest rate (%) | |
Results reflect the garnishment percentage you entered. State tax is applied as a flat marginal rate estimate — actual liability may differ. Results are estimates only. For informational purposes — not legal or financial advice. We never collect or sell any information you enter.
State tax applied as a flat marginal rate — actual liability may differ. Results are estimates only. For informational purposes — not legal or financial advice. We never collect or sell any information you enter.
Student loan wage garnishment occurs when the federal government requires your employer to withhold a portion of your paycheck to repay a defaulted federal student loan. The government does not need a court order to begin this process — your employer receives an administrative notice and is legally required to comply.
Garnishment continues until the defaulted loan is paid in full or the default is resolved through an approved method. This page applies to federal student loans only. Private lenders must sue and obtain a court judgment before garnishing wages.
If you are unsure whether your loans are federal or private, log in to studentaid.gov to check your loan types and servicer information.
Federal law places a floor on how much of your income can be taken. Because the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, the law protects an equivalent amount of your pay each week.
30 × $7.25 = $217.50 per week
This means: if your disposable income is $217.50 or less per week, creditors cannot garnish any portion of it. For borrowers earning above this threshold, garnishment is limited to the lesser of two amounts — 15% of disposable pay, or the amount by which disposable pay exceeds $217.50 per week.
What counts as disposable pay? Under federal law, disposable pay is your gross wages minus legally required deductions — federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security (6.2%), and Medicare (1.45%). Voluntary deductions like health insurance premiums and retirement contributions are not subtracted. This is why those fields appear only in the Wage Garnishment MAX calculator, where you can add them back for a closer estimate.
Wage garnishment is not permanent. Several federally approved options can stop or prevent it. The information below is drawn from Student Loan Borrower Assistance and Federal Student Aid.
Steps to Take Now
- Log in to studentaid.gov to confirm which loans are in default and identify your servicer.
- Contact the Default Resolution Group before a garnishment notice reaches your employer — visit myeddebt.ed.gov or call 1-800-621-3115.
- Review the full options guide at studentloanborrowerassistance.org.
- Choose a resolution path and submit income documentation. Rehabilitation payments are set based on what you can afford — often less than the garnishment amount.
- After default is cleared, enroll in an income-driven repayment plan to keep payments manageable going forward.
A voluntary repayment agreement with your servicer often costs less per month than the garnishment amount and can stop automatic withholding while you work toward resolution. It is worth contacting your servicer directly before your next paycheck.