Does this estimator tell me whether bankruptcy will stop my garnishment?

No. It estimates what garnishment law permits a creditor to withhold; it makes no prediction about a bankruptcy case. Filing generally triggers an automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362, which commonly halts collection actions, but that section also sets out exceptions and allows a creditor to seek relief from the stay. Whether and how it would apply to you is a question for a lawyer reviewing your situation.

Why does the tool give a range instead of one number?

Because the inputs that decide the real figure are not all in your hands. Garnishment caps depend on disposable earnings after legally required deductions, on your pay frequency, and on which of two tests your state applies. Tennessee, for instance, uses the lesser of 25% of weekly disposable earnings or the amount exceeding 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage (Tenn. Code Ann. § 26-2-106). A single number would overstate our certainty.

How long does a garnishment last?

It varies by state and by the type of order. Ohio provides that an order of garnishment of personal earnings is continuous, requiring the garnishee to withhold each pay period until the judgment, associated court costs, judgment interest, and any prejudgment interest are paid in full (Ohio Rev. Code § 2716.041). Other states use different structures, and a separate order or event can end one earlier.

Does the estimator know my state's rules?

It applies the general percentage-and-floor structure that garnishment statutes commonly use, and it is not a substitute for your state's specific rule. State law varies on the cap, the protected floor, how long an order runs, and whether costs are charged to you. Our state pages carry the jurisdiction-specific detail we have verified, and we do not yet publish a verified figure for every state.

Tier 1 tool

Garnishment Screener

Estimate the maximum garnishable range under state + federal limits.

A garnishment estimator compares your pay against the withholding limits your state's garnishment law sets, and shows a range of what a creditor could take each pay period. It is an arithmetic illustration built from published legal limits, not a determination of what any court has ordered or what a filing would change. Your actual withholding depends on the writ, your state, and your employer's calculation.

Key points

The estimator compares your disposable earnings against a published statutory withholding cap and returns a range, not a court-ordered amount.
Garnishment caps are set by state law and vary; Tennessee, for example, caps garnishment at the lesser of 25% of weekly disposable earnings or the amount exceeding 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage (Tenn. Code Ann. § 26-2-106).
Garnishment generally begins with a creditor's judgment and a writ served on your employer, who then withholds and remits.
Filing a bankruptcy case generally triggers an automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362, which commonly halts collection actions including wage garnishment.
The estimator does not tell you whether a garnishment is proper, whether an exemption applies to you, or what filing would cost or accomplish.

If money is already disappearing from your paycheck, the first thing you want is a number. This tool gives you an arithmetic estimate: it takes what you earn, applies the published withholding limit that garnishment law sets, and shows the range a creditor could reach. What follows explains the law behind that math, how to read the result, and the several important things the number cannot tell you.

What does this tool compare?

The estimator compares two things: your disposable earnings for a pay period, and the ceiling that garnishment law places on how much of those earnings a creditor may reach. Disposable earnings generally means what is left after deductions required by law. Maryland's official garnishment guidance defines disposable wages as "the part of wages that remain after deduction of any amount required to be withheld by law" (Bankr. D. Md. official guidance — Garnishment of Wages - Instructions to Garnishee). The tool applies a percentage-and-floor structure to that figure and returns the smaller result, because garnishment statutes commonly cap withholding at whichever of two tests protects more of your pay. Tennessee states the structure plainly: the maximum is the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings for the week, or the amount by which those earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage (Tenn. Code Ann. § 26-2-106). The output is a range, because inputs like pay frequency and required deductions change the answer.

Input: gross pay, pay frequency, and legally required deductions
Applied: the percentage cap and the multiple-of-minimum-wage floor
Output: an estimated per-period range, not a court order

What does the law actually say about wage garnishment?

Garnishment is a court process, not something a creditor does on its own. Alabama defines it as "process to reach and subject money or effects of a defendant" held by a third person, and that third person is the garnishee (Ala. Code § 6-6-370). Typically a creditor with a judgment files a sworn affidavit stating the amount due and asking the clerk to issue a writ (Ala. Code § 6-6-391; Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 63.001). The writ is served on your employer, who must answer and begin withholding. Maryland's rules require the writ to notify you that federal and state exemptions may be available and that you may contest the garnishment by filing a motion asserting a defense or objection (Bankr. D. Md. official guidance — Garnishment of Wages - Maryland Rules). Some states make the order continuous until the judgment, interest, and costs are paid in full (Ohio Rev. Code § 2716.041).

The usual sequence in a wage garnishment
Stage	What generally happens	Authority in our corpus
Judgment	A creditor obtains a judgment against you	Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 63.001
Affidavit	The creditor swears to the amount due and asks for a writ	Ala. Code § 6-6-391
Writ served	Your employer is served and must answer	Ark. Code Ann. § 16-110-401
Withholding	The employer withholds and remits each pay period	Ohio Rev. Code § 2716.041

How should you read the result the tool gives you?

Read it as a ceiling illustration, not a bill. The number shows roughly how much of a paycheck the published cap would expose if a garnishment were running at the maximum the law permits. Several things routinely move the real figure. Pay frequency matters: Tennessee provides that for a pay period other than a week, an equivalent amount applies (Tenn. Code Ann. § 26-2-106). Your state may use a different formula entirely. Maryland's guidance shows a structure protecting the greater of 75% of disposable wages or a weekly dollar figure, with different counties treated differently within the same state (Bankr. D. Md. official guidance — Garnishment of Wages - Instructions to Garnishee). Costs can also be added: Tennessee provides that the debtor pays the costs of garnishments, and Alabama allows the garnishee certain amounts taxed as costs (Tenn. Code Ann. § 26-2-106; Ala. Code § 6-6-462). Treat the output as a starting point for a conversation.

A range is honest; a single exact number would not be
Your state's formula, not the tool's default reading, controls
Multiple writs and added costs can change the arithmetic

What does the result not tell you?

It does not tell you whether the garnishment against you is valid, whether you have a defense, or whether an exemption covers your wages. Those are determinations made by a court on a record, and this tool sees none of that. It does not tell you what a bankruptcy filing would do in your case. Filing generally triggers the automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362, which commonly halts collection activity, but that section also contains exceptions and limits, including circumstances in which a court grants a creditor relief from the stay. It does not tell you which chapter fits your situation, whether your debt would be discharged, or what your case would cost. It also does not account for garnishments of things other than wages, or for orders already in place that reduce what remains. No screener output is legal advice, and nothing here creates an attorney-client relationship.

Not a ruling on whether the garnishment is proper
Not an exemption determination for your specific wages
Not a prediction of what filing would stop or discharge
Not legal advice, and not a substitute for a lawyer reviewing your papers

What should you do next?

Find your paperwork first. The writ and the notice served on you generally identify the court, the case number, and the amount claimed, and state whether you may contest the garnishment. Maryland's rules require the writ to notify a judgment debtor of the right to contest by filing a motion asserting a defense or objection (Bankr. D. Md. official guidance — Garnishment of Wages - Maryland Rules), and deadlines in these procedures are short. If you are weighing bankruptcy, the fee figures are fixed and public: a Chapter 7 case carries a $245 filing fee (28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(A), (f)(1)) plus a $78 administrative fee (Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8) and a $15 trustee surcharge (Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 9). A Chapter 13 case carries a $235 filing fee (28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(B)) plus the same $78 administrative fee. From there, a roadmap can organize what you have into next steps.

Locate the writ, the notice, and any hearing date
Check your state hub for the garnishment rules that govern you
Build a roadmap, or talk to a local bankruptcy attorney about your options

Does this answer change depending on which state you live in?

The structure is similar across states; the numbers and procedures are not. Every state in our corpus routes garnishment through a court and a writ, but the caps and mechanics differ. Tennessee sets a 25% weekly ceiling measured against 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage (Tenn. Code Ann. § 26-2-106). Maryland protects the greater of 75% of disposable wages or a per-week dollar amount, and treats four named counties under a different test (Bankr. D. Md. official guidance — Garnishment of Wages - Instructions to Garnishee). Ohio makes personal-earnings orders continuous until the judgment, interest, and costs are satisfied (Ohio Rev. Code § 2716.041). Florida requires the party seeking a writ to pay the garnishee $100 on demand toward the garnishee's attorney fee (Fla. Stat. § 77.28). We publish state-specific detail on the state pages rather than restating it here, and we do not yet publish a verified figure for every state.

Percentage caps, dollar floors, and duration rules all vary
Some states allow the debtor to be charged garnishment costs
Check your state hub for the figures that apply where you live

Frequently asked questions

Does this estimator tell me whether bankruptcy will stop my garnishment?: No. It estimates what garnishment law permits a creditor to withhold; it makes no prediction about a bankruptcy case. Filing generally triggers an automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362, which commonly halts collection actions, but that section also sets out exceptions and allows a creditor to seek relief from the stay. Whether and how it would apply to you is a question for a lawyer reviewing your situation.
Why does the tool give a range instead of one number?: Because the inputs that decide the real figure are not all in your hands. Garnishment caps depend on disposable earnings after legally required deductions, on your pay frequency, and on which of two tests your state applies. Tennessee, for instance, uses the lesser of 25% of weekly disposable earnings or the amount exceeding 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage (Tenn. Code Ann. § 26-2-106). A single number would overstate our certainty.
Can I object to a wage garnishment?: Garnishment procedures in the states we cover generally provide a way to raise a defense or claim an exemption. Maryland's rules require the writ to notify you of the right to contest the garnishment by filing a motion asserting a defense or objection, and to notify you that federal and state exemptions may be available (Bankr. D. Md. official guidance — Garnishment of Wages - Maryland Rules). Deadlines are short, so read the papers you were served promptly.
How long does a garnishment last?: It varies by state and by the type of order. Ohio provides that an order of garnishment of personal earnings is continuous, requiring the garnishee to withhold each pay period until the judgment, associated court costs, judgment interest, and any prejudgment interest are paid in full (Ohio Rev. Code § 2716.041). Other states use different structures, and a separate order or event can end one earlier.
What does it cost to file a bankruptcy case?: The court fees are published. A Chapter 7 case carries a $245 filing fee (28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(A), (f)(1)), a $78 administrative fee (Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8), and a $15 trustee surcharge (Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 9). A Chapter 13 case carries a $235 filing fee (28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(B)) and the same $78 administrative fee. Attorney fees are separate and are not court fees.
Does the estimator know my state's rules?: It applies the general percentage-and-floor structure that garnishment statutes commonly use, and it is not a substitute for your state's specific rule. State law varies on the cap, the protected floor, how long an order runs, and whether costs are charged to you. Our state pages carry the jurisdiction-specific detail we have verified, and we do not yet publish a verified figure for every state.

Sources

11 U.S.C. § 362 — Automatic stay · official source
28 U.S.C. § 1930 — Bankruptcy fees · official source
28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(A), (f)(1) · official source
28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(B) · official source
Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8
Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 9
Tenn. Code Ann. § 26-2-106 — Maximum disposable earnings subject to garnishment
Bankr. D. Md. official guidance — Garnishment of Wages - Instructions to Garnishee
Bankr. D. Md. official guidance — Garnishment of Wages - Maryland Rules
Ohio Rev. Code § 2716.041 — Order of garnishment of personal earnings to be continuous
Ala. Code § 6-6-370 — "Garnishment" Defined
Ala. Code § 6-6-391 — Affidavit of Amount Due Plaintiff
Ala. Code § 6-6-462 — Payment of Costs to Garnishee Upon Discharge
Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 63.001 — Grounds
Ark. Code Ann. § 16-110-401 — Grounds
Fla. Stat. § 77.28 — Garnishment; attorney fees, costs, expenses

By Antonio G. Jimenez, Esq. · Florida Bar No. 21022

Last reviewed July 31, 2026 · Sources verified July 31, 2026 · How we verify

Every figure on this page is drawn from a primary legal source and checked against our canonical legal database before publication. Bankruptcy.law is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.

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