A court order directing your employer to withhold pay for a debt.
Wage garnishment lets a creditor collect a debt by having your employer send part of your paycheck directly to them, usually after a court judgment. Federal and state law cap how much can be taken and protect a minimum amount of income. Some debts (child support, taxes) follow different rules.
Federal law generally limits garnishment to 25% of disposable earnings, with more protected for low earners.
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Analyze my document free →Wage garnishment for consumer debt requires a court judgment first, and federal law caps most garnishments at the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the amount above 30× the federal minimum wage per week — with many states capping lower and a few barring consumer-debt garnishment entirely. Child support, taxes, and federal student loans follow different, harsher rules. If garnishment papers arrive, check the math against the caps, identify exempt income (Social Security and most benefits), and — if the underlying judgment was a surprise — investigate vacating a default judgment for improper service. One garnishment cannot legally cost you your job under federal law.
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