Wage garnishment in Alaska
On these earnings, Alaska caps ordinary garnishment at $200 a week. Figures assume $1,000 gross and $800 disposable earnings in a week, for ordinary consumer debt.
| Limit | Weekly maximum |
|---|---|
| Federal (Title III)15 U.S.C. §1673 | $200 |
| AlaskaAS 09.38.030(a), as adjusted by 8 AAC 95.030 | $200 |
The lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the excess over a flat $473 a week. The $473 is the CPI-adjusted figure; the $350 in the statute itself is the un-indexed base.
an individual debtor is entitled to an exemption of the individual debtor's weekly net earnings not to exceed $350. The weekly net earnings of an individual are determined by subtracting from the weekly gross earnings all sums required by law or court order to be withheld.
What this does not cover
- The commonly cited "$350" is the un-indexed statutory base, not the operative figure.
- AS 09.38.115 permits a CPI adjustment on 1 October of each even-numbered year, so this figure may move on 2026-10-01 — re-read it then.
- The $473 is taken from the Alaska Court System's own form rather than from 8 AAC 95.030 directly; the Alaska Legislature's administrative-code viewer returns empty documents. A court's official form is a primary source for the operative figure, but it is one step removed from the regulation text.
Source: Alaska Court System — Form CIV-526, Exemptions from Garnishment (rev. 7/2026), citing 8 AAC 95.030, read 2026-08-22.
Work out your own Alaska garnishment
Already set to Alaska. Enter your pay and this applies both limits — Alaska’s and the federal one — and shows whichever binds. Disposable earnings are computed for you, so a voluntary deduction cannot quietly shrink the garnishment base.
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Alaska garnishment: common questions
How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Alaska?
The lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the excess over a flat $473 a week. The $473 is the CPI-adjusted figure; the $350 in the statute itself is the un-indexed base. On $1,000 gross and $800 disposable earnings a week, that works out to $200. Federal law alone would allow $200.
Do these limits cover child support or back taxes in Alaska?
No. Every figure here is for ORDINARY consumer debt. Child support and alimony carry their own, much higher federal limits — 50% to 65% of disposable earnings depending on whether you support another family and how far in arrears you are. Tax levies and bankruptcy orders are separate again, and Alaska carves out further exceptions listed above.
How much can be garnished for a federal student loan in Alaska?
Alaska's limit above does not apply. A defaulted federal student loan can be collected by administrative wage garnishment without a court judgment, "notwithstanding any provision of State law" (31 U.S.C. §3720D). The most it can take is 15% of disposable pay, and never so much that you keep less than 30 times the federal minimum wage — $217.50 a week (34 C.F.R. §34.19). On $800 of disposable earnings a week that is $120. Private student loans are different: they are ordinary consumer debt, need a court judgment first, and follow Alaska's limit.
What counts as disposable earnings?
Under federal law it is gross pay minus deductions REQUIRED by law: income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and legally mandated retirement. A voluntary deduction does not reduce disposable earnings even though it reduces take-home pay — a 401(k), health premium, HSA or union dues do not shrink what can be garnished.
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