Wage garnishment in Connecticut
On these earnings, Connecticut caps ordinary garnishment at $122 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 |
| ConnecticutConn. Gen. Stat. §52-361a(f) | $122 |
The lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the excess over 40x the higher of the federal or Connecticut minimum wage. At $16.94 an hour that floor is $677.60 a week, the highest of any state modelled here.
The maximum part of the aggregate weekly earnings of an individual which may be subject under this section to levy or other withholding for payment of a judgment is the lesser of (1) twenty-five per cent of his disposable earnings for that week, or (2) the amount by which his disposable earnings for that week exceed forty times the higher of (A) the minimum hourly wage prescribed by Section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938... or (B) the full minimum fair wage established by subsection (i) of section 31-58.
What this does not cover
- A wage execution is not a creditor's first move: it requires a prior installment payment order under §52-356d and a default on it.
- Support orders run under §52-362 and carry their own, higher limits.
Connecticut defines disposable earnings by a closed list in §52-350a(4) that diverges from the federal definition in BOTH directions: it deducts retirement contributions, union dues and life and health insurance premiums, which federal law does not, and it OMITS state and local income tax, which federal law does deduct. The omission looks deliberate — the legislature wrote the support-order definition in §52-362(a) differently and included state tax there. This calculator takes disposable earnings from the caller on the federal definition and does not re-derive them. Effective 2026-01-01, indexed to the federal employment cost index under P.A. 19-4.
Source: Connecticut General Assembly — Conn. Gen. Stat. §52-361a, read 2026-08-22. Minimum wage: Connecticut Dept. of Labor — State of Connecticut Minimum Wage Information.
Work out your own Connecticut garnishment
Already set to Connecticut. Enter your pay and this applies both limits — Connecticut’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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Connecticut garnishment: common questions
How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Connecticut?
The lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the excess over 40x the higher of the federal or Connecticut minimum wage. At $16.94 an hour that floor is $677.60 a week, the highest of any state modelled here. On $1,000 gross and $800 disposable earnings a week, that works out to $122. Federal law alone would allow $200.
Do these limits cover child support or back taxes in Connecticut?
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 Connecticut carves out further exceptions listed above.
How much can be garnished for a federal student loan in Connecticut?
Connecticut'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 Connecticut's limit.
What counts as disposable earnings?
Connecticut defines disposable earnings by a closed list in §52-350a(4) that diverges from the federal definition in BOTH directions: it deducts retirement contributions, union dues and life and health insurance premiums, which federal law does not, and it OMITS state and local income tax, which federal law does deduct. The omission looks deliberate — the legislature wrote the support-order definition in §52-362(a) differently and included state tax there. This calculator takes disposable earnings from the caller on the federal definition and does not re-derive them. 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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