Wage garnishment in Michigan
On these earnings, Michigan 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 |
| MichiganMCR 3.101; MCL 600.6023 | $200 |
Michigan sets no garnishment cap of its own. Federal Title III governs, applied through the court rule that runs the writ.
The following property of a judgment debtor and the judgment debtor's dependents is exempt from levy and sale under an execution...
What this does not cover
- MCL 600.6023's exemption list contains no wage item at all — the federal limit is the whole of the protection.
- The widely cited "60% head-of-household exemption" at MCL 600.5311 is NOT a garnishment rule. It sits inside a debtor-initiated wage-assignment proceeding under MCL 600.5301 and does not limit an ordinary creditor's writ.
Source: Michigan Legislature — MCL 600.6023 (exempt property), read 2026-08-22.
Work out your own Michigan garnishment
Already set to Michigan. Enter your pay and this applies both limits — Michigan’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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Michigan garnishment: common questions
How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Michigan?
Michigan sets no garnishment cap of its own. Federal Title III governs, applied through the court rule that runs the writ. 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 Michigan?
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 Michigan carves out further exceptions listed above.
How much can be garnished for a federal student loan in Michigan?
Michigan'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 Michigan'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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