Wage garnishment in Tennessee
On these earnings, Tennessee 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 |
| TennesseeTenn. Code Ann. §26-2-106, §26-2-107 | $200 |
Tennessee matches the federal test and then subtracts a further $2.50 a week for each child under 16 — a deduction taken after the limit is computed, not folded into it.
The maximum part of the aggregate disposable earnings of an individual for any workweek which is subjected to garnishment may not exceed the lesser of twenty-five percent (25%) of the disposable earnings for that week, or the amount by which the disposable earnings for that week exceed thirty (30) times the federal minimum hourly wage.
What this does not cover
- §26-2-107 subtracts a further $2.50 per week for each dependent child under 16. This estimate does NOT apply it, because the calculator collects a dependent count rather than a count of children under 16, and the two are not the same. Tennessee is therefore slightly more protective than the figure shown for anyone with young children.
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State — Public Chapter 695, amending Tenn. Code Ann. §26-2-106, read 2026-08-22.
Work out your own Tennessee garnishment
Already set to Tennessee. Enter your pay and this applies both limits — Tennessee’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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Tennessee garnishment: common questions
How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Tennessee?
Tennessee matches the federal test and then subtracts a further $2.50 a week for each child under 16 — a deduction taken after the limit is computed, not folded into it. 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 Tennessee?
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 Tennessee carves out further exceptions listed above.
How much can be garnished for a federal student loan in Tennessee?
Tennessee'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 Tennessee'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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