Wage garnishment in Vermont
On these earnings, Vermont caps ordinary garnishment at $120 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 |
| Vermont12 V.S.A. §3170(b) | $120 |
For a consumer credit debt, the lesser of 15% of disposable earnings or the excess over 40x the FEDERAL minimum wage ($290 a week). Vermont's 15% is the lowest percentage cap of any state modelled here.
the maximum part of the aggregate disposable earnings of an individual for any workweek which is subjected to garnishment to enforce payment of a judgment arising from a consumer credit transaction may not exceed the lesser of: (1) 15 percent of his or her disposable earnings for that week, or (2) the amount by which his or her disposable earnings for that week exceed 40 times the federal minimum hourly wage.
What this does not cover
- The 15% rate applies only to a judgment arising from a CONSUMER CREDIT transaction. A judgment of another kind falls back to the general 25% test.
- The multiple is of the FEDERAL minimum wage, with no greater-of clause — Vermont's own minimum wage is far higher and is NOT used. Substituting it would overstate the protected floor badly.
Source: Vermont General Assembly — 12 V.S.A. §3170, read 2026-08-22.
Work out your own Vermont garnishment
Already set to Vermont. Enter your pay and this applies both limits — Vermont’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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Vermont garnishment: common questions
How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Vermont?
For a consumer credit debt, the lesser of 15% of disposable earnings or the excess over 40x the FEDERAL minimum wage ($290 a week). Vermont's 15% is the lowest percentage cap of any state modelled here. On $1,000 gross and $800 disposable earnings a week, that works out to $120. Federal law alone would allow $200.
Do these limits cover child support or back taxes in Vermont?
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 Vermont carves out further exceptions listed above.
How much can be garnished for a federal student loan in Vermont?
Vermont'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 Vermont'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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