Wage garnishment in Wisconsin
On these earnings, Wisconsin caps ordinary garnishment at $160 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 |
| WisconsinWis. Stat. §812.34(2) | $160 |
20% of disposable earnings — and nothing at all where household income falls below the federal poverty line, a total exemption this estimate cannot apply.
the maximum part of the aggregate disposable earnings of an individual for any workweek which is subjected to garnishment may not exceed 20 percent of that individual's disposable earnings for that week.
What this does not cover
- A debtor whose household income is below the federal poverty line for the household size is TOTALLY exempt. This calculator holds no household size or household income, so it cannot apply that prong — the 20% shown is an upper bound and may be entirely wrong for a low-income household.
Wisconsin's disposable-earnings definition is a CLOSED list — FICA plus federal and state income tax only — and is therefore narrower than the federal one, making its base larger. This calculator takes disposable earnings on the federal definition.
Source: Wisconsin Legislature — Wis. Stat. §812.34, read 2026-08-22.
Work out your own Wisconsin garnishment
Already set to Wisconsin. Enter your pay and this applies both limits — Wisconsin’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.
Model the rest of this paycheck
Wisconsin garnishment: common questions
How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Wisconsin?
20% of disposable earnings — and nothing at all where household income falls below the federal poverty line, a total exemption this estimate cannot apply. On $1,000 gross and $800 disposable earnings a week, that works out to $160. Federal law alone would allow $200.
Do these limits cover child support or back taxes in Wisconsin?
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 Wisconsin carves out further exceptions listed above.
How much can be garnished for a federal student loan in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin'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 Wisconsin's limit.
What counts as disposable earnings?
Wisconsin's disposable-earnings definition is a CLOSED list — FICA plus federal and state income tax only — and is therefore narrower than the federal one, making its base larger. This calculator takes disposable earnings on the federal definition. 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.
More on Wisconsin pay and deductions
Wisconsin paycheck calculator
Wisconsin's own brackets, deductions and payroll assessments, with the sources behind each.
Where Wisconsin ranks
What Wisconsin leaves you against every other state on the same salary, and where a move gains most.
Wisconsin unemployment benefits
How Wisconsin works out a weekly benefit, for how long, and the caps either side of it.