California Wage Garnishment Calculator

What is a California Wage Garnishment Calculator?

A California Wage Garnishment Calculator estimates the maximum amount that may be withheld from disposable earnings for an ordinary judgment debt. It applies California’s 2026 earnings-withholding limits using the selected pay period and the applicable state or higher local minimum wage.

The calculator shows the protected earnings threshold, the 20% earnings limit, the 40% excess-earnings limit, the lower maximum garnishment amount, and disposable earnings remaining after that maximum.

This tool does not calculate withholding for child or spousal support, tax levies, federal student loans, or multiple withholding orders. Those debts follow different rules and instructions.

How to Use the California Wage Garnishment Calculator

Step 1: Confirm the Earnings Year

The calculator supports earnings payable during 2026. The applicable minimum wage is based on the rate in effect when earnings are payable, not necessarily when the debt arose or the withholding order was issued.

California’s statewide minimum wage is $16.90 per hour for 2026. Some employees work in cities, counties, or covered industries with a higher applicable minimum wage. That higher rate can increase the protected threshold and reduce the estimated maximum withholding.

Step 2: Select the Debt Type

Select Ordinary Judgment Debt to use the calculator. The other debt types appear so users do not mistakenly apply the ordinary-debt formula to a different order.

If child or spousal support, a tax levy, a federal student loan, or multiple orders are selected, the calculator stops and directs the user to the applicable order or agency instructions. Do not relabel another debt as ordinary simply to produce a result.

Step 3: Select the Pay Period

Choose the employee’s actual pay period:

• Weekly
• Biweekly—every two weeks
• Semimonthly—twice per month
• Monthly

Biweekly and semimonthly are not interchangeable. A biweekly schedule generally creates 26 pay periods per year, while a semimonthly schedule generally creates 24. The protected-threshold multiplier changes with the selected period.

If gross wages or overtime must be calculated first, review How to Calculate Overtime Pay in California before determining disposable earnings.

Step 4: Enter Disposable Earnings

Enter disposable earnings for the selected pay period. Disposable earnings generally mean the amount remaining after deductions required by law. They are not always the same as gross wages or take-home pay.

Do not automatically subtract every payroll deduction. Voluntary deductions may not reduce disposable earnings for garnishment purposes. Use payroll records and the withholding order to determine the correct amount. The Salary Calculator California estimates earnings for a different purpose and should not replace the disposable-earnings calculation.

Step 5: Select the Applicable Minimum Wage

Choose the state rate when $16.90 per hour applies at the employee’s workplace. Select the higher local-rate option when the employee is covered by a local minimum wage above the state rate, then enter that hourly rate.

Use the workplace rate effective when the earnings are payable. The calculator does not look up a city, county, or industry rate automatically.

Step 6: Review Both Garnishment Limits

Select Calculate. For an ordinary judgment debt, the calculator determines:

1. 20% limit: 20% of disposable earnings.
2. 40% excess-earnings limit: 40% of disposable earnings above the protected threshold.

The estimated maximum is the lower of these two amounts. If disposable earnings do not exceed the protected threshold, the second limit is zero and the estimated maximum garnishment is zero.

California Wage Garnishment Calculation Example

Assume the following 2026 information:

• Debt type: Ordinary judgment debt
• Pay period: Weekly
• Disposable earnings: $1,400
• Applicable minimum wage: California state rate of $16.90 per hour

The weekly protected threshold is:

$16.90 × 48 = $811.20

The 20% earnings limit is:

$1,400 × 20% = $280

The 40% excess-earnings limit is:

($1,400 − $811.20) × 40% = $235.52

The lower amount is $235.52, so the calculator returns:

• Estimated maximum garnishment: $235.52
• Protected threshold: $811.20
• 20% earnings limit: $280
• 40% excess-earnings limit: $235.52
• Disposable earnings after maximum garnishment: $1,164.48

The result is a maximum statutory estimate. An exemption, court determination, order priority, or other applicable restriction may require a lower amount.

Pay-Period Threshold Multipliers

The calculator multiplies the applicable hourly minimum wage by 48 for weekly pay, 96 for biweekly pay, 104 for semimonthly pay, and 208 for monthly pay. These multipliers create equivalent protected thresholds for different payroll schedules.

The underlying limits appear in California Law. Employers should follow the earnings withholding order and current official instructions rather than relying solely on an online estimate.

Employer Payroll vs. Garnishment Withholding

Wage garnishment is withheld from an employee’s disposable earnings; it is not an employer payroll tax. The California Payroll Calculator estimates employer-side payroll costs and therefore serves a separate purpose.

Employers should retain the order, calculation records, payment details, and notices relating to any exemption or termination. Other California calculation tools are available through California Calculator.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Entering gross wages: Use disposable earnings after legally required deductions.
2. Subtracting every voluntary deduction: Not every payroll deduction reduces disposable earnings.
3. Confusing biweekly with semimonthly: Their threshold multipliers differ.
4. Ignoring a higher local rate: Use it when it applies at the workplace.
5. Applying the formula to support or tax debt: The calculator supports ordinary judgment debt only.
6. Withholding the larger limit: The ordinary-debt maximum is the lower calculated amount.

FAQs

Q1: What are disposable earnings?
A: They are earnings remaining after deductions required by law, as determined under the applicable withholding rules.

Q2: Does the calculator support child support orders?
A: No. Child and spousal support orders follow different withholding limits and instructions.

Q3: What happens when a local minimum wage is higher?
A: Enter the higher applicable local rate so the calculator uses it for the protected threshold.

Q4: Can the estimated maximum be reduced?
A: Yes. An exemption, court order, competing order, or other legal restriction may reduce actual withholding.

Q5: Is this result legal advice?
A: No. It is a planning estimate for an ordinary judgment debt and does not replace the order or official guidance.