California Wage Garnishment Calculators

Welcome to our California Wage Garnishment hub. Understand how much of an employee's paycheck can be withheld for child support, creditor garnishments, and other deductions under California and federal law. Every calculator is built from official California Family Code, CCPA (15 U.S.C. 1673), and California Code of Civil Procedure sources.

California protects more of a worker's earnings than most states, and the limits differ sharply by garnishment type. Child support follows the federal CCPA four-tier system (50–55–60–65% depending on circumstances) with California's 50% net-disposable-income default cap. Ordinary creditor garnishments use an Earnings Withholding Order (EWO) with thresholds tied to the minimum wage in the employee's city or county. Calculating disposable earnings correctly — gross pay minus only the deductions the law requires — is the foundation of every one of these figures.

Use the calculators below to compute your exact withholding: child support wage garnishment, general wage garnishment, protected disposable earnings under the current formula, Earnings Withholding Orders, and FTB court-ordered debt collection. For California overtime and wage-hour questions, see the California Labor Calculators, and for paycheck and payroll tax tools visit the California Paycheck Calculator.

California Garnishment Calculators

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California Child Support Wage Garnishment Calculator

See exactly how much of your paycheck can be withheld for child support in California. CCPA 50-55-60-65% four-tier system with CA 50% NDI default cap.

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California Wage Garnishment Calculator 2026

Calculate the maximum amount that can be garnished from a California paycheck under federal CCPA limits and state specific rules. Supports multiple garnishment types.

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California Disposable Earnings Calculator

Calculate protected and garnishable disposable earnings under the SB 1477 formula. Supports weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, and monthly pay periods.

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California Earnings Withholding Order Calculator 2026

Calculate EWO garnishment amounts under CCP § 706.050. Includes city-specific minimum wages, 20% disposable earnings cap, and 48× threshold formula.

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California FTB Court-Ordered Debt Calculator 2026

Estimate your total FTB court-ordered debt balance including 10% statutory interest, penalties, wage garnishment (SB 1477), refund offset, and payment plans.

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📅 Sources: CA Family Code §4055, CCPA 15 U.S.C. §1673 ✍️ Verified by AKCalc Financial Team

Frequently Asked Questions

How much of a California paycheck can be garnished for consumer debt?

For an Earnings Withholding Order, California generally allows the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the amount of disposable earnings above a protected threshold tied to the minimum wage in the employee's city or county. The exact number depends on the employee's location and pay frequency. Use the California Earnings Withholding Order Calculator for your precise figure.

Do child support garnishments use a different limit than creditor garnishments?

Yes. Child support follows the federal CCPA four-tier structure — 50%, 55%, 60%, or 65% of disposable earnings depending on whether the parent supports another family — with California applying a 50% net-disposable-income default cap in many cases. Child support also takes priority over creditor garnishments. See the California Child Support Wage Garnishment Calculator for the exact tier that applies to you.

What counts as disposable earnings in California?

Disposable earnings are gross pay minus the deductions that law requires, such as federal, state, and local taxes and Social Security/Medicare (FICA). Voluntary deductions like health insurance premiums, retirement contributions, or wage assignments you agreed to do not reduce the amount that can be garnished. The California Disposable Earnings Calculator applies the current formula for each pay period.

Can an employer fire an employee because of a wage garnishment?

No. Federal law (CCPA) prohibits an employer from discharging an employee because their wages were subject to a single garnishment, and California law separately protects employees from retaliation for garnishment-related matters. An employer that fires an employee solely for one garnishment faces legal liability.