Wage Garnishment in Arkansas

Arkansas: Federal Baseline with a Higher State Minimum Wage

Arkansas follows the federal baseline CCPA limits for wage garnishment under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-110-101 et seq., meaning creditors can take up to 25% of disposable earnings or the amount above 30× the federal minimum wage ($217.50/week). However, Arkansas distinguishes itself from many of its Southern neighbors with a notably higher state minimum wage of $11.00/hour.

The Minimum Wage Difference

Arkansas’s $11.00 minimum wage — enacted through a 2018 ballot initiative — gives workers a stronger earnings base than the $7.25 states that surround it. A full-time minimum-wage worker in Arkansas earns $440/week, compared to $290/week in neighboring $7.25 states. With $217.50 protected from garnishment, the Arkansas worker has $222.50 of disposable earnings potentially exposed to the 25% cap — meaning a maximum garnishment of approximately $55/week.

By comparison, a full-time minimum-wage worker in Mississippi or Tennessee earns $290/week, with $217.50 protected — leaving $72.50 exposed, of which up to $18.13 could be garnished. While both workers are protected by the same formula, the Arkansas worker takes home substantially more money even after maximum garnishment.

Regional Context

Arkansas is surrounded by federal-default states: Missouri to the north (which offers a strong 10% HOH cap), Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest (complete ban), and Oklahoma to the west. Within this group, only Texas and Missouri (for HOH workers) exceed Arkansas’s effective worker protection — though Arkansas’s higher minimum wage partially compensates for its standard garnishment formula.

Bottom Line

Arkansas workers face the same garnishment rules as other federal-default states, but the state’s higher minimum wage means the protected floor of $217.50 represents a smaller share of full-time minimum-wage earnings than in $7.25 states.

Statute: Ark. Code Ann. § 16-110-101 et seq.; 15 U.S.C. § 1673 — Official source

This calculator is for consumer debt garnishment only. Not legal advice. Rules vary by debt type (student loans, child support, taxes). Verify with official sources before making any financial or legal decisions.