Wage Garnishment in Georgia

Georgia: Federal Baseline with Minimal State Protection

Georgia follows the federal baseline CCPA limits under Ga. Code Ann. § 18-4-20, providing no additional state-level protections beyond the federal floor. Creditors can garnish up to 25% of disposable earnings or the amount above 30× the federal minimum wage ($217.50/week).

The $7.25 Minimum Wage Impact

Georgia’s $7.25 minimum wage (tied to the federal rate, with the state minimum wage set at $5.15 but preempted by federal law for most workers) means the lowest-paid workers have the weakest possible buffer. A full-time minimum-wage worker earns $290/week. With $217.50 protected, $72.50 is exposed — and up to $18.13 could be garnished weekly under the CCPA formula. While the dollar amounts seem small, for a worker at this income level, losing even $18/week ($936/year) represents a significant hardship.

Regional Comparison

Georgia stands in contrast to Florida, which offers a $750/week head-of-household exemption and a $13.00 minimum wage — creating substantially stronger protection for Florida workers. South Carolina and North Carolina ban wage garnishment for consumer debts entirely. Alabama and Tennessee share Georgia’s federal-default approach with $7.25 minimum wages. Among Southeastern states, Georgia is in the least-protective tier.

What Georgia Workers Should Know

Georgia does provide some limited protections outside the wage context — including a $21,500 homestead exemption (doubled to $43,000 for married couples) and a $5,000 personal property exemption. However, for wage garnishment specifically, Georgia workers have no state-level shield beyond what the CCPA provides. Workers facing garnishment in Georgia should be aware that the federal exemptions for child support (50-65%), student loans (15%), and tax debt operate independently of the state’s consumer debt limits.

Statute: Ga. Code Ann. § 18-4-20; 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.