Washington Wage Garnishment Calculator
For consumer debt Washington exempts the greater of 80% of disposable earnings or 35 times the state minimum wage — $599.55 a week in 2026 and $620.55 from January 1, 2027.
Three exemptions by type of debt
In the case of a garnishment based on a judgment or other order for the collection of consumer debt, for each week of such earnings, an amount shall be exempt from garnishment which is the greater of the following: (a) Thirty-five times the state minimum hourly wage; or (b) Eighty percent of the disposable earnings of the defendant.
A Spokane paycheck, consumer debt versus a private student loan
A Spokane worker grossing $2,500.00 every two weeks with $380.00 withheld has $2,120.00 disposable. A consumer-debt writ can take $424.00 (20%, since that is below the excess over 70 hours of the $17.13 minimum); a private student-loan judgment, protected at 85% or 100 hours of minimum wage, takes $318.00.
The 2027 minimum wage and employer duties
- Private student-loan judgments get more protection: the greater of 85% of disposable earnings or 50 times the highest minimum wage in the state.§1
- Other judgments use the older formula: the greater of 75% of disposable earnings or 35 times the federal minimum wage.§1
- The employer works out the exempt amount using the writ and answer forms and pays it to you.§1
- Washington’s 2027 minimum wage of $17.73 is published by L&I and applies automatically to pay dated January 1, 2027 or later.§2