Wage garnishment: how much of your salary is protected

With a wage garnishment you are left with a seizure-free amount that secures your subsistence minimum. How much that is follows from the garnishment table and depends on your net income and the number of people you owe maintenance to. Only the part above that is garnished.

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Your chances of getting your money back

Part of your earned income cannot be garnished; the amount depends on the garnishment table and your maintenance obligations (§ 850c ZPO). The more people you support, the higher the protected amount.

Certain parts of the wage (e.g. part of overtime pay, holiday and Christmas bonuses within limits, expense allowances) are additionally protected. The correct garnishable amount is calculated by the employer as the third-party debtor.

What you should do now

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1. Check the calculation
Verify whether the employer has correctly calculated the garnishable amount according to the garnishment table.
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2. State maintenance obligations
Report maintenance obligations (children, spouse) so that the higher exemption is taken into account.
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3. Note protected components
Make sure that specially protected parts of the wage are not garnished in full.
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4. Look for a solution
Offer the creditor an installment plan; with several garnishments or over-indebtedness, debt counseling helps.

How to spot the scam

Maintenance obligations are not taken into account in the calculation.
More than the garnishable amount is withheld.
Several creditors garnish the wage in parallel.

Frequently asked questions

How much of the wage can be garnished?

Only the part above the seizure-free amount. This follows from the garnishment table based on your net income and the number of your maintenance obligations (§ 850c ZPO). The subsistence minimum remains protected.

Does the exemption increase with children?

Yes. For every person you are legally obliged to support, the seizure-free amount increases. State your maintenance obligations so that they are taken into account in the calculation.

Which parts of the wage are specially protected?

Among others, part of overtime pay, holiday and Christmas bonuses within certain limits, and certain allowances and expense reimbursements. The employer as third-party debtor must take this into account in the calculation.

Take action now

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General information for self-help, not legal advice (RDG). In case of a high loss or uncertainty: contact a consumer advice center or a lawyer.