Wage-garnishment · DC
District of Columbia wage-garnishment cap & exemptions
District of Columbia's wage-garnishment rule, head-of-family exemption, exempt-property table, and bank-account-levy defense — statute-cited (D.C. Code §16-572).
DC · wage-garnishment + debtor-exemption
District of Columbia
- Cap statute
- D.C. Code §16-572 (opens in a new tab)verified May 11
- Head-of-family exemption
- Not recognized as a distinct wage exemption.
DC has a stricter 40× FMW floor than the federal 30× — encoded in the calculator. Full exempt-property table pending Wave-3 research.
Calculate your protected amount
Pre-filled to District of Columbia. Add your paycheck details to see the federal §1673 cap and any stricter state overlay.
- State
- 2Paycheck
- 3Debt type
- 4Head-of-family
- 5Result
Fill in your state and paycheck to see your federal + state cap.
Output appears here · all values cite primary-source statute · no inputs are logged
Federal vs District of Columbia — at three reference paychecks
Comparative shape of District of Columbia's cap relative to the federal §1673 default. Your actual output above reflects your specific paycheck and head-of-family status.
Exempt-property table — District of Columbia
The categories below cover what creditors generally cannot reach. Each row carries the controlling state statute. Verify against the current statute text before relying on a specific dollar amount — state legislatures amend exempt-property caps regularly.
| Category | Amount / scope | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Homestead | State-statute research pending | — |
| Motor vehicle | State-statute research pending | — |
| Wildcard | State-statute research pending | — |
| Tools of trade | State-statute research pending | — |
| Retirement | State-statute research pending | — |
| Public benefits | Federal 31 CFR §212 + DC-protection · state-statute research pending | — |
| Wages already deposited | State-statute research pending | — |
Head-of-family exemption
District of Columbia does not recognize a separate head-of-family wage exemption beyond the federal CCPA cap (or the state's stricter mirror). If state exemptions leave too little protected in a hard case, the federal §522(d) exemption election available in Chapter 7 bankruptcy may offer broader protection — but that is a separate analysis. See paycheck-protection strategies.
Bank-account levy defense — District of Columbia
If your account is frozen, federal protection of SSA-class direct deposits is automatic (no claim required). Other categories require a timely claim-of-exemption filing.
What's protected, and what you do next
- Select what's in the frozen account to see the procedural pathway. Federal SSA-class benefits have automatic protection; state-protected categories require a timely claim-of-exemption filing.
Free lawyer-referral option — District of Columbia
The District of Columbia Bar runs a lawyer-referral service offering low-cost (typically $0–$30) 30-minute consultations. Find your local referral service.
Free lawyer-referral option — District of Columbia
The District of Columbia Bar runs a lawyer-referral service offering low-cost (typically $0–$30) 30-minute consultations. Find your local referral service.
Other Wave-1 states
Citations
- D.C. Code §16-572 (opens in a new tab)verified May 11— DC caps wage garnishment at 25% of disposable OR the amount by which disposable exceeds 40× the federal minimum wage — whichever is less. The 40× floor is stricter than the federal 30× floor.