Wage-garnishment · GA

Georgia wage-garnishment cap & exemptions

Georgia's wage-garnishment rule, head-of-family exemption, exempt-property table, and bank-account-levy defense — statute-cited (O.C.G.A. §18-4-5).

Federal-floor mirror

GA · wage-garnishment + debtor-exemption

Georgia

Federal-floor mirror

Cap statute: O.C.G.A. §18-4-5 (opens in a new tab)verified May 11
Head-of-family exemption: Not recognized as a distinct wage exemption.
Claim-of-exemption form: Affidavit of Garnishee + Claim of Exemption
deadlineWithin statutory window — confirm with court.

verified May 11Research-side reviewAnnual attorney review in progress

What this means for Georgia

Georgia adopts the federal CCPA cap (25% of disposable / 30× FMW floor) for consumer-judgment wage garnishment under O.C.G.A. §18-4-5, with state procedural overlays via the Georgia Garnishment Act. There is no separate state head-of-family wage exemption. Georgia's exempt-property amounts are mid-tier: $21,500 homestead (single) or $43,000 (joint), $5,000 motor vehicle, $1,200 wildcard plus unused-homestead transferability up to $10,000. Bank-levy defense relies on the affidavit-and-claim-of-exemption process; federal anti-attachment of SSA-class direct deposits under 31 CFR §212 is automatic.

Calculate your protected amount

Pre-filled to Georgia. Add your paycheck details to see the federal §1673 cap and any stricter state overlay.

State
2Paycheck
3Debt type
4Head-of-family
5Result

1Your state

2This paycheck

Pay frequencyGross earnings this pay periodTipped employees: include reported tips in gross.Legally-required deductionsFederal + state income tax, FICA, court-ordered withholdings.Voluntary deductions (informational only)401k, health insurance, union dues — these do NOT reduce disposable earnings for §1673 purposes.

3Debt type

Consumer judgmentCredit card, medical bill, personal loan, deficiency, etc.Child supportSeparate 50%–65% federal cap.Federal tax debtIRS Publication 1494 separate regime.Federal student loanAdministrative wage garnishment — 15% disposable.State tax debtState-specific tax-collection regime.OtherAlimony, restitution, federal-agency offset, etc.

4Head-of-household status

Yes — primary support of dependentsNoNot sure

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

Exempt-property table — Georgia

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.

Georgia exempt-property categories — what creditors generally cannot reach. Each row carries the controlling state statute.
Category	Amount / scope	Statute
Homestead	$21,500 (single) / $43,000 (joint)	O.C.G.A. §44-13-100(a)(1)
Motor vehicle	$5,000	O.C.G.A. §44-13-100(a)(3)
Wildcard	$1,200 + unused homestead up to $10,000	O.C.G.A. §44-13-100(a)(6)
Tools of trade	$1,500	O.C.G.A. §44-13-100(a)(7)
Retirement	Generally unlimited	O.C.G.A. §44-13-100(a)(2.1)
Public benefits	Federal 31 CFR §212 + state-protection	O.C.G.A. §44-13-100(a)(2)
Wages already deposited	State-statute research pending	—

Head-of-family exemption

Georgia 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 — Georgia

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.

1 · Your state

2 · What's in the frozen account?

Select all that apply.

Recently-deposited wages (last 60 days)Earnings paid into the account from your employer.Social Security / SSI / SSDI / VA / federal benefitsFederal anti-attachment + 31 CFR §212 two-month look-back applies.Unemployment direct depositState-protected; federal anti-attachment overlap.State tax refundState-specific protection varies.Other (unprotected funds)Funds that are not statutorily protected.

What's protected, and what you do next

State claim-of-exemption form: Affidavit of Garnishee + Claim of ExemptiondeadlineWithin statutory window — confirm with court.
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 — Georgia

The Georgia Bar runs a lawyer-referral service offering low-cost (typically $0–$30) 30-minute consultations. Find your local referral service.

Free lawyer-referral option — Georgia

The Georgia 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

O.C.G.A. §18-4-5 (opens in a new tab)verified May 11— Georgia adopts the federal CCPA cap for consumer-judgment wage garnishment (25% disposable / 30× fed-min-wage floor), with state procedural overlays. Primary-source URL: Georgia General Assembly bill-text repository — re-verify at Gate 4.
O.C.G.A. §44-13-100(a)(1)verified May 11
O.C.G.A. §44-13-100(a)(3)verified May 11
O.C.G.A. §44-13-100(a)(6)verified May 11
O.C.G.A. §44-13-100(a)(7)verified May 11
O.C.G.A. §44-13-100(a)(2.1)verified May 11
O.C.G.A. §44-13-100(a)(2)verified May 11