In Maryland, a creditor with a court judgment generally cannot take more than the lesser of 25% of your disposable weekly wages or the amount by which your disposable weekly wages exceed $145 (Maryland Commercial Law § 15-601.1). "Disposable wages" means your pay after legally required deductions such as taxes and Social Security. But there is a critical wrinkle Maryland workers need to know: a Maryland appellate court has ruled that the $145-per-week figure cannot be used to garnish more than federal law allows. So in practice, low- and moderate-income earners are protected by the more generous of the two formulas, and your paycheck must always be left with at least the amount federal law shields.
That makes Maryland different from a handful of states (like Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Carolina) that ban most wage garnishment for ordinary consumer debts entirely. Maryland does allow garnishment for ordinary debts, but it caps the bite and layers a federal floor on top. This article explains exactly how much can be taken, what income is completely off-limits, and the specific motion you file to stop or reduce a garnishment.
The Federal Baseline Maryland Builds On
Federal law (the Consumer Credit Protection Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1673) sets a nationwide ceiling that no state garnishment can exceed for ordinary debts. Under that rule, a creditor may take the lesser of:
- 25% of your disposable earnings for the week, or
- the amount by which your disposable earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage.
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, so 30 times that is $217.50 per week. If your disposable weekly earnings are $217.50 or less, no ordinary creditor can garnish anything. This federal protection applies in every Maryland county and is the reason the state's $145 figure cannot be enforced when it would let a creditor take more than the federal formula permits.
Maryland's Two-Track Rule by County
Maryland's garnishment statute actually applies two different formulas depending on where you live.
Most of Maryland
For workers in the majority of Maryland counties (including Baltimore City, Montgomery, Prince George's, Anne Arundel, Howard, Baltimore County, and most others), the law exempts the greater of $145 multiplied by the number of weeks the wages were earned, or 75% of your disposable wages. The remainder, up to 25% of disposable wages, can be garnished, except that under the appellate ruling the creditor can never take more than the federal 30-times-minimum-wage formula allows. The result: the protected portion of your check is whichever calculation leaves you with the most money.
Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's, and Worcester Counties
If you live and work in one of these four Eastern Shore counties, Maryland law applies the federal formula directly. A creditor may take the lesser of 25% of disposable wages or the amount by which your disposable wages exceed 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage ($217.50 per week). This mirrors the federal cap exactly.
Either way, the bottom line is the same for most workers: 25% of disposable pay is the absolute ceiling for an ordinary debt, and lower earners keep even more.
Different Rules for Certain Debts
The 25% cap covers ordinary debts like credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, and other money judgments. Several categories follow their own, higher limits:
- Child support and alimony. Under federal law, up to 50% of disposable earnings can be withheld if you support another spouse or child, and up to 60% if you do not, with an additional 5% allowed when payments are more than 12 weeks in arrears.
- Unpaid taxes. The IRS and the Maryland Comptroller can garnish wages without first suing you, and the amount left exempt is set by tax tables rather than the 25% rule.
- Federal student loans. The U.S. Department of Education can administratively garnish up to 15% of disposable pay without a court judgment.
Income That Is Completely Exempt
Some money cannot be garnished by ordinary creditors at all, no matter how large the judgment. In Maryland this generally includes:
- Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Veterans' benefits and other federal benefits
- Unemployment compensation
- Workers' compensation benefits
- Public assistance and Temporary Cash Assistance
- Child support you receive
- Many pensions and retirement funds
These protections can be lost in practice if the funds are mixed with other money in a bank account, so it helps to keep exempt deposits separate and clearly traceable.
Bank Account Garnishment Exemptions
Garnishment can also reach a bank account, not just wages. Maryland protects an automatic $500 in your account that a creditor cannot freeze without you doing anything. Separately, under Maryland's exemption statute (Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 11-504), you can claim up to $6,000 in cash or property of any kind for any reason, plus additional amounts for tools of your trade and certain other property. To claim these, you must act quickly, generally within 30 days of the garnishment being served.
How to Claim an Exemption and Stop or Reduce Garnishment
You do not have to accept a garnishment passively. Maryland gives you several ways to challenge or limit it:
- File a Motion for Release of Property from Levy/Garnishment (Maryland District Court form DC-CV-036) to claim your bank-account exemptions. File it with the court that issued the writ, generally within 30 days of service.
- File a motion or objection if you believe exempt income (like Social Security) was taken, the math is wrong, or the underlying judgment is invalid. The District Court's general motion form (DC-002) lets you explain your defense.
- Verify your employer's calculation. Your employer is the "garnishee" and must compute the withholding each pay period. Errors are common, so confirm the deduction matches the 25% or 30-times-minimum-wage limit.
- Request a hearing to argue financial hardship or to correct an improper garnishment.
- Negotiate or settle with the creditor, or consider whether bankruptcy's automatic stay would halt the garnishment if your overall debt situation warrants it.
Maryland also forbids your employer from firing you because of a single garnishment, consistent with federal law.
Maryland's state minimum wage is $15.00 per hour as of 2026, but the garnishment formula keys off the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, which produces the $217.50 weekly floor. Because minimum-wage rates and exemption amounts can change, confirm the current figures with the Maryland Department of Labor and the Maryland Judiciary before relying on a specific number.
Where to Verify Maryland's Rules
For authoritative, current information, consult the Maryland Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division, which handles consumer complaints and publishes debt-collection guidance. The Maryland Judiciary (mdcourts.gov) provides the official garnishment forms and instructions, and the Maryland People's Law Library offers plain-language explanations of the garnishment process. If a creditor or debt collector has violated the rules, you also have rights under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Maryland Consumer Debt Collection Act. When the stakes are high or the judgment itself is disputed, talk to a Maryland legal-aid office or a consumer attorney.
Official Maryland Sources
This page is based on Maryland law. Limits and deadlines change — verify the current details directly with the official Maryland sources below. This is general legal information, not legal advice.
Federal law also applies. Federal laws like the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Fair Credit Reporting Act protect you nationwide, on top of Maryland’s own rules.
Frequently asked questions
How much of my paycheck can a creditor garnish in Maryland?
For ordinary debts, a Maryland creditor can take the lesser of 25% of your disposable weekly wages or the amount by which your weekly disposable wages exceed $145. A Maryland appellate ruling also caps garnishment at the federal limit, so you must be left with at least 30 times the federal minimum wage ($217.50 per week as of 2026). If your disposable pay is at or below that figure, ordinary creditors cannot garnish anything.
Do all Maryland counties use the same garnishment formula?
No. Most counties use the $145-per-week / 75% exemption, subject to the federal cap. But Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's, and Worcester counties apply the federal formula directly: the lesser of 25% of disposable wages or the amount exceeding 30 times the federal minimum wage. For most workers the practical ceiling is the same 25%.
What income can never be garnished in Maryland?
Social Security, SSI, veterans' and other federal benefits, unemployment, workers' compensation, public assistance, child support you receive, and many pensions are generally exempt from garnishment by ordinary creditors. Keep these funds separate from other money so they remain clearly traceable if a bank account is frozen.
How do I stop or reduce a wage garnishment in Maryland?
File a Motion for Release of Property from Levy/Garnishment (form DC-CV-036) to claim bank-account exemptions, or a motion or objection (DC-002) if exempt income was taken, the calculation is wrong, or the judgment is invalid. File with the court that issued the writ, generally within 30 days, and request a hearing. Maryland also lets you exempt $500 automatically and up to $6,000 of property for any reason.
Can my employer fire me for a wage garnishment in Maryland?
No. Consistent with federal law, your employer cannot fire you because your wages were garnished for a single debt. If you are terminated over one garnishment, you may have a claim, and you can report the issue to the U.S. Department of Labor or seek legal advice.
This article is general legal information, not legal advice, and may not reflect the most current law or the law in your jurisdiction. Laws vary by state and change over time. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney.
