In Minnesota, a creditor with a money judgment generally cannot take more than the lesser of two amounts from each paycheck: 25% of your disposable earnings, or the amount by which your disposable earnings exceed 40 times the higher of the federal or Minnesota minimum wage for that week (Minnesota Statutes section 571.922). That second number matters: by protecting 40 times the minimum wage rather than the federal floor of 30 times, Minnesota shields more of a low-income worker's pay than federal law does. "Disposable earnings" means what is left after legally required deductions such as federal and state taxes, Social Security, and Medicare, not after voluntary deductions like a 401(k) or health-club dues.
How Minnesota's wage garnishment limit works
The federal Consumer Credit Protection Act sets a national baseline: creditors can take the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage ($7.25, so $217.50 per week is protected federally). Minnesota uses the same 25% ceiling but raises the protected floor to 40 times the minimum wage and, crucially, ties it to whichever minimum wage is higher — federal or Minnesota's.
Minnesota indexes its minimum wage to inflation each January 1, so the exact dollar amount of the floor changes annually. As a practical example, if the applicable minimum wage is roughly $11 per hour, then about 40 x $11 = $440 of weekly disposable earnings would be fully protected, and only earnings above that line (capped at 25%) could be taken. Because the rate adjusts every year, confirm the current Minnesota minimum wage with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry before you rely on a specific figure. As of 2026, Minnesota uses a single statewide minimum-wage rate (the former large-employer/small-employer split was phased out), but always verify the current number.
The garnishment is calculated each pay period, so workers paid biweekly or monthly multiply the weekly floor accordingly. If your disposable earnings for the period fall at or below the protected floor, a creditor for an ordinary debt can take nothing that period.
Income and benefits that are exempt in Minnesota
Beyond the percentage cap, Minnesota law (Minnesota Statutes sections 550.37 and 571.922) makes certain income entirely off-limits to ordinary creditors. Commonly exempt sources include:
- Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Unemployment benefits
- Workers' compensation benefits
- Veterans' benefits
- Public assistance based on need — including the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), General Assistance, Medical Assistance, and SNAP (food support)
- Certain retirement and pension funds
- Child support and spousal maintenance you receive
Minnesota adds a powerful extra protection for people who have recently relied on public aid: if you are currently receiving relief based on need, or have received it within the last six months, all of your earnings are exempt from garnishment. This rule appears directly on the exemption notice creditors must send, and it can stop a wage garnishment entirely. It is one of the most overlooked protections in the state, so check whether it applies before you let any garnishment proceed.
When more than 25% can be taken
The 25% cap covers ordinary debts like credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, and most judgments. Different rules apply to a handful of priority obligations:
- Child support and spousal maintenance: Under the federal CCPA, which Minnesota follows, support orders can reach 50% to 65% of disposable earnings — 50% if you support another spouse or child, 60% if you do not, plus an extra 5% if you are more than 12 weeks behind.
- Unpaid taxes: The IRS and the Minnesota Department of Revenue can garnish wages administratively without first suing you, and their limits are governed by separate tax rules rather than the 25% cap.
- Federal student loans: The U.S. Department of Education can garnish up to 15% of disposable pay through administrative wage garnishment, again without a court judgment.
For everything else, a creditor must first obtain a court judgment against you before it can garnish your wages. There is no garnishment for an ordinary consumer debt until the creditor has won (or you have defaulted on) the lawsuit.