Money & Debt · Wage Garnishment
Wage Garnishment Laws in Michigan
How much of your paycheck a creditor can take in Michigan, the pay that is fully protected, and what to do right now if a garnishment has started, cited to the statute.
The limit and what is protected in Michigan
How much a creditor can take, the pay that is exempt, and where it comes from in the code.
| Most a creditor can take | 25% of disposable earnings |
| How the limit works | The federal ceiling: 25% of disposable pay, or 30× the minimum wage protected |
| Fully protected pay | Weekly disposable pay up to $217.50 (30 times the $7.25 federal minimum wage) is fully protected and cannot be touched by a consumer-debt creditor. |
| Other exemptions |
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| Federal backstop | The federal 25% / 30× minimum-wage floor also applies; a creditor can never take more than federal law allows. |
| Statute | MCL 600.4012; Michigan Court Rule 3.101 |
Michigan keys the 30-times calculation to the $7.25 federal minimum wage, not the higher state minimum wage, so the protected floor stays at $217.50 a week even though Michigan raised its own minimum wage in 2025. Child support and alimony garnishments follow different, higher limits (up to 50% of disposable earnings, or 60% if you are not supporting other dependents at home) and are not capped at 25%.
Michigan increased its state minimum wage during 2025, but wage garnishment still uses the $7.25 federal figure for the 30-times floor. Watch for any change to that link, and confirm the current federal minimum wage, before relying on the $217.50 number.
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if your wages are being garnished in Michigan. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Check the amount the law already protects
A creditor can take only the lesser of 25% of your disposable pay or the amount above $217.50 a week, and public benefits like Social Security and unemployment are off limits entirely. Work out your disposable earnings (pay after taxes and Social Security are withheld) so you can see whether the amount being taken is correct.
- File an objection within 14 days
You have 14 days after the writ of garnishment is mailed or delivered to you to file written objections with the court. If you believe the money is exempt, the wrong amount is being taken, or the debt is already paid, use that window, because after it passes the garnishee can start paying the creditor.
- Watch your bank account for a separate levy
A periodic wage writ is one tool. A creditor can also serve a non-periodic garnishment to freeze money already in your bank account. If you see an unexpected hold, respond promptly, because exemptions such as Social Security may still protect some or all of those funds.
- Get free Michigan legal help
Michigan Legal Help has step-by-step garnishment guides and objection forms, and it can point you to your local legal aid office. This is legal information, not legal advice, so confirm your own situation with a lawyer or legal aid.
You do not have to face a garnishment alone. This resource can help you check whether an exemption applies and how to file the paperwork.
→ Michigan Legal Help, garnishment self-help centerThis is general legal information, not legal advice. Deadlines to claim an exemption are short and vary by court, so act quickly and confirm the specifics for your case.
What Michigan workers get wrong
Michigan follows the federal ceiling on wage garnishment, so for an ordinary consumer judgment a creditor can take the lesser of 25% of your disposable earnings or the amount by which your weekly disposable pay rises above $217.50. Disposable earnings are what is left after legally required deductions such as taxes and Social Security, not after insurance or retirement contributions. Two Michigan-specific details trip people up. First, the $217.50 floor is tied to the $7.25 federal minimum wage, and it stayed there even after Michigan raised its own state minimum wage in 2025. Second, garnishment here runs on a clock. A periodic wage writ is valid for 182 days, roughly six months, before the creditor has to renew it, and you only get 14 days after the writ reaches you to file objections with the court. Public benefits such as Social Security and unemployment are fully protected on top of all of this.
Common questions
How much of my paycheck can a creditor garnish in Michigan?
For an ordinary consumer judgment, a creditor can take the lesser of 25% of your disposable earnings or the amount by which your weekly disposable pay exceeds $217.50. Disposable earnings are your pay after legally required deductions such as taxes and Social Security. Whichever number is smaller is the most that can come out.
How long does a Michigan wage garnishment last?
A periodic wage garnishment writ (SCAO form MC 12) stays in effect for 182 days, about six months, from the date it is issued. It must be served on the garnishee within that window. If the debt is not paid off in that time, the creditor has to get and serve a new writ to keep garnishing your wages.
How long do I have to object to a garnishment in Michigan?
You have 14 days after the writ of garnishment is mailed or delivered to you to file written objections with the court. Common grounds include exempt income, an incorrect amount, or a debt that is already paid. If you miss the 14-day deadline, the garnishee can begin withholding your pay and paying it to the creditor.
Did Michigan raising its minimum wage in 2025 change the protected amount?
No. The $217.50 weekly floor is 30 times the $7.25 federal minimum wage, and Michigan wage garnishment still uses that federal figure for the calculation. Even though Michigan raised its own state minimum wage in 2025, the protected floor for garnishment did not move with it.
What income is completely protected from garnishment in Michigan?
Public benefits are exempt outright, including Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, veterans benefits, unemployment compensation, workers compensation, Family Independence Program grants, food assistance, and ERISA-covered pensions. Social Security funds in a bank account are protected up to twice the monthly benefit amount, though those benefits can still be reached for federal taxes and defaulted student loans.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.