Missouri · wage garnishment
Missouri wage garnishment: 25%, or 10% if you head a family.
Missouri takes the least of three numbers for each workweek: 25% of disposable earnings, the amount your disposable earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage, or, if you are the head of a family and a Missouri resident, 10% of disposable earnings. The 10% head-of-family limit is the one that usually binds. Source: RSMo 525.030(2), read November 1, 2026.
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The short answer
Missouri takes the least of three numbers for each workweek: 25% of disposable earnings, the amount your disposable earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage, or, if you are the head of a family and a Missouri resident, 10% of disposable earnings. The 10% head-of-family limit is the one that usually binds. Source: RSMo 525.030(2), read November 1, 2026.
What the statute says
Section 525.030, subsection 2(1), limits the part of an individual's aggregate earnings for any workweek, after amounts required by law to be withheld, that can be garnished. It may not exceed (a) 25 percent, (b) the amount by which the week's earnings after required withholding exceed 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act in effect when the earnings are payable, or (c) if the employee is the head of a family and a resident of Missouri, 10 percent, whichever is less.
Subsection 2(2) says these restrictions do not apply to any court order for the support of any person, to bankruptcy orders under chapter XIII, or to debts due for state or federal tax. Support orders therefore run on the federal support percentages in 15 USC 1673(b), not on this page's figures.
Subsection 2(3) handles pay periods longer than a week. The 25% and 10% parts apply to all the workweeks compensated, and the minimum-wage test uses the number of workweeks (or fractions) times 30 times the federal minimum wage. This calculator uses exactly that.
Why the 10% rule matters
At the federal minimum wage of $7.25 the floor is $217.50 per workweek, so any worker with weekly disposable earnings above $290 hits the 25% limit rather than the floor. For a Missouri head of family the 10% limit is lower than both once weekly disposable earnings pass about $242, so it governs for nearly every paycheck. Statute text does not define "head of a family"; the court decides whether you qualify, so be ready to show whom you support.
Worked example
Gross pay $2,000.00 every two weeks, required deductions $400.00, resident head of family: disposable earnings $1,600.00. MO rule allows $160.00, the federal cap allows $400.00, so the most that can be garnished is $160.00 and $1,440.00 stays in the paycheck.
More examples (same engine as the calculator)
| Case | Pay | Disposable | MO rule | Federal cap | Most garnishable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| resident head of family | $2,000.00 gross, $400.00 deductions, every two weeks | $1,600.00 | $160.00 | $400.00 | $160.00 |
| not a head of family | $2,000.00 gross, $400.00 deductions, every two weeks | $1,600.00 | $400.00 | $400.00 | $400.00 |
| low weekly pay where the minimum-wage floor binds | $600.00 gross, $100.00 deductions, weekly | $500.00 | $125.00 | $125.00 | $125.00 |
| monthly pay, head of family | $5,200.00 gross, $1,100.00 deductions, monthly | $4,100.00 | $410.00 | $1,025.00 | $410.00 |
How it compares with the federal limit
Federal law (15 USC 1673(a)) caps garnishment for ordinary debts at the lesser of 25% of weekly disposable earnings or the amount by which they exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage of $7.25, which protects $217.50 a week. A state may protect more, never less. When both apply, the lower amount controls, and the calculator shows both. See the federal wage garnishment limit calculator for support orders and for Texas, Pennsylvania and South Carolina, or the state comparison table.
What this page does not cover
Child support orders, bankruptcy orders and state or federal tax debts (all outside 525.030(2)(1)), plus the court procedures for objecting to a garnishment. "Head of a family" is not defined in the section read. Tax levies, defaulted federal student loans and bankruptcy orders follow their own rules. Court costs, exemptions you must claim yourself, and the procedure for objecting are decided by the court that issued the judgment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum wage garnishment in Missouri?
The least of 25% of disposable earnings, the amount over 30 times the federal minimum wage, or 10% for a Missouri-resident head of family (RSMo 525.030(2)(1)).
Does the 10% rule apply to everyone?
No. It applies only if the employee is the head of a family and a resident of Missouri. Otherwise the limit is the lesser of 25% and the excess over 30 times the federal minimum wage.
Does this limit apply to child support?
No. Subsection 2(2) exempts support orders, bankruptcy orders and state or federal tax debts from these restrictions. Federal law sets separate percentages for support (up to 50%-65% of disposable earnings).
How is a biweekly or monthly paycheck handled?
The percentages apply to all workweeks in the pay period, and the minimum-wage floor is workweeks x 30 x the federal minimum wage (525.030(2)(3)).
What counts as earnings after deductions?
The statute uses aggregate earnings after deducting amounts required by law to be withheld, such as income tax and FICA. Voluntary deductions are not subtracted.
Sources
Statute text and agency pages read November 1, 2026. Statutes are amended; check the current version before relying on a figure.
- RSMo 525.030, Garnishee exemptions and wage limits (Missouri Revisor of Statutes): The 25%, 30-times-minimum-wage and 10% head-of-family limits, the support exemption and the multi-week formula.
- 15 USC 1673 (Cornell LII): The federal 25% / 30-times-minimum-wage cap and the support-order percentages.
- 29 CFR 870.10 (Cornell LII): How the weekly formula converts to longer pay periods.
Not legal advice
This page is general information, not legal or financial advice. A garnishment order, your facts and later law changes can differ from the formulas shown. Confirm with the court, a legal aid office or a lawyer before you act. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.