Wage garnishments and child-support withholding: what to expect

Last updated: August 21, 2026

Applies to: US W-2 employees — a garnishment is withheld from a paycheck. If you are an independent contractor and receive a withholding order, email garnishments@ascen.com.

Summary: A garnishment is a legal order requiring part of your pay to be withheld to pay a debt or child support. If your employer receives one, it is required by law to comply. Here is what it means, what you will see on your pay stub, and where to get help.

If you notice a garnishment or child-support deduction on your pay stub, it is important to understand what it means. This article explains what it is, why your employer must honor it, and what you can and cannot do about it.

What a wage garnishment is

Child support or spousal support (sent to a state agency)

Unpaid taxes (a federal or state tax levy)

A court judgment for a debt, such as an unpaid loan

Defaulted federal student loans

Your employer does not decide whether to withhold — when it receives a valid order, it is legally required to comply and to send the withheld amount to the entity named in the order.

Federal limits protect part of your pay

Federal law limits how much of your pay can be garnished, so you keep a portion of every check. Under Title III of the Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA), which is enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor, there are caps based on your disposable earnings (your pay after legally required deductions like taxes). Authoritative sources:

Wage Garnishment (U.S. Department of Labor)

Fact Sheet #30: The Federal Wage Garnishment Law (DOL)

Child support orders can withhold a larger share than ordinary debts, and are administered under federal rules. See the federal Office of Child Support Services for how income withholding for support works.

State law may protect more of your pay than federal law. Where a state gives you greater protection, that rule applies. Your state labor or court system sets those limits.

What you will see on your pay stub

When a garnishment is in effect, it appears as a separate deduction line on your pay stub, reducing your net (take-home) pay. To review it:
1.

Log in at app.ascen.com and open your Paystub under Paychecks.
2.

Look in the Deductions section for the garnishment or support line and the amount withheld.
3.

Compare it across pay periods to confirm the amount is consistent with the order.

See Understanding your pay stub: earnings, taxes, and deductions for a full walkthrough of each section.

What you can — and cannot — do

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You cannot ask your employer to ignore or stop a valid order. Your employer must follow it until the issuing court or agency tells it otherwise.

You can address the order at its source. If you believe the garnishment is wrong, the amount is incorrect, or your circumstances have changed, contact the court or agency that issued the order. Only they can modify or release it. Once your employer receives an updated or terminated order, the withholding will change or stop accordingly.

You are protected from being fired over a single garnishment. Federal law prohibits an employer from firing you because your wages are garnished for one debt. See the DOL garnishment protections.

You can get help. For child support questions, your state child support agency can explain your order. For debt-related garnishments, a legal aid organization or attorney can advise you.

If the amount withheld looks wrong on your stub

If the deduction on your stub does not match the order you received, or you think there has been a processing error (rather than a dispute about the order itself), contact Ascen at support@ascen.com so we can review how the order was applied. If your concern is with the order itself — its validity or amount — that must be resolved with the issuing court or agency.

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Understanding your pay stub: earnings, taxes, and deductions

My paycheck is short or missing hours — what to do

Where can I view my paystubs?