Wage garnishment is a legal process whereby a portion of an individual’s wages are withheld by their employer and paid directly to creditors. Wage garnishment can be ordered by a court or government agency in cases of unpaid taxes, child support, or other debts.

In most cases, wage garnishment is initiated by a creditor who has obtained a judgment against the debtor. Once the judgment is obtained, the creditor will send a notice to the debtor’s employer ordering them to withhold a certain amount of the debtor’s wages and pay it directly to the creditor.

The amount that can be garnished from an individual’s wages is governed by federal and state law. Under federal law, the amount that can be garnished from an individual’s wages is capped at 25% of their disposable income.

Disposable income is defined as the amount of an individual’s wages that remain after mandatory deductions, such as taxes and insurance.

In Arizona, the amount that can be garnished from an individual’s wages is capped at the lesser of 25% of their disposable income or the amount by which their disposable income exceeds 30 times the federal minimum wage.