Attachment exemption and wage garnishment

In short: In a wage garnishment, creditors may not withhold a debtor’s entire income. The attachment exemption protects a certain amount that remains necessary for living.

In more detail: The level of the exemption depends on net income and the number of dependants.

In detail

• Garnishment table: Sets out how much of income above the basic exemption can be garnished.
• Maintenance obligations: Those supporting children or a spouse have a higher protected amount.
• Employer’s duty: The employer must pay the garnishable part of the salary directly to the creditor.
• Protected account: A protected account (P-Konto) safeguards the basic exemption even in case of account garnishment.
• Raising the exemption: Can be applied for at the enforcement court, for example in cases of particular hardship.
• Multiple creditors: With multiple garnishments, the principle of chronological order usually applies.
• Advice: Debt counselling services help assess one’s own situation realistically (privatinsolvenz-ablauf-und-voraussetzungen).