Wage Garnishment Limits in Alaska

Short answer Alaska protects a weekly earnings amount set by inflation adjustment, with a higher limit when the debtor files a sole-support affidavit; federal garnishment limits also apply. The published regulation still lists $473 and $743, but an October 1, 2026 statutory adjustment and a proposed rule would raise those figures to $543 and $853. The final operative amounts have not been confirmed from a published final rule.

State

Alaska

Statute checked

October 7, 2026

Sources

21 statutes

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Pending legislation could change this.

Proposed amendment to 8 AAC 95.030 (Alaska project 2026200066) (Public comment closed August 24, 2026; the current compiled regulation still shows the earlier amounts. Final adoption and effective date unconfirmed.): The draft would raise the weekly net-earnings exemption from $473 to $543 and the sole-support amount from $743 to $853. track it Status checked October 7, 2026.

At a glance

Governing law	AS 09.38.030, .035, .040, .050, .065, .115; 8 AAC 95.030; 15 U.S.C. §§ 1673–1674.
Maximum that can be garnished	For an Alaska resident, AS 09.38.030 protects adjusted weekly net earnings; federal law separately caps ordinary garnishment at the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or earnings above 30 times the federal minimum wage. The published regulation lists $473/week, but a proposed October 2026 adjustment lists $543; final amount unresolved (AS 09.38.030(a), .115(b); 8 AAC 95.030(d)(1); 15 U.S.C. § 1673(a)).
State rule vs. federal floor	Alaska adds a flat, inflation-adjusted earnings exemption to the federal cap. For a nonresident debtor, AS 09.38.030(d) directs use of the federal § 1673 limits.
Minimum-wage protected floor	Residents have an adjusted dollar exemption rather than a state minimum-wage multiplier; the federal 30-times-minimum-wage cap still applies. The the October adjustment dollar adjustment awaits final confirmation (AS 09.38.030(a), .115(b); 15 U.S.C. § 1673(a)).
Support, tax & student loan debts	AS 09.38.030(c) permits levy on otherwise exempt earnings for claims under AS 09.38.065(a)(1) or (3), including child support, specified unpaid wages, state or local taxes, and crime-victim claims, or under a Chapter 13 bankruptcy order.
Head-of-household/family exemption	A sole-support affidavit under AS 09.38.050(b) raises the protected weekly amount. The published regulation lists $743; the proposed October 2026 figure is $853, pending final confirmation (8 AAC 95.030(e)(1)).
Multiple garnishments at once	A continuing lien on nonexempt wages takes priority over later garnishment liens and wage assignments; a later writ takes effect after earlier liens end, except a second writ in the same cause while one is pending has no effect (AS 09.38.035(a), .040).
Protection from being fired	Federal law bars discharge because of garnishment for one indebtedness (15 U.S.C. § 1674).

Requirements one by one

Maximum garnishment amount

AS 09.38.030(a) prints a $350 base amount, which AS 09.38.115 adjusts on October 1 of qualifying even-numbered years. The currently published 8 AAC 95.030(d)(1) and Alaska Court System Form CIV-530 still list $473 a week. A proposed amendment lists $543, but its final adoption and effective date have not been confirmed. Federal § 1673(a) also limits ordinary garnishment to the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage. Confirm the adjusted Alaska figure before calculating a withholding amount.

Federal floor comparison

Alaska's dollar exemption can protect more earnings than the federal percentage limit. For a nonresident, AS 09.38.030(d) expressly applies the federal limits instead.

Head-of-household exemption

Under AS 09.38.050(b), an individual may submit an affidavit under penalty of perjury stating that their earnings alone support the household. The published regulation lists $743 a week for that route; the pending draft lists $853. The October 2026 adjustment has not been confirmed in a final publication.

Multiple garnishments priority

AS 09.38.035(a) makes a served wage writ a continuing lien on nonexempt earnings until its stated amount is reached or an earlier terminating event occurs. § 09.38.040 gives that lien priority over later garnishment liens and wage assignments.

What trips people up

The figures printed in AS 09.38.030(a) and AS 09.38.050(b) are base amounts, not a reliable current withholding worksheet. AS 09.38.115(b) fixes a possible adjustment date of October 1, 2026; the published regulation and the pending draft show different figures. AS 09.38.030(c) also permits levy on otherwise exempt wages for specified claims under AS 09.38.065(a)(1) or (3) and for a Chapter 13 bankruptcy order.

Common questions

Can a second creditor collect from the same paycheck immediately? § 09.38.040 gives the earlier continuing lien priority. The later writ takes effect when prior liens terminate, subject to the statute's same-cause limitation.

Can an employer fire someone because of garnishment? Federal 15 U.S.C. § 1674(a) bars discharge because earnings were garnished for one indebtedness.

Statutes and sources

AS 09.38.030(a) — https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=09.38.030&secEnd=09.38.030 (accessed 2026-10-07)
AS 09.38.030(c)-(d) — https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=09.38.030&secEnd=09.38.030 (accessed 2026-10-07)
AS 09.38.030(c) — https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=09.38.030&secEnd=09.38.030 (accessed 2026-10-07)
AS 09.38.035(a) — https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=09.38.035&secEnd=09.38.035 (accessed 2026-10-07)
AS 09.38.040 — https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=09.38.040&secEnd=09.38.040 (accessed 2026-10-07)
AS 09.38.050(b) — https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=09.38.050&secEnd=09.38.050 (accessed 2026-10-07)
AS 09.38.065(a)(1) — https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=09.38.065&secEnd=09.38.065 (accessed 2026-10-07)
AS 09.38.065(a)(3) — https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=09.38.065&secEnd=09.38.065 (accessed 2026-10-07)
AS 09.38.115(b), (d) — https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=09.38.115&secEnd=09.38.115 (accessed 2026-10-07)
AS 09.38.115(d)(1) — https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=09.38.115&secEnd=09.38.115 (accessed 2026-10-07)
8 AAC 95.030(d)-(e) — https://www.akleg.gov/basis/aac.asp?media=print&secStart=8.95.030&secEnd=8.95.030 (accessed 2026-10-07)
8 AAC 95.030(e)(1) — https://www.akleg.gov/basis/aac.asp?media=print&secStart=8.95.030&secEnd=8.95.030 (accessed 2026-10-07)
Proposed 8 AAC 95.030(d)(1), (e)(1) — https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/Attachment.aspx?id=163084 (accessed 2026-10-07)
Proposed 8 AAC 95.030(e)(1) — https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/Attachment.aspx?id=163084 (accessed 2026-10-07)
15 U.S.C. § 1673(a) — https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title15/html/USCODE-2024-title15-chap41-subchapII-sec1673.htm (accessed 2026-10-07)
15 U.S.C. § 1674(a) — https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title15/html/USCODE-2024-title15-chap41-subchapII-sec1674.htm (accessed 2026-10-07)
Alaska proposed regulation notice — https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=224562 (accessed 2026-10-07)
AS 09.38.030 — https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=09.38.030&secEnd=09.38.030 (accessed 2026-10-07)
AS 09.38.050 — https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=09.38.050&secEnd=09.38.050 (accessed 2026-10-07)
AS 09.38.115 — https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=09.38.115&secEnd=09.38.115 (accessed 2026-10-07)
15 U.S.C. § 1674 — https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title15/html/USCODE-2024-title15-chap41-subchapII-sec1674.htm (accessed 2026-10-07)
Alaska Court System, Form CIV-530 — https://public.courts.alaska.gov/web/forms/docs/civ-530.pdf (accessed 2026-10-07)

Source links

Every statute quoted above, linked, with the date we checked it.

AS 09.38.030(a) · accessed 2026-10-07

AS 09.38.030(c)-(d) · accessed 2026-10-07

AS 09.38.030(c) · accessed 2026-10-07

AS 09.38.035(a) · accessed 2026-10-07

AS 09.38.040 · accessed 2026-10-07

AS 09.38.050(b) · accessed 2026-10-07

AS 09.38.065(a)(1) · accessed 2026-10-07

AS 09.38.065(a)(3) · accessed 2026-10-07

AS 09.38.115(b), (d) · accessed 2026-10-07

AS 09.38.115(d)(1) · accessed 2026-10-07

8 AAC 95.030(d)-(e) · accessed 2026-10-07

8 AAC 95.030(e)(1) · accessed 2026-10-07

Proposed 8 AAC 95.030(d)(1), (e)(1) · accessed 2026-10-07

Proposed 8 AAC 95.030(e)(1) · accessed 2026-10-07

15 U.S.C. § 1673(a) · accessed 2026-10-07

15 U.S.C. § 1674(a) · accessed 2026-10-07

AS 09.38.030 · accessed 2026-10-07

AS 09.38.050 · accessed 2026-10-07

AS 09.38.115 · accessed 2026-10-07

15 U.S.C. § 1674 · accessed 2026-10-07

Alaska Court System, Form CIV-530 · accessed 2026-10-07

This page is general legal information about how a state limits ordinary wage garnishment, not legal advice about your paycheck or your debt. Which cap applies, whether you qualify for a head-of-household or other exemption, and how multiple garnishments interact often depend on case-specific facts (your dependents, your pay structure, what other orders already exist) that this page cannot resolve for you. Verified against the official statute text on the date shown; confirm current law or consult a licensed attorney in the state before relying on it.

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