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The Daily Insight Hub

How much can be garnished for medical bills?

Author

Isabella Turner

Updated on January 27, 2026

How Garnishments Work. After they receive a judgment against you, health care providers can take 25 percent of your disposable earnings or the portion of your disposable earnings that exceeds 30 times the current federal minimum wage. They’re limited to whichever option amounts to less taken from your pay.

Does NC allow garnishment?

Under North Carolina law, an employer may be ordered to withhold wages from an employee and pay them to a creditor for the following types of debts: taxes, student loans, child support, alimony, and payment of ambulance services in certain North Carolina counties.

Which states do not allow garnishment of wages?

While all states allow wage garnishment for child support and unpaid state taxes, four states — North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas — don’t allow wage garnishment for creditor debts.

Can they garnish for medical bills?

Hospitals Can (and Will), Garnish Your Wages to Collect Unpaid Medical Bills. Even nonprofit hospitals will sue their patients over unpaid medical bills and may garnish your wages. Most wage garnishment challenges start when a creditor – like a hospital, bank, or credit card company – sues a customer for nonpayment.

Is there a wage garnishment law in North Carolina?

North Carolina does not permit wage garnishment for commercial debts, though the IRS or State can garnish wages. Bank accounts are not exempt from attachment by judgment creditors. Learn North Carolina’s Rules For Garnishment, Liens, and Foreclosure A collection agent or law firm that owns a collection account is a creditor.

Can a creditor garnish your wages if you fall behind on a medical bill?

Most creditors can’t garnish your wages as soon as you fall behind on a credit card payment or medical bill. Usually, a creditor must file a collection lawsuit in court, win, and get a money judgment indicating the amount that you owe the creditor.

Can a court order an employer to withhold wages in NC?

If a court from another state issues a valid order under that state’s laws requiring an employer to withhold a North Carolina employee’s wages for payment of a debt, the employer does not violate the North Carolina Wage and Hour Act by obeying that order.

Can a creditor garnish your paycheck in South Carolina?

In South Carolina, judgment creditors of consumer debt cannot garnish your wages. But some other types of creditors can garnish your paycheck. Learn more. South Carolina is one of the only states in the country where a creditor of a consumer debt cannot garnish your wages.