← FFCheckWho do I contact?DE
Work · Germany
Updated September 2026

✂️ My wages are being garnished — what are my rights?

Direct answer

A garnishment needs a court order or an enforceable title, and it can only take the part above the protected minimum — a legal amount that must stay yours for rent and food, higher if you support children. Ask the bailiff or the employer for the order and the calculation. Schuldnerberatung (Caritas, Diakonie, Verbraucherzentrale) (0800 5011900) checks the amounts for free and negotiates with the creditor; Amtsgericht — Online-Mahnverfahren (mahngerichte.de) is where you object if the calculation is wrong or the debt is disputed; Sozialamt / Pflegekasse (bundesgesundheitsministerium.de) if you need a lawyer and cannot pay one.

Call firstSchuldnerberatung (Caritas, Diakonie, Verbraucherzentrale)
Report toAmtsgericht — Online-Mahnverfahren
If that failsSozialamt / Pflegekasse

🗣️ What to say

"I have been notified of a garnishment of my wages for [creditor], reference [number]. Please send me the enforceable title and the calculation of the protected amount. My household consists of [persons], which raises the protected minimum. I ask for the deduction to be corrected to [amount]."

🪜 Step by step

  1. Get the orderEmployer or bailiff must show it. No order, no garnishment.
  2. Check the protected minimumDepends on your net pay and dependants. Tell the employer or bailiff about children and maintenance — it changes the figure.
  3. Bank account too?A garnished account has its own protected amount; ask the bank to apply it. Many countries require you to designate the account.
  4. Debt advice: Schuldnerberatung (Caritas, Diakonie, Verbraucherzentrale)They recalculate, negotiate a plan, and stop parallel garnishments.
  5. Object at Amtsgericht — Online-MahnverfahrenWrong amount, time-barred or disputed debt, hardship — within the deadline on the notice.

📇 All contacts

Schuldnerberatung (Caritas, Diakonie, Verbraucherzentrale)Free debt advice and personal insolvencyAs soon as bills cannot be paid📞 0800 5011900🔗 www.meine-schulden.de
Amtsgericht — Online-MahnverfahrenPayment order without a lawyer, then a claimLast step, when the claim is clear🔗 www.mahngerichte.de
Sozialamt / PflegekasseCare grades, care assistance, social assistanceFor care and support benefits🔗 www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/themen/pflege.html
Ordnungsamt / Bürgeramt der StadtPublic-order office: nuisances, noise, waste, registration, lost propertyFor anything the city regulates📞 115🔗 www.behoerdenfinder.de

❓ Frequently asked

Can my employer fire me for a garnishment?

No, and in most countries it is expressly forbidden. A dismissal for that reason is contestable.

Several creditors at once

They queue in order of the orders; the protected minimum applies once. Debt advice can convert this into one plan.

Can they take my whole account?

Not the protected part. If the bank blocked everything, ask for the protected amount to be released immediately — it is a right, not a favour.

📎 Sources

Last checked: 2026-09-26

🔎 Common searches

Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.

  • “wage garnishment protected minimum Germany”
  • “garnishment rights employee”
  • “bank account garnished protected amount”
  • “object to garnishment”
  • “bailiff wage deduction too high”

🧭 Is this still correct?

We check this information carefully, but phone numbers, websites and rules change — and sometimes we get something wrong. Spotted a mistake or a change? Let us know below.

🔗 Related questions

💸Debt help→📨Debt collector→💼Unpaid wages→⚖️Unfair dismissal→

Your tools for Germany

Before it goes wrongCan I?What is allowed, what is not, which permit you need — with the official source.Energy · GermanyElectricity & gasThe rules that protect you as an electricity and gas customer in Germany, and who to contact. Every fact is checked on an official source.Recognise it firstIs dit veilig?Check a phone number, website or message against 47,000 scam dossiers.