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Wage Garnishment in the United States: New Facts from Administrative Payroll Records

Author

Listed:
  • Anthony A. DeFusco
  • Brandon Enriquez
  • Maggie Yellen

Abstract

Wage garnishment allows creditors to deduct money from workers' paychecks to repay defaulted debts. We document new facts about wage garnishment between 2014 and 2019 using data from a large payroll processor that distributes paychecks to approximately 20 percent of US private-sector workers. By 2019, over 1 in every 100 workers was being garnished for delinquent debt. The average garnished worker experiences garnishment for five months, during which approximately 11 percent of gross earnings is remitted to their creditor(s). The beginning of a garnishment is associated with an increase in job turnover but no intensive margin change in hours worked.

Suggested Citation

  • Anthony A. DeFusco & Brandon Enriquez & Maggie Yellen, 2024. "Wage Garnishment in the United States: New Facts from Administrative Payroll Records," American Economic Review: Insights, American Economic Association, vol. 6(1), pages 38-54, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aerins:v:6:y:2024:i:1:p:38-54
    DOI: 10.1257/aeri.20220487
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    JEL classification:

    • G51 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - Household Savings, Borrowing, Debt, and Wealth
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs

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