This report examines the legal frameworks governing the garnishment of Social Security benefits and disposable earnings in the context of escalating inflationary pressures.

本報告旨在探討在通貨膨脹壓力上升的背景下，規範社會安全福利與可支配所得扣押的法律框架。

The current macroeconomic environment is characterized by an increase in the inflation rate, which rose from 3.3% to 3.8% between March and April, partly due to geopolitical instability in Iran affecting energy costs. This volatility exacerbates the financial precariousness of retirees, 67% of whom rely on Social Security for more than half of their income, and 27% of whom are entirely dependent on these benefits.

目前的總體經濟環境特點是通貨膨脹率上升，從三月到四月由 3.3% 上升至 3.8%，部分原因在於伊朗的地緣政治不穩定影響了能源成本。這種波動加劇了退休人員財務狀況的不穩定性，其中 67% 的人超過一半的收入依賴社會安全福利，而 27% 的人則完全依賴這些福利。

Regarding Social Security benefits, the Social Security Act provides a general prohibition against garnishment by private creditors. However, federal entities maintain specific authorities. The Internal Revenue Service may administratively levy up to 15% of benefits without a court order. Similarly, defaulted federal student loans may be subject to a 15% garnishment, provided the remaining monthly benefit does not fall below $750. Court-ordered obligations, such as alimony and child support, permit more extensive withholdings, ranging from 50% to 65%.

關於社會安全福利，《社會安全法》一般禁止私人債權人進行扣押。然而，聯邦實體仍保有特定權限。美國國稅局（IRS）可在無需法院命令的情況下，行政扣繳最高 15% 的福利。同樣地，違約的聯邦學生貸款可能會被扣押 15%，前提是每月剩餘福利不得低於 750 美元。法院命令的義務，如贍養費和子女撫養費，則允許更大範圍的扣繳，比例在 50% 至 65% 之間。

With respect to disposable earnings, federal law limits the aggregate garnishment for consumer debt to 25% of disposable income or the amount exceeding 30 times the federal minimum wage. While federal statutes prohibit termination of employment based on a single garnishment order, the existence of multiple simultaneous garnishments may nullify this protection, thereby permitting employer termination. Furthermore, while federal law mandates the protection of two months of Social Security benefits in the event of a bank levy, funds exceeding this threshold remain susceptible to seizure upon a court judgment, unless supplemental state-level protections are applicable.

關於可支配所得，聯邦法律將消費債務的總扣押額限制在可支配所得的 25%，或超過聯邦最低工資 30 倍的金額。雖然聯邦法令禁止因單一扣押令而終止僱傭關係，但若同時存在多項扣押，可能會使此保障失效，進而允許僱主解僱員工。此外，雖然聯邦法律規定在銀行扣押時需保護兩個月的社會安全福利，但超過此門檻的資金在法院判決下仍可被沒收，除非適用額外的州級保障。

Current regulations provide significant protections against private creditors but allow substantial federal and court-ordered incursions into both wages and Social Security benefits.

現行法規對私人債權人提供了顯著的保障，但仍允許聯邦與法院命令對薪資及社會安全福利進行大幅扣繳。