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ISCR Case 21-01580 — CASE

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ISCR Case 21-01580

A decided public DOHA case, shown for research — not advice or a prediction.

Case Profile
Decision Date1/12/2022
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Noreen A. Lynch
Government Counsel: Allison Marie
Case Summary
The applicant in this case sought a security clearance and faced allegations under Adjudicative Guideline F (financial considerations) due to approximately $91,000 in delinquent debts. The Department of Defense issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) on August 6, 2021, outlining these financial concerns, which included charged-off and collection accounts. The applicant responded to the SOR and opted for a decision based on the written record.
In his response, the applicant admitted to the allegations and provided explanations for his financial difficulties, attributing them to excessive credit card spending in 2016 and 2017. He indicated that he had taken steps to resolve his debts, including making consistent payments on several accounts and settling others. The applicant acknowledged his past irresponsibility with credit but demonstrated a commitment to financial responsibility by maintaining regular payments for over 14 months and working directly with creditors after discontinuing a debt management service that had provided poor advice.
The administrative judge ruled in favor of the applicant, concluding that he had mitigated the security concerns related to his financial situation. The judge noted the applicant's proactive efforts to address his debts, his acknowledgment of past mistakes, and the establishment of a meaningful track record of financial responsibility. Ultimately, the judge determined that granting the applicant eligibility for access to classified information was consistent with the national interest.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline FFinancial Considerations · For Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 21-01580

grantedJan 12, 2022· Hon. Noreen A. Lynch· hearing

Summary

A 32-year-old married applicant was granted a security clearance despite initial concerns under Guideline F (Financial Considerations) related to approximately $91,000 in delinquent debts. The Statement of Reasons detailed five specific financial allegations, all of which the applicant admitted and provided explanations for. These included a charged-off account of $16,193, for which the applicant has consistently paid $163 monthly since March 2020, and a collection account of about $40,741, toward which $100 is paid monthly.

Additionally, a charged-off account of $27,813 was being actively addressed with the debt company, and a collection account of $4,264 was settled, with proof of cancellation provided. The administrative judge found that the applicant successfully demonstrated a commitment to financial responsibility.

The clearance was granted because the applicant provided sufficient documentation, showed a commitment to resolving debts through consistent payments and settlements, and exhibited a proactive approach that indicated a significant change in behavior regarding financial management.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant provided sufficient documentation to support his burden of proof regarding financial responsibility.
He demonstrated a commitment to resolving debts through consistent payments and settlements.
The applicant's proactive approach to managing his debts indicated a significant change in behavior.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 19(a)raisedInability to Satisfy Debts
AG ¶ 19(c)raisedA History of Not Meeting Financial Obligations

Mitigating

AG ¶ 20(a)appliedBehavior Happened Long Ago or Infrequently
AG ¶ 20(b)appliedConditions Largely Beyond the Person's Control
AG ¶ 20(d)appliedGood-faith Effort to Repay Overdue Creditors

Key Rule Quoted

“The administrative judge’s overarching adjudicative goal is a fair, impartial, and commonsense decision.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedAug 6, 2021
Answer filed—Applicant elected to have the case decided on the written record.
Hearing held—Decision based on documentary evidence.
Decision dateJan 12, 2022

Cite For

Mitigation of Financial Concerns Under Guideline F
Demonstrating a Commitment to Financial Responsibility
Whole-person Concept in Security Clearance Evaluations

Editorial summary generated for research. Not legal advice; not a prediction. Verify against the full decision before relying on any quoted language.

Standardized Decision Profile

SEAD-4 Guideline F · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: Decision on RecordDecided: granted

The judge found that the applicant had financial concerns under Guideline F but ultimately ruled in favor of the applicant, indicating that he had taken significant steps to address his debts. The applicant admitted to the debts and provided evidence of payments and settlements, which contributed to the favorable decision.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶19)	Mitigating applied (¶20)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant admitted SOR allegations 1.a through 1.e, totaling about $91,000, with explanations. $91,000	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	(a) behavior happened long ago / infrequent / unlikely to recur	Documented Debt Paid in Full
1.b	As to SOR 1.b, a charged-off account in the amount of $16,193, Applicant has been paying $163 a month consistently since March 2020. $16,193	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	(b) conditions largely beyond the person’s control; acted responsibly	Documented Payment Plan with Creditor
1.c	As to SOR 1.c, a collection account in the approximate amount of $40,741, Applicant has not settled the debt, but he is paying $100 a month toward a resolution of the debt. $40,741	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	(b) conditions largely beyond the person’s control; acted responsibly	Documented Payment Plan with Creditor
1.d	As to SOR 1.d, a charged-off account in the amount of $27,813, Applicant was working with the debt company. $27,813	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	(b) conditions largely beyond the person’s control; acted responsibly	Claimed Other
1.e	As to SOR 1.e, a collection account in the amount of $4,264, Applicant settled the account and provided a cancellation of debt in response to the FORM. $4,264	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	(a) behavior happened long ago / infrequent / unlikely to recur	Documented Debt Paid in Full

Descriptive standardized rendering of a decided public case (Guideline F). The verbatim source decision is shown in full below.

Full decision

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