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ISCR Case 22-00457 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 22-00457

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

Case Profile
Decision Date11/18/2022
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Braden M. Murphy
Government Counsel: Gatha L. Manns
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 39-year-old executive assistant and federal contractor who sought a security clearance. The Department of Defense (DOD) issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing security concerns under Guideline F, related to financial considerations, due to approximately $54,000 in delinquent debts. The applicant admitted to most of the debts listed in the SOR but denied one as a duplicate.
The applicant provided evidence of her efforts to mitigate the financial concerns, including a debt relief agreement with a company that required her to make regular payments towards her debts since 2019. By the time of her response to the SOR, she had resolved most of her debts and was actively working on the remaining ones. She also submitted documentation showing her financial stability, including a budget and significant savings in her retirement account. Additionally, she received strong recommendations from her supervisors, who attested to her reliability and trustworthiness.
The administrative judge ruled in favor of the applicant, concluding that she had successfully mitigated the financial concerns. The judge noted her proactive approach to managing her debts, the positive recommendations from her employers, and her overall financial stability, which indicated a commitment to resolving her financial issues and maintaining the trust required for access to classified information.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline FFinancial Considerations · For Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 22-00457

grantedNov 18, 2022· Hon. Braden M. Murphy· hearing

Summary

This DOHA security clearance decision involved a 39-year-old federal contractor whose eligibility was initially questioned under Guideline F, Financial Considerations. The Statement of Reasons cited delinquent debts totaling approximately $54,000 across multiple allegations. Disqualifying conditions under AG ¶ 19(a) and AG ¶ 19(c) were raised due to these financial concerns.

However, the applicant demonstrated significant mitigating factors. Since 2019, she has been making regular payments through a debt consolidation firm, resolving most of her delinquent debts and establishing a plan for the remainder. She also received financial counseling, indicating a commitment to responsible financial management.

The judge applied mitigating conditions AG ¶ 20(c) and AG ¶ 20(d), finding that her good-faith efforts to resolve her debts and consistent payments were in line with national security interests. Consequently, the applicant's security clearance was GRANTED.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant has been making regular payments through a debt consolidation firm since 2019.
Most of her delinquent debts have been resolved, and she has a plan in place for the remaining debts.
She received financial counseling and demonstrated a commitment to managing her finances responsibly.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

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

Mitigating

AG ¶ 20(c)appliedReceived Financial Counseling
AG ¶ 20(d)appliedGood-faith Effort to Repay Debts

Key Rule Quoted

“Failure to live within one's means, satisfy debts, and meet financial obligations may indicate poor self-control, lack of judgment, or unwillingness to abide by rules and regulations, all of which can raise questions about an individual's reliability, trustworthiness, and ability to protect classified or sensitive information.”
— AG ¶ 18

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedMar 21, 2022
Answer filedApr 18, 2022
Hearing heldNov 18, 2022Decision issued on the same day.
Decision dateNov 18, 2022

Cite For

Mitigation of Financial Concerns Under Guideline F
Good-faith Efforts in Debt Repayment
Impact of Financial Counseling on Security Clearance Eligibility

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 delinquent debts totaling about $42,000, primarily from consumer credit accounts that had been charged off. Despite these debts, the applicant demonstrated a commitment to resolving them through a debt relief program, which contributed to the decision to grant her eligibility for access to classified information.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶19)	Mitigating applied (¶20)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant has delinquent debts totaling about $54,000. $54,000	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	—	—
1.b	Applicant has delinquent debts totaling about $54,000. $54,000	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	—	—
1.c	Applicant has delinquent debts totaling about $54,000. $54,000	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	—	—
1.d	Applicant has delinquent debts totaling about $54,000. $54,000	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	—	—
1.e	Applicant has delinquent debts totaling about $54,000. $54,000	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	—	—
1.f	Applicant has delinquent debts totaling about $54,000. $54,000	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	—	—
1.g	Duplicate debt listed in the SOR. $5,648	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Denied	—	—	—

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

Full decision

The complete, official text — footnotes and signatures included — is in the original PDF.