Summary
The applicant, a 43-year-old federal contractor, faced financial difficulties primarily due to a significant income decrease after returning from overseas employment and personal responsibilities following her divorce. Despite past debts totaling $63,562, she has not incurred any additional delinquent accounts since 2013 and has taken steps to resolve her debts. The judge concluded that granting her eligibility for access to classified information is consistent with the national interest.
Under Guideline F (Financial Considerations), the Statement of Reasons alleged the following: Applicant admits the three debts owed to the same creditor and denies the debt owed to the cable company stating that she has paid it (1.a). The debts are comprised of a personal loan and two credit cards owed to the same creditor and a $143 debt owed to a cable company (1.b). Applicant's financial issues initially arose in 2012 when she returned to the United States from overseas employment and experienced a significant decrease in income (1.c). The debt does not appear on her December 2022 credit-bureau report. This account has been resolved (1.d).
The judge granted the clearance. The government raised disqualifying conditions AG ¶ 19(a), AG ¶ 19(c). The judge applied mitigating conditions AG ¶ 20(a), AG ¶ 20(b), AG ¶ 20(e). The decision turned on the following: The applicant's financial difficulties were largely due to circumstances beyond her control, including a significant decrease in income after returning from overseas employment and personal responsibilities following her divorce; She has not incurred any additional delinquent accounts since 2013 and has taken steps to resolve her debts; The applicant's past financial issues do not cast doubt on her current reliability, trustworthiness, or good judgment.
Why the Applicant Prevailed
- The applicant's financial difficulties were largely due to circumstances beyond her control, including a significant decrease in income after returning from overseas employment and personal responsibilities following her divorce.
- She has not incurred any additional delinquent accounts since 2013 and has taken steps to resolve her debts.
- The applicant's past financial issues do not cast doubt on her current reliability, trustworthiness, or good judgment.
Conditions Referenced
- AG ¶ 19(a)raisedInability to Satisfy Debts
- AG ¶ 19(c)raisedA History of Not Meeting Financial Obligations
- AG ¶ 20(a)appliedThe Behavior Happened so Long Ago, Was so Infrequent, or Occurred Under Such Circumstances That It Is Unlikely to Recur and Does Not Cast Doubt on the Individual's Current Reliability, Trustworthiness, or Good Judgment
- AG ¶ 20(b)appliedThe Conditions That Resulted in the Financial Problem Were Largely Beyond the Person's Control
- AG ¶ 20(e)appliedThe Individual Has a Reasonable Basis to Dispute the Legitimacy of the Past-due Debt
Key Rule Quoted
“A security clearance adjudication is an evaluation of an individual’s judgment, reliability, and trustworthiness. It is not a debt-collection procedure.”
Procedural Posture
- SOR issuedNov 7, 2022
- Answer filedDec 12, 2022
- Hearing held—Applicant requested a decision on the record without a hearing.
- Decision dateApr 11, 2023
Cite For
- Mitigating Conditions Under Guideline F Due to Circumstances Beyond the Applicant's Control
- Evaluation of Financial Issues in the Context of Overall Reliability and Trustworthiness
- The Distinction Between Security Clearance Adjudication and Debt Collection Procedures