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ISCR Case 24-00110 — CASE

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ISCR Case 24-00110

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

Case Profile
Decision Date11/4/2024
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Pamela C. Benson
Government Counsel: William H. Miller
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 43-year-old individual who sought a security clearance after being employed full-time as a senior analyst for a federal contractor. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing financial considerations under Guideline F, which included five allegations of debt totaling approximately $46,000. The applicant admitted to the allegations, clarifying that the debts were primarily incurred due to home purchases, substantial repairs, and financial difficulties stemming from a divorce and the failure of a small business.
During the hearing, the applicant provided evidence of efforts to address his financial issues, including a repayment plan for some debts and a commitment to resolve others as his financial situation improved. He indicated that he had recently become financially stable and was living a frugal lifestyle. The administrative judge found that the applicant had mitigated the financial concerns by demonstrating a good-faith effort to repay debts and by providing evidence of his current financial stability. Consequently, the judge ruled in favor of the applicant, granting him eligibility for access to classified information, stating that the applicant's actions and circumstances did not cast doubt on his reliability or trustworthiness.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline FFinancial Considerations · For Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 24-00110

grantedNov 4, 2024· Hon. Pamela C. Benson· hearing

Summary

This case concerns a 43-year-old senior analyst with a bachelor's degree whose eligibility for access to classified information was reviewed under Guideline F (Financial Considerations). The Statement of Reasons detailed five debts totaling approximately $46,000. These included two charged-off credit card accounts for $6,197 and $15,116, a charged-off loan account for $6,101, and two bank accounts placed for collection, one for $3,612 (used for home improvements) and another for $14,933. Disqualifying conditions AG ¶ 19(a) and AG ¶ 19(c) were raised.

However, the administrative judge applied mitigating conditions AG ¶ 20(a), AG ¶ 20(b), and AG ¶ 20(d). The applicant demonstrated responsibility by establishing payment plans directly with creditors and showed a commitment to resolving his financial issues and living within his means after closing his failing business.

The judge found that the applicant's financial problems were largely due to circumstances beyond his control, specifically divorce and business failure. Given these mitigating factors and the applicant's proactive steps, the administrative judge determined that the applicant demonstrated good judgment in addressing his debts. Consequently, the applicant was GRANTED eligibility for access to classified information.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant took responsible actions to address his financial debts, including setting up payment plans directly with creditors.
He demonstrated a commitment to resolving his financial issues and living within his means after closing his failing business.
The applicant's financial problems were largely due to circumstances beyond his control, such as divorce and business failure.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

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

Mitigating

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

Key Rule Quoted

“Eligibility for a security clearance is predicated upon the applicant meeting the criteria contained in the adjudicative guidelines.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedFeb 1, 2024
Answer filedFeb 14, 2024
Hearing heldJul 26, 2024via Microsoft Teams
Decision dateNov 4, 2024

Cite For

Mitigation of Financial Concerns Under Guideline F
Responsibility in Addressing Debts
Whole-person Analysis in Security Clearance Decisions

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: HearingDecided: granted

The judge found that the applicant had several financial debts totaling approximately $46,000, including credit card debts and a loan account. However, the applicant demonstrated a commitment to resolving these debts, with one account paid in full and another under a repayment plan, leading to a decision in favor of the applicant.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶19)	Mitigating applied (¶20)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant is indebted on a credit card account that was subsequently charged off in the amount of $6,197. $6,197	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.b	Applicant is indebted to a bank for an account that was used for home improvements and was subsequently placed for collection in the amount of $3,612. $3,612	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	(b) conditions largely beyond the person’s control; acted responsibly	Documented Debt Paid in Full
1.c	Applicant is indebted to a bank for an account placed for collection in the amount of $14,933. $14,933	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	(b) conditions largely beyond the person’s control; acted responsibly	Documented Payment Plan with Creditor
1.d	Applicant is indebted on a credit card account that was subsequently charged off in the amount of $15,116. $15,116	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.e	Applicant is indebted on a loan account that was subsequently charged off in the amount of $6,101. $6,101	For Applicant	Personal Loan Debt	Admitted	—	—	—

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.