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ISCR Case 24-01265 — CASE

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ISCR Case 24-01265

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

Case Profile
Decision Date2/9/2026
Statusdenied
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Darlene Lokey Anderson
Government Counsel: Aubrey M. De Angelis
Case Summary
Darlene D. Lokey Anderson, an administrative judge, presided over the security clearance case of an applicant who was seeking a clearance in connection with his employment as an IT Systems Engineer for a defense contractor. The Department of Defense issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing security concerns under Guideline F, Financial Considerations, due to the applicant's significant delinquent debts totaling over $25,000. The SOR alleged that the applicant's financial decisions indicated poor self-control and raised questions about his reliability and trustworthiness.
The applicant admitted to the debts outlined in the SOR, which included a repossessed vehicle and several credit obligations incurred during his marriage. He explained that his financial difficulties stemmed from a combination of factors, including a divorce, multiple job losses, and health issues related to his military service. The applicant described a period of homelessness and instability, during which he prioritized basic survival over debt repayment. He indicated that he was now employed and earning approximately $120,000 annually, but had not yet reached a point where he could address his delinquent debts.
The administrative judge ruled against the applicant, concluding that the financial issues were not sufficiently mitigated by the circumstances he presented. The judge found that the applicant's history of not meeting financial obligations raised significant security concerns, and while the applicant had made efforts to stabilize his situation, the evidence did not demonstrate a reliable plan to address his debts. The ruling emphasized the importance of financial responsibility in maintaining trustworthiness for access to classified information.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline FFinancial Considerations · Against Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 24-01265

deniedFeb 9, 2026· Hon. Darlene Lokey Anderson· hearing

Summary

A 45-year-old IT Systems Engineer was denied a security clearance under Guideline F (Financial Considerations) due to six delinquent debts totaling over $25,000. The applicant admitted to these debts, which included a repossessed vehicle for $14,418 and a charged-off credit card for $5,921. Other debts included a $2,232 collection account the applicant did not recognize, a $2,213 medical bill from a hospital visit, a $247 forgotten debt, and a $296 debt the applicant was unaware of.

The applicant claimed financial hardship due to unemployment and medical issues. However, the judge found insufficient evidence of financial responsibility. Specifically, the applicant failed to demonstrate a good-faith effort to resolve his debts, which raised concerns about his reliability and judgment.

Despite the application of mitigating conditions, the presence of multiple unaddressed financial obligations led to the denial of the security clearance.

Why the Applicant Was Denied

The applicant admitted to six delinquent debts totaling over $25,000, demonstrating a history of not addressing financial obligations.
The applicant failed to provide evidence of a good-faith effort to resolve his debts, casting doubt on his reliability and judgment.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

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

Mitigating

AG ¶ 20(b)rejectedConditions That Resulted in the Financial Problem Were Largely Beyond the Person's ControlWhile the applicant faced significant hardships, the judge found he did not act responsibly to address his debts.
AG ¶ 20(d)rejectedThe Individual Initiated and Is Adhering to a Good Faith Effort to Repay Overdue CreditorsThe applicant made no effort to address his debts.

Key Rule Quoted

“Any doubt concerning personnel being considered for national security eligibility will be resolved in favor of the national security.”
— AG ¶ 2(b)

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedJul 29, 2024
Answer filedAug 8, 2024
Hearing heldJan 8, 2026
Decision dateFeb 9, 2026

Cite For

Denial of Security Clearance Due to Financial Irresponsibility Under Guideline F
Insufficient Evidence of Financial Responsibility Despite Claims of Hardship
Rejection of Mitigating Conditions Related to Financial Difficulties

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: denied

The judge found against the applicant on all financial allegations under Guideline F, citing a history of not addressing financial obligations. The applicant admitted to the debts but claimed challenging circumstances contributed to his financial hardships, which the judge did not find sufficient for mitigation.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶19)	Mitigating applied (¶20)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant is indebted to a creditor for a delinquent debt that was charged off in the amount of $14,418. This was Applicant’s vehicle that was repossessed. $14,418	Against Applicant	Auto Loan Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.b	Applicant is indebted to a creditor for a delinquent debt that was charged off in the amount of $5,921. This was a credit card that Applicant and his wife had during his marriage. $5,921	Against Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.c	Applicant is indebted to a creditor for a delinquent debt that was placed for collection in the amount of $2,232. Applicant does not know what that is. $2,232	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	—	—
1.d	Applicant is indebted to a creditor for a delinquent medical account that was placed for collection in the amount of $2,213. Applicant remembers going one time to a hospital, instead of the VA hospital, because he was sick. $2,213	Against Applicant	Medical Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.e	Applicant is indebted to a creditor for a delinquent debt that was placed for collection in the amount of $247. Applicant stated that at the time he did not have the money to pay this bill. Since then he forgot about the debt. $247	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	—	—
1.f	Applicant is indebted to a creditor for a delinquent debt in the amount of $296. Applicant stated that he did not know about this debt. $296	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	—	—

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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