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ISCR Case 25-00249 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 25-00249

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

Case Profile
Decision Date1/15/2026
Statusdenied
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Erin C. Hogan
Government Counsel: William H. Miller
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 43-year-old employee of a Department of Defense (DOD) contractor seeking a security clearance for the first time. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing security concerns under Guideline F (Financial Considerations), alleging that the applicant had 11 delinquent debts totaling approximately $25,035. These debts included charged-off loans and accounts placed for collection, raising questions about the applicant's financial responsibility and reliability.
In response to the SOR, the applicant admitted to all the debts but claimed to have resolved some and was actively working on others. He indicated that his financial difficulties stemmed from a court-ordered alimony and child support payment of $3,000 per month, which he had been paying for seven years. However, he did not provide sufficient documentation to substantiate his claims of debt resolution or to demonstrate a good-faith effort to address the remaining debts. His financial situation showed a monthly deficit, and he failed to submit a response to the Government's evidence.
The administrative judge ruled to deny the applicant's eligibility for a security clearance, concluding that the applicant did not meet the burden of proof to mitigate the financial concerns raised. The judge noted that while the applicant's alimony and child support obligations were beyond his control, he had not adequately addressed his other debts, and there was insufficient evidence to demonstrate that he was taking effective steps to resolve his financial issues. The decision emphasized the importance of financial responsibility in determining an individual's trustworthiness for access to classified information.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline FFinancial Considerations · Against Applicant
Similar decisions
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 25-00249

deniedJan 15, 2026· Hon. Erin C. Hogan· hearing

Summary

A 43-year-old employee of a Department of Defense contractor was denied a security clearance under Guideline F (Financial Considerations) due to 11 delinquent debts totaling approximately $25,035. These debts included a charged-off car loan of about $8,295, a $7,626 charged-off account, and a $1,301 delinquent cell phone account placed for collection. Additional collection accounts ranged from $109 to $1,054, alongside other charged-off accounts of $2,693, $1,779, and $556.

The Statement of Reasons cited these 11 specific delinquent debts as disqualifying conditions. While the applicant acknowledged the debts and indicated efforts toward resolution, insufficient evidence was provided to demonstrate their mitigation or full resolution.

Ultimately, the judge concluded that the applicant failed to meet the burden of proof required to mitigate the security concerns. The applicant's financial situation also showed a negative monthly budget, with expenses exceeding income, contributing to the decision to deny the security clearance.

Why the Applicant Was Denied

The applicant had 11 delinquent debts totaling approximately $25,035.
The applicant admitted to the debts but did not provide sufficient evidence of resolution or mitigation.
The applicant's financial situation indicated a negative monthly budget, with expenses exceeding income.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

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

Mitigating

AG ¶ 20(b)appliedConditions Largely Beyond the Person's ControlThe applicant's financial issues were exacerbated by court-ordered alimony and child support payments.

Key Rule Quoted

“An applicant has the ultimate burden of demonstrating that it is clearly consistent with the national interest to grant or continue his security clearance.”
— ISCR Case No. 01-20700 at 3 (App. Bd. Dec. 19, 2002)

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedFeb 26, 2025
Answer filedMay 23, 2025Requested decision based on written record.
Hearing held—Decision issued without a hearing.
Decision dateJan 15, 2026

Cite For

Denial of Security Clearance Due to Unresolved Financial Obligations Under Guideline F
Importance of Providing Evidence of Debt Resolution in Security Clearance Cases
Burden of Proof on Applicant to Demonstrate Mitigation of Financial Concerns

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: denied

The judge found that the applicant had multiple delinquent debts totaling approximately $25,035, including charged-off accounts and debts in collection. Despite the applicant's claims of working to resolve some debts, the judge ruled against the applicant, citing a history of not meeting financial obligations as a significant concern.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶19)	Mitigating applied (¶20)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant had 11 delinquent debts, an approximate total of $25,035, including a delinquent charged-off car loan of approximately $8,295. $8,295	Against Applicant	Auto Loan Debt	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	—	—
1.b	A $7,626 delinquent account that was charged off. $7,626	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	—	—
1.c	A delinquent cell phone account in the approximate amount of $1,301 that was placed for collection. $1,301	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	—	—
1.d	A $1,054 delinquent account that was placed for collection. $1,054	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	—	—
1.e	A $768 delinquent account that was placed for collection. $768	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	—	—
1.f	A $639 delinquent account that was placed for collection. $639	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	—	—
1.g	A $215 delinquent account that was placed for collection. $215	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	—	—
1.h	A $109 delinquent account that was placed for collection. $109	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	—	—
1.i	A $2,693 delinquent account that was charged off. $2,693	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	—	—
1.j	A $1,779 delinquent account that was charged off. $1,779	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	—	—
1.k	A $556 delinquent account that was charged off. $556	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	—	—

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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