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ISCR Case 25-00562 — CASE

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ISCR Case 25-00562

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

Case Profile
Decision Date1/23/2026
Statusdenied
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Related decisionSee the appeal decision (Case 25-00562) →
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Ross D. Hyams
Government Counsel: Troy L. Nussbaum
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 46-year-old individual who sought a security clearance but faced allegations under Guideline F (financial considerations) due to unpaid taxes and delinquent debts. The Statement of Reasons (SOR) outlined multiple financial issues, including failure to file federal income tax returns for 2021-2023, significant tax debts to the IRS, and various charged-off accounts and debts in collection.
During the proceedings, the applicant admitted to all allegations in the SOR. He attributed his financial difficulties to his ex-wife, claiming she mishandled their finances while he worked overseas. Despite his assertions, he did not provide sufficient documentation to support his claims or demonstrate responsible financial behavior. The administrative judge noted that the applicant's financial issues dated back to at least 2012, including a prior bankruptcy, and highlighted his lack of action to resolve these debts over the years.
Ultimately, the administrative judge ruled against the applicant, denying eligibility for access to classified information. The judge concluded that the applicant failed to mitigate the financial concerns, emphasizing that future promises to resolve debts were insufficient without a demonstrated track record of repayment and responsible financial management. The judge's decision reflected a broader assessment of the applicant's reliability and judgment, which were deemed inadequate for maintaining a security clearance.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline FFinancial Considerations · Against Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 25-00562

deniedJan 23, 2026· Hon. Ross D. Hyams· hearing

Summary

A 46-year-old male applicant was denied a security clearance under Guideline F (Financial Considerations) due to a history of financial irresponsibility, which raised concerns about his reliability and trustworthiness. The Statement of Reasons detailed several financial issues, including the failure to timely file federal income tax returns for 2021-2023. The applicant was also indebted to the IRS for $41,807 in delinquent federal taxes from 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019, and owed State A $520 for delinquent taxes from 2023.

Further financial concerns included six charged-off accounts totaling $1,295 and seven accounts in collection totaling $4,091. The applicant had also filed for Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in 2012, which was dismissed in 2017. These issues invoked Disqualifying Conditions AG ¶ 19(a), AG ¶ 19(c), and AG ¶ 19(f).

The denial was based on the applicant's admission to all allegations of financial irresponsibility, including the late tax filings and significant debts. The applicant failed to provide sufficient documentation to support claims of financial responsibility or efforts to resolve the outstanding debts. The judge noted that the applicant's financial problems were long-standing, dating back to at least 2012, and included a previous bankruptcy and a prior security clearance denial for similar reasons.

Why the Applicant Was Denied

The applicant admitted to all allegations of financial irresponsibility, including late tax filings and significant debts to the IRS and state authorities.
The applicant failed to provide documentation supporting claims of financial responsibility or efforts to resolve debts.
The applicant's financial problems date back to at least 2012, including a previous bankruptcy and prior denial of security clearance for similar reasons.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 19(a)raisedInability to Satisfy Debts
AG ¶ 19(c)raisedHistory of Not Meeting Financial Obligations
AG ¶ 19(f)raisedFailure to File or Fraudulently Filing Annual Federal, State, or Local Income Tax Returns

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedJun 4, 2025
Answer filedJun 18, 2025
Hearing heldSep 25, 2025
Decision dateJan 23, 2026Decision delayed due to government shutdown.

Cite For

Failure to Mitigate Financial Concerns Under Guideline F
Impact of Financial Irresponsibility on Reliability and Trustworthiness
Consideration of Past Financial Issues 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: denied

The judge found multiple financial concerns under Guideline F, including failure to file tax returns and significant tax debts owed to both the IRS and State A. The judge ruled against the applicant on all allegations, concluding that the applicant did not mitigate the financial security concerns raised.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶19)	Mitigating applied (¶20)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant failed to timely file his 2021-2023 federal income tax returns.	Against Applicant	Tax Filing Failure	Admitted	—	—	—
1.b	Applicant is indebted to the IRS for delinquent taxes, totaling $41,807, for tax years 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019. $41,807	Against Applicant	Tax Unpaid	Admitted	—	—	—
1.f	Applicant is indebted to State A for delinquent taxes, totaling $520, for tax year 2023. $520	Against Applicant	Tax Unpaid	Admitted	—	—	—
1.g	Applicant is indebted on six charged-off accounts totaling $1,295. $1,295	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	—	—
1.m	Applicant is indebted on seven accounts in collection totaling $4,091. $4,091	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	—	—
1.t	Applicant filed a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in 2012, which was dismissed 2017.	Against Applicant	Bankruptcy Filing	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.