tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post8706109602087480447..comments2023-11-13T20:39:23.254-05:00Comments on Fighting Collection Agency Debt: How Collections Affect Security Clearance JobsLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06679853829876345700noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-87404455987879623382014-10-07T16:17:07.274-04:002014-10-07T16:17:07.274-04:00Alvin,
Every position has different requirements ...Alvin,<br /><br />Every position has different requirements as far as passing the security clearance check. The best you can really do here is to do some research online regarding what the security clearance check looks at for each specific position you're applying for. You should also be 100% honest about the information on your credit report and how it got there. Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06679853829876345700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-61446536647999296482014-10-03T00:49:06.469-04:002014-10-03T00:49:06.469-04:00Hi Lee,
I am applying for federal jobs, some of w...Hi Lee,<br /><br />I am applying for federal jobs, some of which require secret security clearance. I am up to all of my payments except for a private student loan that I took out in 2008 which was cosigned by my father. After graduating in 2009, I couldn't find work due to the recession. As a result, I didn't have money to pay off the private student loan and my father didn't help either. The private loan went into delinquency and sent to the collection agency. Fast forward 5 years later, the loan is still on my credit report and won't be taken out until 2016. How will this affect my secret security clearance if I am paying off everything else (federal student loan, car loan, credit card) on a monthly basis except for that private loan? Should I be worried since this private loan happened 5 years ago?<br /><br />Thanks,<br />Alvin SarmientoAlvin Sarmientohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15097797537577373659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-20998261513319117692014-09-20T01:27:43.699-04:002014-09-20T01:27:43.699-04:00That is entirely up to you. If it doesn't show...That is entirely up to you. If it doesn't show up on your credit report, then technically there is a strong possibility that you could be unaware of the error--even though its in your favor.<br /><br />Legally I can't tell you to lie during security clearance, but consider this: If the debt doesn't appear on your credit report what verification does this company have that the debt is even legitimate and that you aren't simply mistaken about it being included in credit counseling? None. So its possible that opening up about the debt may make little difference if no record exists to prove that its valid. <br /><br />I can't tell you to lie, but I can tell you that, if it were me, I'd just roll with it and see what happens. There would be no sense shooting myself in the foot if I didn't have to. <br />Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06679853829876345700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-56807621315643105172014-09-12T14:39:52.233-04:002014-09-12T14:39:52.233-04:00Hey Lee,
I got into credit problems circa 1999. ...Hey Lee,<br /><br />I got into credit problems circa 1999. I joined a debt consolidation program and was able to to pay off the debt because of the program. I overlooked a separate credit card debt that I thought I put into the payment plan, but did not. I recently went to the free credit report site and the $1000 debt does not show up on the 3 credit reports. The other cards that initially were on the payment plan do. When going through a clearance do I release the information about the $1000? Stressedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793905250729207546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-24137999981205894992014-09-09T20:37:38.172-04:002014-09-09T20:37:38.172-04:00There is really no way to know ahead of time. If y...There is really no way to know ahead of time. If your debts were all consumer debts, I'd guess you'd have a good shot at getting your clearance. But one of your debts is unpaid child support. It's perfectly possible to get into a financial rut and end up $500 in the hole. Being significantly behind on your child support payments--even if you feel the court ordered you to pay too much--could make you appear very irresponsible. No matter what the actual circumstances are, falling behind on your child support carries a stigma that can be hard to crawl out from under. This is definitely an issue you should bring up with your boss or reviewer ahead of time. <br />Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06679853829876345700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-14904054063409828592014-09-02T20:53:06.802-04:002014-09-02T20:53:06.802-04:00What if I owe less than 1500 dollars in delinquent...What if I owe less than 1500 dollars in delinquent debt, are my chances of a secret cewrance good... I had this huge spill written but it never posted... two accounts in collections totaling 500 dollars and 1000 in back child support... I pay 3 times in child support than what I am supposed to, and trying to get it reduced...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06892216666123549166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-57757584364223831702014-08-02T02:43:57.221-04:002014-08-02T02:43:57.221-04:00Thank you, I will be sure to keep you posted.Thank you, I will be sure to keep you posted.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-24324956746158001552014-08-02T02:34:18.244-04:002014-08-02T02:34:18.244-04:00Thank you, the court is taking a little longer tha...Thank you, the court is taking a little longer than normal. My attorney said that sometimes happens in the summer with furlows and vacations. In June my ex husband sent me one check for literally 1/10 of what he owes. July just ended and I received nothing. I feel like I've finally woken up to how naive I was. I'm so thankful my parents insisted I have an attorney (he didn't have one) and did this right. I will keep you posted, and thank you again for your information and advice. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-88696844943975764922014-07-09T19:28:30.762-04:002014-07-09T19:28:30.762-04:00Thank you for your follow up. So few people take t...Thank you for your follow up. So few people take the time to do that. I would be interested to hear how his security clearance is affected (I doubt it will affect it at all, but if it does that would be valuable information to have for other readers). Either way, you're doing the right thing. Don't let anybody--especially your ex--make you feel guilty for going after what a court has deemed legally yours. Best of luck. Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06679853829876345700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-25097986683812051672014-07-09T16:32:17.930-04:002014-07-09T16:32:17.930-04:00Quick follow up. The papers are getting ready at t...Quick follow up. The papers are getting ready at the court to send to the employer. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-10651886208724711312014-06-12T17:37:01.470-04:002014-06-12T17:37:01.470-04:00Thank you so much. I appreciate your reply. Thank you so much. I appreciate your reply. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-40110811818645716112014-06-12T10:46:28.773-04:002014-06-12T10:46:28.773-04:00I'd put alimony in the same boat with child su...I'd put alimony in the same boat with child support but like I said before, government decisions and regulations don't always make sense. While its commendable that you're being so amiable with your ex, you've already stated that your check isn't a priority with him. He's not showing you the same courtesy, and its time to play hardball pure and simple. If he does end up losing his security clearance that isn't your fault, its a choice he made for himself by not paying you what he owes in a timely manner. And you can tell him that if he gets upset over being garnished. This choice was 100% his. Best of luck. Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06679853829876345700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-2798563932181937442014-06-12T00:13:22.125-04:002014-06-12T00:13:22.125-04:00Thank you. Our children were over 18 when we divor...Thank you. Our children were over 18 when we divorced so it is strictly alimony. The court order says $1,700/month until retirement or remarriage. I get 1/2 the pension at retirement. He has always told me if I garnished he would loose his clearance...and especially now that we have been divorced a few years, they will wonder why I felt I needed to do that. He didn't pay directly for the last year because I took a chunk of his 401K (so he could get back on his feet after his marriage)...anyway, it's time to start paying again & he won't. So I need to garnish... Thank you for your quick response earlier. Do you think the fact that it's strictly alimony will make any difference as far as possibly hurting his clearance. Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-81217714518535683422014-06-11T22:20:49.510-04:002014-06-11T22:20:49.510-04:00It will unquestioningly hurt your credit scores, b...It will unquestioningly hurt your credit scores, but employers and lenders alike often don't place the same level of importance on unpaid medical debt that they do on other varieties of debt. This is because medical debt doesn't indicate that you're unreliable--it merely indicates that you had a medical emergency. Although paying off collections doesn't increase your credit score, paid collections look a whole lot better in a background check than unpaid ones. Just my two cents. Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06679853829876345700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-48563719877494096962014-06-11T22:18:21.336-04:002014-06-11T22:18:21.336-04:00I don't know for certain (our government has b...I don't know for certain (our government has been known to do some zany things) but I'd say its unlikely. The main reason garnishment can pose a problem for those with security clearance is because it A.) demonstrates that the individual is unreliable paying his debts--indicating he may be unreliable in general and B.) Anyone who owes a debt poses a greater risk of theft. In this case, that would be theft of government secrets that could be sold to other countries. <br /><br />Child support, however, is a different sort of beast. Having a child doesn't indicate you're unreliable, and unless you owe heaps of back child support the debt issue isn't there either. Child support is just another monthly bill. Certain states require that child support be garnished and doesn't acknowledge private payments. For all of these reasons, its highly highly unlikely that your ex's child support will have any impact whatsoever on his security clearance. <br /><br />If in some bizarre turn of events he loses his job that's not YOUR problem. He can either get another job and start paying child support again or go to jail, and something tells me that going to jail is a heck of a lot worse for security clearance than a child support garnishment. Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06679853829876345700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-65243824633640425772014-06-11T15:36:13.692-04:002014-06-11T15:36:13.692-04:00My exhusband has THE top secret clearance for a de...My exhusband has THE top secret clearance for a defense co. He asked me to please not garnish his wages (because of the clearance) for alimony and promised to always pay. My attorney told me he'd be fine & do the garnishment .... I listened to my ex instead, now flash forward 2 years.... He has a new wife with children and my check is the bottom priority. I still have the ability to garnish, and I will.... My question is do you think this will affect his clearance at his next review. If he should loose his job over this then of course there will be no money.. Thank you so much.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-77779627612966080972014-03-03T14:31:20.883-05:002014-03-03T14:31:20.883-05:00Hi Lee,
Quick question, I have an outstanding me...Hi Lee, <br /><br />Quick question, I have an outstanding medical debt, around $550, relating to some tests I had received last year. Due to disagreements I have had with the hospital, the bill has now been sent to collections. I am currently applying to different federal jobs and I currently work at a federal agency as a contractor where I had to pass a security check to get in. The check ran between the time I got the procedure and the time the bill went to collections. Beyond that, I have no debt of any kind (student loans or credit card). My credit score is also very good. I was wondering if you could give a feeling of how this new collections issue would affect any background check.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-78813995869342081332014-01-07T21:58:58.682-05:002014-01-07T21:58:58.682-05:00I entered false info on my sf86 accidently saying ...I entered false info on my sf86 accidently saying i had no debt...Pulled my credit report and saw i had a 5000$ student loan in collections.... I also have medical bills that are not on my credit report though....Will the collections affect my clearance if I set up payments a month before I SHIP OUT TO ARMY ...im very nervous about this however have noooo other backroundAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03676870836565089720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-36179252042756789692013-08-02T10:44:05.045-04:002013-08-02T10:44:05.045-04:00I don't know. That depends on a myriad of fact...I don't know. That depends on a myriad of factors. The best thing to do would be to ask your superiors about the credit criteria required to qualify for the clearance. Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06679853829876345700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-1928639049303673342013-07-17T15:45:15.942-04:002013-07-17T15:45:15.942-04:00I have a debt of approx. $3300.00,my job depends o...I have a debt of approx. $3300.00,my job depends on getting this clearance! I will have approx. $16000.00 that is being payed monthly .... cars,credit cards,medical! will keep me from getting my clearance?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-52400403306988490742013-05-20T08:42:09.061-04:002013-05-20T08:42:09.061-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15219046401291917031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-21011604717748419752013-04-14T01:26:41.773-04:002013-04-14T01:26:41.773-04:00The criteria you must meet to pass a security clea...The criteria you must meet to pass a security clearance check varies much more than the criteria you must meet to get a credit card or loan. I can't tell you that you'll absolutely be fine or that you have no hope. It's highly unlikely, however, that your paid debts will hurt you that much – especially since you've kept up with your other financial obligations. <br /><br />Being honest is always a good idea, especially if the agency you're applying with decides to do a clearance interview and grill you on your past financial history. Stay calm, be honest and think positive. After the recent recession more individuals than ever before have credit scores that are in the toilet. Your history really doesn't seem too bad and, with luck, won't affect whether or not you get the job. <br /><br />If you don't mind, respond to this post and let us know how it went for you. Any information that can help other readers in the same situation is always welcomed. Best of luck. Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06679853829876345700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-53140146163197337172013-04-11T22:00:39.588-04:002013-04-11T22:00:39.588-04:00Lee,
I'm unsure if you're still respondin...Lee, <br />I'm unsure if you're still responding to this post, but I thought I would ask since you seem to have some good advice. I'm currently preparing for an SF-86. I pulled my credit report and found I had an old. small bill from years back that I had no idea about - and I promptly paid it and have a letter saying so. In addition, my student loan was in forbearance for what I thought was 12 months, but it turns out it was 9 months, and I missed 2 payments. I have also promptly taken care of that and am back on payment schedule. Will these hurt me really badly? I have an excellent payment history on on my loan otherwise, and everything else - a car, a couple of credit cards, and a few other bills that I pay on time as agreed. Last question. Although not on my credit report, I have medical bills that I have neglected paying for the last year. My reason was an unforseen family expense that wiped out my savings as I was beginning to pay the bills, and caused a financial ripple for months. But has since been corrected, and I am now in credit counseling for the medical bills to get them in order. I'm sure you can guess my question. I will absolutely note this on my SF-86, despite it not being on my report, because I want to be honest. To what extent will this hurt me? I appreciate your candor.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-72428171110936552402013-01-29T02:51:43.716-05:002013-01-29T02:51:43.716-05:00Υour wаy of describіng the ωhοle thing in thіs pаг...Υour wаy of describіng the ωhοle thing in thіs pагagraph is actually nіce, еνery one bе аble to <br />еasily be awаre of it, Thаnks a lοt.<br /><i>Stop by my web blog</i> <b><a href="http://loansforbadcredit52.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">quick loans for bad credit</a></b>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743584805397481900.post-19047201176917829702012-08-22T15:38:37.643-04:002012-08-22T15:38:37.643-04:00I honestly don't know. If the debts were for p...I honestly don't know. If the debts were for piddly amounts like say, a few hundred dollars, I highly doubt it would screw up your security check. You didn't mention your state of residence, but if the SOL has already passed in your state (and it most likely has) then that also works in your favor. <br /><br />Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06679853829876345700noreply@blogger.com