I agree with AB, don’t sugar coat, and present as is. You are a decade older than you were at the time, a lot of that impulsive behavior tends to mellow out with time.
Also, investigators/adjudicators and SOME FSOs aren’t like the general public. They’ve seen both sides of the equation and have heard/witnessed lots of stories. So thankfully, the word felony doesn’t send them into hypertension…
My advice… treat this like a job interview and bring documentations. Bring SF-86 that you filled out, latest credit report(s), court docket summary, write ups for any hiccups (ie: behind payments), any relevant documents. For those write-ups, give facts only and stay on the point. You should, in my opinion, be accountable, share what you learn and what you plan or do about it.
Investigator may not ask to see those documents, but I imagine that the investigator will appreciate it if you come prepared. I am always a fan of …“better be over-prepared than under-prepared”, especially in something like this.
One more thing, it might help to read adjudicative desktop reference. Good luck.
The only time I silently groan from a prepared Subject is when they are not really prepared, meaning bringing in the disorganized 3inch binder or having the binder prepared but never having done any actions.
The Dave Ramsey program (most common reason for the 3inch binder) is great, but you still have to be actively paying down the debts.
If you are not paying down the debts, you’re not following the Dave Ramsey program. You may not be actively paying ALL of the debt but you should be working with all of the creditors. It is often suggested that you contact the holder of large debts and negotiate an extension while you pay off the smaller debts first. This lets you get rid of more creditors, faster, before working on the larger ones.
Thank you Ed - you are right. So many Subject s are “doing” the Dave Ramsey program and “intend” to start paying down their debts … but while intentions count,actions count the most in the adjudication.