Hello everyone! Just a quick rundown on my current situation. I was granted an interim secret clearance and was offered a position with DHS. EOD date is coming up. I am still waiting for the adjudication of the final background results. Can they deny my secret clearance if I sign up for a Debt Management Plan? Thanks in advance for your input on this.
If it involves some kind of payment plan to eliminate the debt, that can’t be a bad thing. But if it includes writing off a significant portion of the debt (ie not paying everything owed through some kind of agreement with creditors) then it may be an issue of concern.
There are a number of people with large debt loads who get clearances. They need to be making payments on the debt and show a plan that has the debt paid off in some amount of time. But from what I understand, simply writing off the debt may raise concerns of financial responsibility.
It’s a payment plan that’ll pay off the debt in 5 years with a lower interest rate. Downside of this is all credit cards will be closed. I’m just worried about getting denied and that’s what is holding me back from doing this DMP.
I have never missed any payments and have never been late. Everything on my background is clean, this is the only thing that worries me.
Of course I cannot say for sure, but based on what I know of how such things are evaluated, it sounds like you are in good shape and should not have a problem. If you have not yet met with an investigator, be prepared with all the details related to the plan and the debt.
This issue has just been bothering me, good to know that I should not have a problem. I met up with my investigator early last year and I got my interim secret clearance in April 2016. I got my EOD date a few weeks ago.
The fact that you got an interim is a good sign! Good luck!
If you have no history of or current delinquent debt then what you owe is not going to be an issue. People experience life events and incur debts that sometimes require legal remedies or resolution. That is not looked on as a negative as long as you are actively pursuing resolution and don;t just walk away.