Debt and Security Clearances

Guideline F of Directive 5220.6 (titled “Financial Considerations”) is currently the most popular basis that the Department of Defense (DoD) uses for denying or revoking a security clearance.  The DoD quite frequently cites Guideline F and uses financial problems in an applicant’s past, such as bankruptcy, debt, or student loans, in order to deny or revoke security clearances.

Questions 27 and 28 of Standard Form 86 (SF-86) directly address your financial situation over the course of the last seven years.  In order to answer questions 27 and 28 of the SF-86, we recommend that you obtain and review your credit report to assist you.

Why does my financial situation even matter?

Many clients are confused as to why their financial information is even relevant when it comes to obtaining a security clearance.  From the government’s point of view, however, it is important to understand that financial irresponsibility is often viewed as a lack of judgment and/or self-control both of which, in turn, can negatively reflect on the person’s “reliability, trustworthiness, and ability to protect classified information.” Moreover, from the government’s standpoint, an indebted person might be more willing to resort to illegal means to obtain money.

Security Clearance lawyer Brett O’Brien successfully represents individuals whose security clearances have been denied or revoked on the basis of Guideline F.  In response to allegations that your financial issues should prevent you from obtaining or keeping your clearance, the security clearance lawyers at National Security Law Firm will review your particular case and argue the applicable mitigating factors.

Although each case is fact specific and will require individual review, potential mitigating recommendations might include the setting up of payment plans, receiving financial counseling, and/or contacting creditors.  In addition, the security clearance lawyers at the National Security Law Firm might recommend working directly with financial experts and/or wealth management professionals to directly refute allegations regarding your financial situation, if applicable.

Nationwide Security Clearance Lawyer

If you are looking to retain a security clearance lawyer to represent you with respect to a denial or revocation, contact experienced security clearance lawyer Brett O’Brien today.  Brett O’Brien has extensive knowledge in the field of security clearances and has spent his entire career working for the U.S. government in the intelligence field dealing with security clearance issues. Brett O’Brien, a litigator directly trained by the U.S. government, now dedicates his career and future to assisting individuals in obtaining and keeping their clearances.

Using the experience that he gained working directly for the U.S. government on security clearance issues, Brett O’Brien now represents clients in overturning oppressive and arbitrary security clearance decisions, which can have drastic consequences on an individual’s career.

If you are looking for an attorney to represent you in the security clearance process, choose quality over quantity.  While some attorneys tout the number of hearings they have handled, this says nothing about their reputation in the field or their ability. Nor does it say anything about the care and attention that the lawyer will provide to your security clearance case.

In fact, many of the so-called “best” security clearance lawyers have absolutely no experience or background working for the federal government, whether directly on security clearance issues or in any other capacity.  Due to his background working directly for the federal government in security clearance issues, however, Brett O’Brien has intimate knowledge on how the government thinks about security clearance issues, evaluates and assesses security clearance cases, and applies the guidelines and mitigating factors to their decisions.

In short, anyone looking to retain a security clearance lawyer should not only diligently research potential security clearance lawyers, but should also inquire as to the lawyer’s reputation in the security clearance industry and read their reviews in order to ensure that your security clearance case is being handled by an attorney that will adequately prepare your case for the hearing and give it the attention it deserves.  If others have considered the lawyer to be ill-prepared or more concerned with quantity over quality, don’t overlook those warning signs.

If your security clearance was denied due to debit, bankruptcy, or other financial considerations, contact Brett O’Brien today for a free consultation at  (202) 600-4996.