Debt Management Services

Debt Collection Authorities

Public laws, statutes and other authorities related to the collection of delinquent debts owed to the government.

Legal Authorities Quick Reference Charts By Program

• Cross-Servicing Program
  
  
• Treasury Offset Program (TOP)
  
  
• Miscellaneous Legal Authorities
  
  

Statutory Debt Collection Authorities

• Debt Collection Public Laws
  
  
• Debt Collection Statutes
  
  
• Executive Orders
  
  

Regulatory Debt Collection Authorities

• Code of Federal Regulations
  
  
• Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular No. A-129
  Policies for Federal Credit Programs and Non-Tax Receivables
  (Updated January 2013)
  
  
• Treasury Financial Manual:
  Treasury Financial Manual Index
  Part 4-Chapter 4000 Debt Management Services Collection of Delinquent Nontax Debt (T/L 668)
  Part 4-Chapter 4100 Debt Management Reports (T/L 635)
  
  
• Managing Federal Receivables - Debt Collection:
  Managing Federal Receivables Index
  Chapter 6: Delinquent Debt Collection
  Chapter 7: Termination, Write-Off, Cancellation of Indebtedness
  Appendix 4: Debt Collection Statutes and Web Sites
  Appendix 5: Debt Collection Strategies
  Appendix 6: Documentation of Debt Collection Activities
  Appendix 7: List of Approved Debt Collection Practices
  Appendix 8: Demand Letter Checklist
  Appendix 9: Sample Financial Statement
  
  
• Payments Exempt from Offset by Action of the Secretary of the Treasury
  31 U.S.C. 3716(c)(3)(B)
  
  
• Treatise on Federal Nontax Debt Collection Law [COMING SOON]
  
  

Other Links

• Supplemental Background and Summary Information on DCIA-Related Regulations
• Memorandum from the Secretary of the Treasury:
  Compliance with the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996
• Congressman's Horn's Comments on the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 - April 25, 1996