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Defense Finance and Accounting Service Providing payment services for the U.S. Department of Defense

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HomedebtandclaimsoutofservicedebtCOVID-19 Out of Service Debt InformationFrequently Asked Questions

**866-912-6488 **Mon-Fri:7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ESTContact UsPrivacy Information

askDFAS

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#### Debt and Claims Out of Service DebtFrequently Asked Questions

                        - What was the debt pause? In response to the negative financial impacts due to COVID-19, on March 25, 2020, a pause was put in place on taking collection action on any newly referred or created out-of-service debts, and on the referral of any newly delinquent debts to the Department of Treasury, Private Collection Agencies, and the Credit Bureaus. The Debt Pause did not apply to debts resulting from the 2020 Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) payroll tax deferral.  
                        - What if I do not repay my Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) before the end of the year? If you do not repay your OASDI debt before the end of the year, you will be issued a corrected W2 for the 2020 tax year, and the unpaid balance will be added to your taxable wages. This may cause you to refile your 2020 tax return. 
                        - What if my OASDI debt is less than $25.00? For debts less than $25: Members who receive a debt letter with a total debt balance less than $25 will be given a total of 60 days to pay in full. If not paid within the 60 days, a 2020 W-2C will be issued to the member, reporting the unpaid debt amount as additional wages earned, which may require the member to file an amended 2020 tax return. **** 
                        - Who approved the Debt Pause? The DFAS Deputy Director of Operations approved the Debt Pause, with concurrence from the Acting Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller). 
                        - When did the debt pause go into effect? The Debt Pause began on March 25, 2020 and ended October 1, 2021. 
                        - Who was affected by debt pause? Both Out-of-Service DoD Civilians and Military Members who had debts that were referred to the  Out-of-Service Debt and Claims Management Office during the period of March 25, 2020, through September 30, 2021, may have had out-of-service debts that were subject to the pause on collection. The Debt Pause did not apply to debts resulting from the 2020 Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) payroll tax deferral.  Debts for in-service civilian employees and military members were not affected by the Debt Pause. 
                        - When will the Debt Pause be lifted and collection action be started again on debts that were newly created or referred to DFAS during the period of March 25, 2020, through September 30, 2021? The pause ended on October 1, 2021. For debts that were referred to DFAS for collection during the pause, DFAS will resume collection on October 1, 2021.  Starting on October 1, 2021, and continuing through March of 2022, the DFAS Debt and Claims Management Office will be issuing debt notification letters (to individuals affected by the pause). If you have a debt that was on hold during the pause, you will receive a debt notification letter from DFAS by U.S. Mail. Follow the instructions in the letter for repayment options. 
                        - Did my debt accrue interest, administrative, and penalty fees while in a paused status? No. Debts subject to the pause did not accrue interest, administrative, and penalty fees while in the paused status. 
                        - What happens to my debt if it was delinquent at the time of the Debt Pause? Debts in a delinquent status are referred to the Department of Treasury for further collection.  The major credit bureaus are notified of delinquent debts and the debts may be further referred to private collection agencies.During the period of March 25, 2020, through September 30, 2021, DFAS put a pause on referring delinquent debts to these entities.If you had a delinquent debt during this period that was put on hold, DFAS will issue a letter to you by U.S. Mail beginning October 2021 through March 2022. The letter will provide instructions on how to begin making payments on your debt in order to prevent the debt from being referred to Treasury, private collection agencies, and/or credit bureaus. If payment is not received within 30 days from the date of the letter, DFAS will proceed with referring your debt as required by law and your debt may accrue additional penalties and fees.Important:  We encourage you to contact DFAS as soon as possible to set up a reasonable payment plan in order to prevent your debt from being referred to Treasury and accruing additional penalties and fees. DFAS will work with you to set up a payment plan so that your debt is not in a delinquent status.    
                        - When will I be receiving notification of my debt? You will receive notification of your debt sometime between October 2021 and March 2022. 
                        - Where do I go for assistance? If you are experiencing financial hardship, we can help you set up a voluntary payment plan. For information on repayment options, visit: https://www.dfas.mil/debtandclaims/paymydebt/Debt-Repayment-Options/. To set up your payment plan online, visit: https://corpweb1.dfas.mil/askDFAS/custMain.action?mid=5100You may also mail the form to:DFAS-IN/Debt and ClaimsDept. 3300 ATTN: Customer Care Center8899 East 56th StreetIndianapolis, IN 46249-3300.- Please include your name and account number listed on your debt letter on all correspondence.
 
                        - What is the lowest monthly installment that I can pay towards my debt? The lowest acceptable monthly installment amount is typically $50.00. 
                        - Were in-service members or civilian employees affected by the pause on collection?  Debts for in-service civilian employees and military members were not affected by the Debt Pause. If you were an in-service civilian employee or a military member and you had a debt being collected during the period between March 25, 2020, through September 30, 2021, your debt collection was not affected by the pause. Only out-of-service debts referred to the DFAS Debt and Claims Management Office were placed in a hold status during the period. 2021. 
                        - How can I submit my electronic forms? When you complete the forms there will be a link at the bottom to take you to the AskDfas page to submit your application 
                        - Will this be the only way that I can apply for VRA/FHA by using the electronic form? This is not the only way.You may still mail your form to:DFAS-IN/Debt and ClaimsDept. 3300 ATTN: Customer Care Center8899 East 56th StreetIndianapolis, IN 46249-3300. Although you may mail in the form, for faster processing times we do recommend completing the forms online and submitting them.If unable to send online, if possible, please fill out the forms online and print locally before mailing to ensure your answer legible. 
                        - What if I don’t have time to complete the online form before I start the process? If you don’t have time to complete the form you can start off where you stopped at in the process of completing the form. You do not have to start the form from the beginning. 
                        - If I am experiencing extreme financial hardship due to being unemployed, what additional help is available?  Is there someone I can talk to about my payment plan options? Please submit an askDFAS ticket for possible resolution. 
                        - If I am unemployed, what do I need to submit for a financial hardship application? Please submit a signed statement on how the payment will be made. 

Page Updated October 1, 2021

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