45 C.F.R. § 30.11 Collection rule.
Title 45 - Public Welfare
(a) Aggressive agency action. The Secretary will take aggressive action to collect debts and reduce delinquencies. Collection efforts shall, at a minimum, normally include sending to the debtor's last known address a total of three progressively stronger written demands for payment at not more than 30-day intervals unless amounts are available for offset under section 30.15, or a response to the first or second demand indicates that further demand would be futile and the debtor's response does not require rebuttal. (b) Immediate action. When necessary to protect the Government's interest, written demand may be preceded by other appropriate action, such as withholding of amounts payable to the debtor or immediate referral of the debt for litigation or filing of a claim in bankruptcy court or against a decedent's estate. (c) Finding debtors. The Secretary will exhaust every reasonable effort to locate debtors, using such sources as telephone directories, city directories, postmasters, driving license records, automobile title and license records in State and local government agencies, the Internal Revenue Service, credit reporting agencies and skip locator services. Referral of a confess-judgment note to the appropriate United States Attorney's Office for entry of judgment will not be delayed because the debtor cannot be located. (d) Joint and several liability. Collection of the full amount of the debt will be pursued from each debtor jointly and severally liable. (e) Debtor disputes. A debtor who disputes a debt must promptly provide available supporting evidence. (f) Debt files. The Secretary will maintain an administrative file for each debt or debtor, documenting the debt(s), all administrative collection action, including communications to and from the debtor, and disposition of the debt(s). Information from a debt file relating to an individual may be disclosed only for purposes consistent with this regulation, the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), and any other applicable law.
Title 45: Public Welfare
PART 30—CLAIMS COLLECTION
Subpart B—Collection of Claims
§ 30.11 Collection rule.
