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Bankruptcy


Debt collection is stopped once we learn you filed a bankruptcy petition. (Unless it is determined that the automatic stay imposed at the time of filing was lifted or is no longer in effect.) 

On this page:

How do I Notify DFAS of My Bankruptcy Petition?

1. Gather Your Bankruptcy Documents

Failure to provide required documentation may result in a delayed request.

2. Submit an AskDFAS Ticket

Submit a Bankruptcy AskDFAS ticket:

Click to submit a bankruptcy ticket.

After submitting your bankruptcy documentation via AskDFAS, a ticket number will be emailed to you for reference. Please keep this ticket number until DFAS acknowledges receipt of bankruptcy documentation.

Image IconIn most cases, DFAS receives an individual’s bankruptcy information through the bankruptcy court; however, on occasion we do not receive the proper documentation. If you’ve made involuntary payments, or your taxes or wages were taken by DFAS after you filed bankruptcy, you will be refunded.

Additional Information About Your Bankruptcy

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I Have Filed Bankruptcy, and Received a Debt Letter. What Should I Do?

Please provide DFAS a copy of your bankruptcy filing.  After submission, your account will be reviewed and we will follow the bankruptcy code to determine the appropriate action to take on your debt.  You may submit this documentation through AskDFAS.

If you’re due a refund, a hardcopy check will be mailed to the address listed on the bankruptcy document, or the most current address DFAS has documented in our database.

For information about your address, visit Update Your Mailing Address.

Decorative call-to-action, click to be taken to update your mailing address page.

 

 

Refunds After Filing Bankruptcy

We will review the account to determine if any payments were posted to the account after the automatic stay. If a payment was posted, DFAS will issue a refund. If you filed any type of bankruptcy, a hardcopy check will be mailed to the address listed on the bankruptcy document, or the most current address we have documented in our database.

For information about your address, visit Update Your Mailing Address.

Decorative call-to-action, click to go to the update your mailing address page.
 

If we have withheld funds via administrative offset or salary offset, and you included the debt in the bankruptcy filing, notify us immediately. DFAS will contact your current finance office or servicing payroll office to request suspension of collection action and request they refund any funds collected after the automatic stay date.

 

How DFAS Determines if Offset Funds will be Refunded

The date the funds were offset or withheld by the Department of Treasury via the Treasury Offset Program is the date used to determine if you are entitled to receive a refund. For example:

Decorative red no icon.No Refund is Due:
  • Date your federal refund was offset: March 23, 2022
  • Bankruptcy filing date: March 24, 2022
  • Funds post to your account: April 10, 2022
Decorative green checkmark.   Refund Due:
  • Date your federal refund was offset: March 23, 2022
  • Bankruptcy filing date: March 22, 2022
  • Funds post to your account: April 10, 2022

If DFAS determines you are due a refund, it takes approximately 3 weeks from the date of the Department of Treasury's letter for the funds to post to our database. Once the funds have posted to your account, we will submit a priority refund. Funds received prior to bankruptcy filing will not be refunded.

 

Do You Disagree with Your Debt?

Individuals reserve the right to dispute/protest a debt. To learn more about disputing/protesting your debt, visit Disputing Your Debt.

Decorative call-to-action, click to be taken to the dispute a debt page.

Return to the Debt and Claims DFAS Homepage

 

Page July 7, 2023