(a)(1) Before discharging a delinquent debt, also referred to as close out of the debt, the Secretary shall take all appropriate steps to collect the debt in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3711(g)(9), and parts 30 through 33 of this chapter, including, as applicable, administrative offset; tax refund offset; Federal salary offset; credit bureau reporting; administrative wage garnishment; litigation; foreclosure; and referral to Treasury, Treasury-designated debt collection centers, or private collection contractors.

(2) Discharge of indebtedness is distinct from termination or suspension of collection activity under this subpart, and is governed by the Internal Revenue Code. When collection action on a debt is suspended or terminated, the debt remains delinquent and further collection action may be pursued at a later date in accordance with the standards set forth in this part and 31 CFR parts 900 through 904.

(3) When the Department discharges a debt in full or in part, further collection action is prohibited. Therefore, before discharging a debt, the Secretary must:

(i) Make the determination that collection action is no longer warranted; and

(ii) Terminate debt collection action.

(b) In accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3711(i), the Secretary shall use competitive procedures to sell a delinquent debt upon termination of collection action if the Secretary of the Treasury determines such a sale is in the best interests of the United States. Since the discharge of a debt precludes any further collection action, including the sale of a delinquent debt, the Secretary may not discharge a debt until the requirements of 31 U.S.C. 3711(i) have been meet.

(c) Upon discharge of an indebtedness, the Secretary must report the discharge to the IRS in accordance with the requirements of 26 U.S.C. 6050P and 26 CFR 1.6050P-1. The Secretary may request that Treasury or Treasury-designated debt collection centers file such a discharge report to the IRS on the Department's behalf.

(d) When discharging a debt, the Secretary must request that litigation counsel release any liens of record securing the debt.