(a) The regulations in this subpart implement 31 U.S.C. 3720A which authorizes the Department of the Treasury to reduce a tax refund by the amount of a past-due legally enforceable debt owed to a Federal agency.

(b) For purposes of this section, a past-due legally enforceable debt referable to the Department of the Treasury is a debt that is owed to the Board; and:

(1) Is at least $25.00 dollars;

(2) Except in the case of a judgment debt, has been delinquent for at least three months and will not have been delinquent more than 10 years at the time the offset is made;

(3) Cannot be currently collected under the salary offset provisions of 5 U.S.C. 5514;

(4) Is ineligible for administrative offset under 31 U.S.C. 3716(a) by reason of 31 U.S.C. 3716(c)(2) or cannot be collected by administrative offset under 31 U.S.C. 3716(a) by the Board against amounts payable to the debtor by the Board;

(5) With respect to which the Board has given the debtor at least 60 days to present evidence that all or part of the debt is not past due or legally enforceable, has considered evidence presented by the debtor, and has determined that an amount of the debt is past due and legally enforceable;

(6) Which has been disclosed by the Board to a credit reporting agency as authorized by 31 U.S.C. 3711(e), unless the credit reporting agency would be prohibited from reporting information concerning the debt by reason of 15 U.S.C. 1681c;

(7) With respect to which the Board has notified or has made a reasonable attempt to notify the debtor that:

(i) The debt is past due, and

(ii) Unless repaid within 60 days thereafter, the debt will be referred to the Department of the Treasury for offset against any overpayment of tax; and

(8) All other requirements of 31 U.S.C. 3720A and the Department of Treasury regulations relating to the eligibility of a debt for tax return offset have been satisfied.

(a) The Board will be the point of contact with the Department of the Treasury for administrative matters regarding the offset program.

(b) The Board will ensure that the procedures prescribed by the Department of the Treasury are followed in developing information about past-due debts and submitting the debts to the IRS.

(c) The Board will submit a notification of a taxpayer's liability for past-due legally enforceable debt to the Department of the Treasury which will contain:

(1) The name and taxpayer identifying number (as defined in section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 6109) of the person who is responsible for the debt;

(2) The dollar amount of the past-due and legally enforceable debt;

(3) The date on which the original debt became past due;

(4) A statement certifying that, with respect to each debt reported, all of the requirements of eligibility of the debt for referral for the refund offset have been satisfied. See § 1639.40(b).

(d) The Board shall promptly notify the Department of the Treasury to correct Board data submitted when it:

(1) Determines that an error has been made with respect to a debt that has been referred;

(2) Receives or credits a payment on the debt; or

(3) Receives notice that the person owing the debt has filed for bankruptcy under Title 11 of the United States Code or has been adjudicated bankrupt and the debt has been discharged.

(e) When advising debtors of an intent to refer a debt to the Department of the Treasury for offset, the Board will also advise the debtors of all remedial actions available to defer or prevent the offset from taking place.

(a) The Board must notify, or make a reasonable attempt to notify, the person:

(1) The amount of the debt and that the debt is past due; and

(2) Unless repaid within 60 days, the debt will be referred to the Department of the Treasury for offset against any refund of overpayment of tax.

(b) The Board will provide a mailing address for forwarding any written correspondence and a contact name and telephone number for any questions concerning the offset.

(c) The Board will give the individual debtor at least 60 days from the date of the notice to present evidence that all or part of the debt is not past due or legally enforceable. The Board will consider the evidence presented by the individual and will make a determination whether any amount of the debt is past due and legally enforceable. For purposes of this section, evidence that collection of the debt is affected by a bankruptcy proceeding involving the individual will bar referral of the debt to the Department of the Treasury.

(d) Notice given to a debtor under paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this section shall advise the debtor of how he or she may present evidence to the Board that all or part of the debt is not past due or legally enforceable. Such evidence may not be referred to, or considered by, individuals who are not officials, employees, or agents of the United States in making the determination required under paragraph (c) of this section. Unless such evidence is directly considered by an official or employee of the Board, and the determination required under paragraph (c) of this section has been made by an official or employee of the Board, any unresolved dispute with the debtor regarding whether all or part of the debt is past due or legally enforceable must be referred to the Board for ultimate administrative disposition, and the Board must directly notify the debtor of its determination.