Generally, filing for bankruptcy in Hawaii will not be an automatic bar to obtaining a security clearance. Additionally, being financially irresponsible and dragging around bad credit can jeopardize an existing security clearance. So whether your Bankruptcy 7 bankruptcy or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy has an impact on your clearance usually depends on the circumstances that led you to file for bankruptcy in Hawaii in the first place. Security clearance decisions are made on a case-to-case basis and one of the factors the committee considers is whether you are financially responsible. Inability or unwillingness to satisfy debts is a mark against you. Other factors include:
– Debt is caused by irresponsible spending and no evidence an effort has been made to pay
– Record of not meeting financial obligations
– Embezzlement, employee theft, check fraud
– Financial problems caused by drug abuse/alcoholism/gambling
– Failure to file taxes
The word bankruptcy does not even appear in the Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified Information. Why not? Because bankruptcy can be considered a positive effort to get your finances under control. NOT filing for bankruptcy can make you more of a security risk. By filing bankruptcy in Hawaii you are using a court-approved method of dealing with your debts AND you are showing financial responsibility.
It’s time to call a qualified Hawaii lawyer. Give our office a call at (808) 518-4844 for your free consultation.
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Blake Goodman received his law degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. in 1989 and has been exclusively practicing bankruptcy-related law in Texas, New Mexico, and Hawaii ever since. In the past, Attorney Goodman also worked as a Certified Public Accountant, receiving his license form the State of Maryland in 1988.
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