My jurisdiction is: California
Can federal income (civil service retirement annuity and Social Security benefits [NOT SSI]) be subject to garnishment? Here are the particulars of my case:
I received a letter from the US Treasury Dept. (Financial Management Service, Birmingham, AL, dated 12/01/08: "Attention: Your Federal Payment May Be Reduced"). It stated that "...payments due to (me) from the United States Government can be reduced in order to pay (my) delinquent debt." The Creditor Agency referenced in the letter is Long Beach VAMC. The letter continued: "The Creditor Agency has previously informed (me) of the amount and nature of this debt and has made demand for payment. (I was) "…also notified of the Creditor Agency's intent to collect this debt by administrative offset (garnishment) if (I) failed to pay (my) debt..."
I have never received any such correspondence from the Creditor Agency, nor from any VA representative regarding this alleged indebtedness.
I called the US Treasury at the number indicated on the letter. The representative told me that it was for a VA service I had received while incarcerated at Avenal State Prison (California) in December, 2007, and that my indebtedness to the Creditor Agency was approximately thirty dollars, eighty cents ($30.80) including penalties and interest. This is to be paid to Dept. of Veterans Affairs, P.O. Box 530269, Atlanta, GA 30353-0269.
The only occasion that comes to mind is an incarcerated veterans seminar I and other inmates attended at that time. To the best of my recollection, there was never any statement made about any fee being charged for the seminar. I don't even recall signing any "Promise to Pay" instrument for services rendered.
Can my aforementioned federal pensions be garnished? If so, given the merits stated above, do they have a "case" against me? Your response to my question is sincerely appreciated.
H. Street
Can federal income (civil service retirement annuity and Social Security benefits [NOT SSI]) be subject to garnishment? Here are the particulars of my case:
I received a letter from the US Treasury Dept. (Financial Management Service, Birmingham, AL, dated 12/01/08: "Attention: Your Federal Payment May Be Reduced"). It stated that "...payments due to (me) from the United States Government can be reduced in order to pay (my) delinquent debt." The Creditor Agency referenced in the letter is Long Beach VAMC. The letter continued: "The Creditor Agency has previously informed (me) of the amount and nature of this debt and has made demand for payment. (I was) "…also notified of the Creditor Agency's intent to collect this debt by administrative offset (garnishment) if (I) failed to pay (my) debt..."
I have never received any such correspondence from the Creditor Agency, nor from any VA representative regarding this alleged indebtedness.
I called the US Treasury at the number indicated on the letter. The representative told me that it was for a VA service I had received while incarcerated at Avenal State Prison (California) in December, 2007, and that my indebtedness to the Creditor Agency was approximately thirty dollars, eighty cents ($30.80) including penalties and interest. This is to be paid to Dept. of Veterans Affairs, P.O. Box 530269, Atlanta, GA 30353-0269.
The only occasion that comes to mind is an incarcerated veterans seminar I and other inmates attended at that time. To the best of my recollection, there was never any statement made about any fee being charged for the seminar. I don't even recall signing any "Promise to Pay" instrument for services rendered.
Can my aforementioned federal pensions be garnished? If so, given the merits stated above, do they have a "case" against me? Your response to my question is sincerely appreciated.
H. Street
