Federal Claims Collection Methods for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Recipient Claims
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
This law involves the reinstatement and revision of an information collection related to the collection of debts owed by recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is inviting public comment on the collection process which requires state agencies to report delinquent debts to the U.S. Department of the Treasury for recovery, following specific timelines mandated by federal law. The updates include changes to the burden hours and processes involved in notifying debtors and conducting federal collection actions.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.
Key Changes
- Reinstatement of previously expired information collection
- Updated burden hours based on stakeholder feedback
- Altered timelines for reporting delinquent debts
Obligations
What this law requires
State agencies must refer delinquent SNAP debts to the U.S. Department of the Treasury for collection when debts are 120 days or more delinquent, as required by the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 as amended.
State agencies must notify debtors of their impending referral to the Treasury Offset Program (TOP) before submitting debts for collection.
State agencies must submit delinquent SNAP debts into the Treasury Offset Program (TOP) to initiate interception of eligible federal payments such as federal income tax refunds and federal salaries.
State agencies must respond to all debtor inquiries and appeals regarding TOP notices and proposed debt collections.
State agencies must provide debtors with the right to review and appeal their impending referral to the Treasury Offset Program.