Title 5Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-73

§5514 Installment deduction for indebtedness to the United States

Title 5 › Part PART III— - EMPLOYEES › Subpart Subpart D— - Pay and Allowances › Chapter CHAPTER 55— - PAY ADMINISTRATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - WITHHOLDING PAY › § 5514

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Agencies can collect money a person owes the United States by taking it out of the person’s pay in monthly or regular pay-period deductions. Deductions can come from most kinds of federal pay, including basic, special, incentive, retired, retainer, or other authorized pay. Normally no more than 15 percent of the person’s disposable pay can be taken each pay period, unless the person agrees in writing to a bigger amount. If the person leaves federal service before the debt is fully paid, the agency can take the rest from other payments due to that person. Agencies with unpaid debts must run at least one computer match each year to find employees who owe money. The Treasury will set up and run a central matching system, make rules for it, and agencies that use the central service may be charged a fee. Before taking money from pay, the agency that is owed must give the person at least 30 days’ written notice explaining the debt, tell how it will collect from pay, and explain the person’s rights. The person can inspect and copy government records about the debt, try to make a written repayment plan, and ask for a hearing about whether the debt exists or how much is owed (or about the repayment terms if no agreement is made). The 30-day notice rule does not apply to routine pay fixes that are from clerical or processing errors that happened within the last four pay periods or to adjustments of $50 or less if the person is told in writing and given a contact. Collections must follow federal debt-collection rules in 31 U.S.C. 3711 and 3716–3718 or other law. Disposable pay means pay left after required legal withholdings. Agency here is defined to cover executive departments, Postal Service and others, plus legislative and judicial branch entities and government corporations. The rules do not change existing pay-forfeiture laws and do not alter 10 U.S.C. 7837(d), 9837(d), or 37 U.S.C. 1007(b) and (c). Employees of certain nonappropriated fund organizations are covered.

Full Legal Text

Title 5, §5514

Government Organization and Employees — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)When the head of an agency or his designee determines that an employee, member of the Armed Forces or Reserve of the Armed Forces, is indebted to the United States for debts to which the United States is entitled to be repaid at the time of the determination by the head of an agency or his designee, or is notified of such a debt by the head of another agency or his designee the amount of indebtedness may be collected in monthly installments, or at officially established pay intervals, by deduction from the current pay account of the individual. The deductions may be made from basic pay, special pay, incentive pay, retired pay, retainer pay, or, in the case of an individual not entitled to basic pay, other authorized pay. The amount deducted for any period may not exceed 15 percent of disposable pay, except that a greater percentage may be deducted upon the written consent of the individual involved. If the individual retires or resigns, or if his employment or period of active duty otherwise ends, before collection of the amount of the indebtedness is completed, deduction shall be made from subsequent payments of any nature due the individual from the agency concerned. All Federal agencies to which debts are owed and which have outstanding delinquent debts shall participate in a computer match at least annually of their delinquent debt records with records of Federal employees to identify those employees who are delinquent in repayment of those debts. The preceding sentence shall not apply to any debt under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Matched Federal employee records shall include, but shall not be limited to, records of active Civil Service employees government-wide, military active duty personnel, military reservists, United States Postal Service employees, employees of other government corporations, and seasonal and temporary employees. The Secretary of the Treasury shall establish and maintain an interagency consortium to implement centralized salary offset computer matching, and promulgate regulations for this program. Agencies that perform centralized salary offset computer matching services under this subsection are authorized to charge a fee sufficient to cover the full cost for such services.
(2)Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, prior to initiating any proceedings under paragraph (1) of this subsection to collect any indebtedness of an individual, the head of the agency holding the debt or his designee, shall provide the individual with—
(A)a minimum of thirty days written notice, informing such individual of the nature and amount of the indebtedness determined by such agency to be due, the intention of the agency to initiate proceedings to collect the debt through deductions from pay, and an explanation of the rights of the individual under this subsection;
(B)an opportunity to inspect and copy Government records relating to the debt;
(C)an opportunity to enter into a written agreement with the agency, under terms agreeable to the head of the agency or his designee, to establish a schedule for the repayment of the debt; and
(D)an opportunity for a hearing on the determination of the agency concerning the existence or the amount of the debt, and in the case of an individual whose repayment schedule is established other than by a written agreement pursuant to subparagraph (C), concerning the terms of the repayment schedule.
(3)Paragraph (2) shall not apply to routine intra-agency adjustments of pay that are attributable to clerical or administrative errors or delays in processing pay documents that have occurred within the four pay periods preceding the adjustment and to any adjustment that amounts to $50 or less, if at the time of such adjustment, or as soon thereafter as practical, the individual is provided written notice of the nature and the amount of the adjustment and a point of contact for contesting such adjustment.
(4)The collection of any amount under this section shall be in accordance with the standards promulgated pursuant to section 3711 and 3716–3718 of title 31 or in accordance with any other statutory authority for the collection of claims of the United States or any agency thereof.
(5)For purposes of this subsection—
(A)“disposable pay” means that part of pay of any individual remaining after the deduction from those earnings of any amounts required by law to be withheld; and
(B)“agency” includes executive departments and agencies, the United States Postal Service, the Postal Regulatory Commission, any nonappropriated fund instrumentality described in section 2105(c) of this title, the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, and any court, court administrative office, or instrumentality in the judicial or legislative branches of the Government, and government corporations.
(b)(1)The head of each agency shall prescribe regulations, subject to the approval of the President, to carry out this section and section 3530(d) of title 31. Regulations prescribed by the Secretaries of the military departments shall be uniform for the military services insofar as practicable.
(2)For purposes of section 7117(a) of this title, no regulation prescribed to carry out subsection (a)(2) of this section shall be considered to be a Government-wide rule or regulation.
(c)Subsection (a) of this section does not modify existing statutes which provide for forfeiture of pay or allowances. This section and section 3530(d) of title 31 do not repeal, modify, or amend section 7837(d) or 9837(d) of title 10 or section 1007(b), (c) of title 37.
(d)A levy pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall take precedence over other deductions under this section.
(e)An employee of a nonappropriated fund instrumentality described in section 2105(c) of this title is deemed an employee covered by this section.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

DerivationU.S. CodeRevised Statutes andStatutes at Large 5 U.S.C. 46d.
July 15, 1954, ch. 509, §§ 1, 2, 4, 68 Stat. 482, 483. 5 U.S.C. 46e. In subsection (a), the words “head of the agency concerned” are substituted for “Secretary of the department concerned or the head of the agency or independent establishment concerned, or one of their designees”. The words “an employee, a member of the armed forces, or a Reserve of the armed forces” are coextensive with and substituted for “an employee of the United States or any member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, or a reserve component thereof” in view of the definitions in section 2101 and 2105. The words “basic compensation” are omitted as included in “basic pay”. In subsection (b), the words “head of each agency” are substituted for “Each Secretary of a department, or head of an agency or independent establishment, as appropriate”. The words “Secretaries of the military departments” are substituted for “Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force” to conform to the definition of “military department” in section 102. In subsection (c), the words “section 4837(d) or 9837(d) of title 10 or section 1007(b), (c) of title 37” are substituted for “the provisions of the Act of
May 22, 1928 (ch. 676, 45 Stat. 698)” in section 4 of the Act of
July 15, 1954, on authority of the Acts of Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, § 49(b), 70A Stat. 640, and Sept. 7, 1962, Pub. L. 87–649, § 12(b), 76 Stat. 497.

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1) and (d), is classified generally to Title 26, Internal Revenue Code. section 4837(d) and 9837(d) of title 10, referred to in subsec. (c), probably refer to the subsecs. (d) of those sections as originally enacted by act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 274, 594. section 4837 and 9837 were subsequently amended, and provisions similar to those in the original subsecs. (d) of those sections are now contained in respective subsecs. (a).

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 115–232 substituted “section 7837(d) or 9837(d) of title 10” for “section 4837(d) or 9837(d) of title 10”. 2008—Subsec. (a)(5)(B). Pub. L. 110–181, § 652(1), inserted “any nonappropriated fund instrumentality described in section 2105(c) of this title,” after “Commission,”. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 110–181, § 652(2), added subsec. (e). 2006—Subsec. (a)(5)(B). Pub. L. 109–435 substituted “Postal Regulatory Commission” for “Postal Rate Commission”. 1996—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 104–134, § 31001(h)(A)(i), inserted at end “All Federal agencies to which debts are owed and which have outstanding delinquent debts shall participate in a computer match at least annually of their delinquent debt records with records of Federal employees to identify those employees who are delinquent in repayment of those debts. The preceding sentence shall not apply to any debt under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Matched Federal employee records shall include, but shall not be limited to, records of active Civil Service employees government-wide, military active duty personnel, military reservists, United States Postal Service employees, employees of other government corporations, and seasonal and temporary employees. The Secretary of the Treasury shall establish and maintain an interagency consortium to implement centralized salary offset computer matching, and promulgate

Regulations

for this program. Agencies that perform centralized salary offset computer matching services under this subsection are authorized to charge a fee sufficient to cover the full cost for such services.” Subsec. (a)(3), (4). Pub. L. 104–134, § 31001(h)(A)(ii), (iii), added par. (3) and redesignated former pars. (3) and (4) as (4) and (5), respectively. Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 104–134, § 31001(h)((A)(ii), redesignated par. (4) as (5). Subsec. (a)(5)(B). Pub. L. 104–134, § 31001(h)(A)(iv), amended subpar. (B) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (B) read as follows: “ ‘agency’ includes the United States Postal Service and the Postal Rate Commission.” Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 104–134, § 31001(h)(B), added subsec. (d). 1984—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 98–216 substituted “section 3530(d)” for “section 581d”. 1983—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 97–452 substituted “section 3711 and 3716–3718 of title 31” for “the Federal Claims Collection Act of 1966 (31 U.S.C. 951 et seq.)”. 1982—Pub. L. 97–365, § 5(c), substituted “indebtedness to the United States” for “indebtedness because of erroneous payment” in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–365, § 5(a), designated existing provisions as par. (1), in par. (1) as so designated substituted provisions relating to debts to which the United States is entitled to be repaid for provisions which had related to an indebtedness to the United States because of an erroneous payment made by an agency to or on behalf of an individual, inserted provisions relating to the notification of a debt by the head of another agency or his designee, substituted provisions authorizing the deduction of not to exceed 15 percent of disposable pay for provisions which had authorized the deduction of not to exceed two-thirds of the pay from which the deduction was made, and added pars. (2), (3), and (4). Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–365, § 5(b), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2). Pub. L. 97–258 substituted “section 3530(d)” for “section 581d”. 1979—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–54 substituted “President” for “Director of the Bureau of the Budget”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of

Amendments

and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

Effective Date

of 1979 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 96–54 effective July 12, 1979, see section 2(b) of Pub. L. 96–54, set out as a note under section 305 of this title.

Short Title

of 1982 Amendment Pub. L. 97–365, § 1, Oct. 25, 1982, 96 Stat. 1749, provided: “That this Act [enacting section 954 and 955 of former Title 31, Money and Finance, amending this section and section 552a of this title, section 1114 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, section 6103 and 7213 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, section 2415 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, and section 484, 951, and 952 of former Title 31, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and section 6103 of Title 26] may be cited as the ‘Debt Collection Act of 1982’.” Improvements in Debt Collection Procedures Under 1982

Amendments

as Contained in Debt Collection Act of 1982 Inapplicable to Claims or Indebtedness Under Internal Revenue Code, Social Security Act, or Tariff Laws Pub. L. 97–365, § 8(e), Oct. 25, 1982, 96 Stat. 1754, as amended by Pub. L. 99–514, § 2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2095, provided that: “Except as otherwise provided in section 4 or 7 or the foregoing provisions of this section [amending section 6103 and 7213 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, and enacting provisions set out as notes under section 6103 of Title 26], nothing in this Act (or in the

Amendments

made by this Act) [see

Short Title

of 1982 Amendment note above] shall apply to claims or indebtedness arising under, or amounts payable under, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [Title 26], the Social Security Act [section 301 et seq. of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare], or the tariff laws of the United States [Title 19, Customs Duties].” Collection of Indebtedness of Employees of Federal Government Resulting From Action or Suit Brought Against Employee by United States Pub. L. 97–276, § 124, Oct. 2, 1982, 96 Stat. 1195, provided that: “Notwithstanding any other provision of this joint resolution [Pub. L. 97–276], in the case of any employee of the Federal Government who is indebted to the United States, as determined by a court of the United States in an action or suit brought against such employee by the United States, the amount of the indebtedness may be collected in monthly installments, or at officially established regular pay period intervals, by deduction in reasonable amounts from the current pay account of the individual. The deductions may be made only from basic pay, special pay, incentive pay, or, in the case of an individual not entitled to basic pay, other authorized pay. Collection shall be made over a period not greater than the anticipated period of employment. The amount deducted for any period may not exceed one-fourth of the pay from which the deduction is made, unless the deduction of a greater amount is necessary to make the collection within the period of anticipated employment. If the individual retires or resigns, or if his employment otherwise ends, before collection of the amount of the indebtedness is completed, deduction shall be made from later payments of any nature due to the individual from the United States Treasury.”

Executive Documents

Delegation of Functions Authority of President under subsec. (b) of this section to approve

Regulations

prescribed by head of each agency to carry out this section and section 581d of Title 31, Money and Finance [31 U.S.C. 3530(d)], relating to installment deductions from pay for indebtedness because of erroneous payment, delegated to Office of Personnel Management, see section 8(1) of Ex. Ord. No. 11609, July 22, 1971, 36 F.R. 13747, set out as a note under section 301 of Title 3, The President.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

5 U.S.C. § 5514

Title 5Government Organization and Employees

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73