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22 CFR § 34.4 - Definitions.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t22/s34.4"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "22 CFR § 34.4 - Definitions."
title_number: 22
title_name: "Foreign Relations"
section_number: "34.4"
section_name: "Definitions."
chapter_name: "DEPARTMENT OF STATE"
subchapter_number: "D"
subchapter_name: "CLAIMS AND STOLEN PROPERTY"
part_number: "34"
part_name: "DEBT COLLECTION"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "31 U.S.C. 3701-3719; 5 U.S.C. 5514; 31 CFR part 285; 31 CFR parts 900-904; 5 CFR part 550, subpart K."
regulatory_source: "71 FR 16482, Apr. 3, 2006, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "34"
---

# 34.4 Definitions.

For purposes of the section:

(a) *Administrative offset* means withholding funds payable by the United States to, or held by the United States for, a person to satisfy a debt owed by the person to the United States.

(b) *Administrative wage garnishment* means the process by which a Federal agency orders a non-Federal employer to withhold amounts from a debtor's wages to satisfy a debt owed to the United States.

(c) *Compromise* means that the creditor agency accepts less than the full amount of an outstanding debt in full satisfaction of the entire amount of the debt.

(d) *Creditor agency* means the Federal agency to which a debt is owed.

(e) *Debt* or *claim* means an amount of money which has been determined to be owed to the United States from any person. A debtor's liability arising from a particular contract or transaction shall be considered a single claim for purposes of the monetary ceilings of the FCCS.

(f) *Debtor* means a person who owes the Federal government money.

(g) *Delinquent debt* means a debt that has not been paid by the date specified in STATE's written notification or applicable contractual agreement, unless other satisfactory arrangements have been made by that date, or that has not been paid in accordance with a payment agreement with STATE.

(h) *Discharge* means the release of a debtor from personal liability for a debt. Further collection action is prohibited.

(i) *Disposable pay* means the amount that remains from an employee's current basic pay, special pay, incentive pay, retired pay, retainer pay, or in the case of an employee not entitled to basic pay, other authorized pay remaining after required deductions for Federal, State and local income taxes; Social Security taxes, including Medicare taxes; Federal retirement programs; normal premiums for life and health insurance benefits and such other deductions that are required by law to be withheld, excluding garnishments.

(j) *FCCS* means the Federal Claims Collection Standards published jointly by the Departments of the Treasury and Justice and codified at 31 CFR parts 900-904.

(k) *Person* means an individual, corporation, partnership, association, organization, State or local government, or any other type of entity other than a Federal agency, Foreign Government, or public international organization.

(l) *Salary offset* means the withholding of amounts from the current pay account of a Federal employee to satisfy a debt owed by that employee to the United States.

(m) *Suspension* means the temporary cessation of active debt collection pending the occurrence of an anticipated event.

(n) *Termination* means the cessation of all active debt collection action for the foreseeable future.

(o) *Waiver* means a decision to forgo collection of a debt owed to the United States, as provided for by a specific statute and according to the standards set out under that statute.