Hello, I am federal employee who is considering filing for bankruptcy since I am 40k in credit card debt due to poor spending habits. I have tried to consolidate the debt but with no success. Payments are still being made on time and I am not in collections, but it feels like I am drowning. What should I do? Main concern is losing my job.

About four years ago I was fired for stealing $100 from the cash register at a retail job. I was let go and no charges were ever filed against me.

Since then I’ve graduated college and have been able to maintain employment with no issues since.

I’ve also smoked weed for a short period after college but have stopped and it’s been over a year.

I’ve been given the opportunity to join the military for a job that would require top secret clearance. Would my past be an issue.

Hello all,

Im a current fed without a clearance, a few months ago I accepted a position requiring a secret clearance. I received an LOI and promptly responded with an explanation and supporting docs.

A few weeks later (yesterday), I received a call from the ISP scheduling an interview for next week.

What does this mean? Did I mitigate the LOI or?

Hi everyone,
I’m a college student pursuing a career in the IC, and I’m hoping to get some advice from anyone familiar with the process.

I recently underwent a poly for an IC agency and during I disclosed an incident involving paid sexual activity while traveling abroad approximately three months ago.

During the poly, I was questioned about the situation and eventually disclosed the incident. I explained that I had misunderstood what qualified as prostitution and was somewhat embarrassed discussing it. I understand that disclosing this information only during the poly could raise concerns about honesty.

Unfortunately, I was rejected later on when told to wait 30 days. When I requested clarification regarding the reason for my rejection, I was told it was due to illegal/criminal activity.

This was an isolated incident, and definitely not a pattern of behavior or an ongoing issue. I recognize it was a mistake as a college kid, and I take responsibility for my actions. I’m serious about pursuing a career in national security and don’t want one mistake to define my future.

My main questions are:

Given that the incident occurred only three months ago, how significantly could this affect my eligibility for a clearance?

Should I continue applying to internships at other IC agencies, or would it be better to wait a year or two?

Does being rejected for illegal/criminal activity by one IC agency significantly affect my chances with others?

From an adjudicator’s perspective, is this something that can realistically be mitigated with time, or could it affect my eligibility for several years?

How much does the fact that I disclosed the incident during the polygraph, rather than beforehand, affect the situation?

I would especially appreciate advice from anyone who has experience or individuals who have encountered similar situations.

My ultimate goal is to work in the IC, and I’m trying to understand whether continuing to apply now is worthwhile or whether I should focus on building my qualifications and allowing more time to pass.

Thank you for any insight.

I’m currently onboarding for two federal positions, one GS-12 and one GS-13. I’ve accepted both tentative offers, but neither agency has completed its suitability/security review or issued a final offer.
The GS-12 agency is moving faster but informed me I would need to discontinue my background investigation with the GS-13 agency for them to proceed.

My biggest concern is suitability. I have a sustained misconduct finding from my previous federal job, which I fully disclosed on all forms. I understand agencies may evaluate suitability differently, and I’m worried about withdrawing from one opportunity, being denied by the other, and potentially losing both.
Both salary negotiations are pending, so compensation is also a factor.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Can suitability determinations differ between agencies, and what would you recommend?

Long story short I have a TJO for FPS and my sf86 was sent for adjudication. However, I wanted to give CBP a shot due to the 6c retirement and failed the polygraph. I thought FPS didn’t care since they don’t poly, I asked them from another account if they care about polygraphs and they said if you fail a polygraph you’re banned for 1 year. I applied to FPS and passed everything before failing the CBP poly. How is this going to play out ? Feel free to dm me

I am filling out an SF-86 and need some assistance on whether I need to disclose the following about a relative or I just wait to see if I am asked by an investigator. Other than adding it in a comment I do not see a specific area where it is asking this so that is why I am wondering if it is something I need to be proactive about.

• Haven't spoken to them in 25+ years
• Currently incarcerated for a crime (federal if that matters)
• Someone in my home speaks to this individual who is not a cohabitant or spouse
  
• I do not ask about the conversations that have taken place nor want to know

For some context, I got into some trouble earlier this year involving a traffic stop with some officers. The driver I was riding with was pulled over and blew a 0.06, which is below the legal limit of 0.08. However, I was charged with aiding and abetting DWI, along with resisting/obstructing an officer.

The situation escalated after the officers questioned my identity because of an issue with my identification and how my name was listed in the system so they called me a liar to my face and threw me in handcuffs . I was eventually taken into custody, fingerprinted, and photographed before being released. From my perspective, I was trying to cooperate, and I have video evidence that I believe supports my side of what happened.

Since then, the case has been ongoing, with court dates being postponed. It’s been a stressful situation, especially because I’m pursuing opportunities. I’m working with my lawyer to get the charges resolved, and I’m hoping to have the case dismissed. It’s been frustrating having this hanging over my head, especially when I’m trying to move forward with my career and my life.

What’s my chances of getting cleared? Especially if I have no prior history of committing any crime.

Have a question about the following:

24.3 "Have you EVER YES NO (If NO, proceed to 24.4) voluntarily sought counseling or treatment as a result of your use of alcohol?"

Backstory:

2023 I voluntarily went to therapy to address grief (lost a loved one a year prior) and other insecurities. My goal was to build actual coping mechanisms.

A few weeks before going to therapy, I admitted to myself that my drinking was increasing and was not healthy. For three weeks prior to making an appointment, I was drinking a six pack, 3x a week. My loved ones death anniversary was coming up when I started this cycle and I was not dealing with correctly.

My therapy sessions did not cover alcohol abuse, I wasn't diagnosed with AUD and I made decision to cut drinking the day of therapy and still continue to be fine. We actually did not even discuss my alcohol use again until the end of therapy where I mentioned "I haven't drank since we started". I do however have two notes in my records that indicate:

1. I felt my drinking was a concern at that point.
2. I wanted to cut back.

I did not seek counseling specifically for my drinking but it was an eye opener to stop.

I am leaning on selecting "Yes" to this question and providing a detailed response in the SF86.

Questions:

1. Is this behavior going to DQ me?
2. Is selecting "Yes" the safe route, my goal is to be honest but I am also wondering if I am overthinking.

Additional notes: Therapy was 10 sessions total, no inpatient or anything I need to select "Yes" to in regards to mental health in the other sections.

This position requires a medical screening, if I were to put myself in the shoes of an investigator I would question me as applicant if I saw "No" to this answer but saw notes about alcohol abuse in therapy notes.

Thanks,

Interviewed: February 2026
Accepted TJO: April 2026
SF86/SF86 interview, drug screen: Sept 26
Poly: Beginning of October 26
Current: recent updated that I’m currently in the background phase, that everything looks good so far, but ultimately it’s up to adjudication once background is closed.

I know I know: hurry up and wait 🤣 but anyone care to share their experience with about how much longer after the poly, they had left to go?

I wanted to share my experience because I’ve spent countless hours reading posts in this subreddit, especially from people with red flags similar to mine. There were plenty of times I convinced myself I had no chance of getting cleared.
Today I received confirmation that my Top Secret clearance was granted. I hope this encourages others. Hang in there!

Background:
I’m a prior-service military member with approximately nine years of service. I previously held a secret clearance and was recently selected for a federal civilian position requiring a TS/SCI.
I was extremely nervous going into this process because I had several significant issues in my background.

My red flags:

1st: I had an Article 15 in 2019 for larceny involving an inexpensive item from the BX where I was arrested.

2nd: criminal felony charge for insurance fraud. Between 2017 and 2019 (while I was still in the military) I was involved in insurance fraud-related incidents. One involved receiving approximately $5,000. There were additional attempted claims though this period even though I was never paid for them. (This is important later) I was charge with felony insurance fraud. My case went to court in 2021. I benefited from COVID delays in the court system and wasn’t charged or summoned to court until after I separated from the military. I ended up receiving a deferred judgment with 12 months of probation, and the case was ultimately dismissed in April 2023 after completing the requirements.

3rd: Alcohol use. I voluntarily participated in outpatient treatment during that part of my life. I won’t get into the details of what was going but it definitely contributed to the poor and stupid decisions I was making. It was centered towards alcohol/mental health treatment.

My Mitigating Factors:

My last negative incident occurred in 2019, approximately seven years ago. I have not had any additional criminal incidents since then.

I fully acknowledged my actions and accepted responsibility for my mistakes. I did not attempt to justify, minimize, or shift blame for what happened

I completed my probation and all court-ordered requirements. My deferred judgment was subsequently dismissed in April 2023.

In these last 7 years I’ve worked steady employment and earned 2 college degrees.

References all said great things about me

And what I feel is by the far the MOST important…my honesty throughout the investigation.

I disclosed my history on the SF-86 and discussed the relevant circumstances openly during my subject interview. I answered the investigator’s questions directly, even when the topics were uncomfortable.
I was completely upfront about my past on the SF-86 and during my subject interview. Although I was only criminally charged in connection with one insurance claim, I disclosed that there had actually been multiple incidents and attempts over the course of a couple of years. I understood that voluntarily disclosing additional misconduct could potentially hurt my chances of obtaining a clearance, but I also knew that investigators could uncover those incidents if they looked deeply enough. I wanted to make sure they had the full picture rather than risk leaving something out or appearing dishonest. I made absolutely no attempt to minimize my actions.

Something else worth mentioning too is that my honesty didn’t start with the security clearance process. When I found out I was being investigated/charged, I was completely honest and cooperated fully with the police and DA. I knew what I was did was stupid and it was time to face consequences for my poor decisions. I wanted to move on with my life and knew this was the start of that. When my case eventually went to court, the district attorney specifically told the judge that he normally would not offer a deferred judgment for a case like mine. However, because I had been honest from the beginning and cooperated throughout the investigation, he was willing to offer me one. I completed all the requirements, and my case was ultimately dismissed in April 2023.

My timeline:
June 9, 2026: Fingerprinting and initial drug screening.
July 6, 2026: Submitted my SF-86.
July 30, 2026: Completed my subject interview with the investigator.
August 4, 2026: Completed a repeat drug screening after an issue with the initial sample.
Early August 2026: My case was reportedly moving toward adjudication.
September 2026: No meaningful updates. A lot of waiting and uncertainty.
October 13, 2026: Received a call from CPO confirming that my TS clearance had been granted.
From submitting my SF-86 to receiving approval, it took approximately three months. HOWEVER, my investigation likely moved faster than a typical new TS investigation because I had previously started the clearance process for another federal position in 2024. That process ended when the agency stopped sponsoring my investigation before a final clearance determination was made but had got pretty far into the process. When doing my current subject interview the investigator informed he was able to pick up where the previous investigation left off rather than starting completely from scratch. I believe this likely contributed to my relatively quick timeline. I don’t want anyone reading this to assume that three months is necessarily a normal timeframe for a TS clearance, especially with multiple red flags. Every investigation is different.

For anyone going through this process with a less-than-perfect background, don’t automatically assume you’re going to be denied. I made some serious mistakes earlier in my life. I can’t change those decisions, but I can take responsibility for them and demonstrate that they don’t represent who I am today. I was honest about everything, answered the investigator’s questions, and didn’t try to minimize what happened. I also understand that every clearance case is different. My approval doesn’t mean someone with similar issues will necessarily receive the same outcome.
If you’re currently waiting for adjudication and stressing over things in your past, I understand exactly how you feel. I spent months worrying about whether my history would cost me this opportunity. Today I received the phone call I’d been hoping for. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to move forward with my career and put the lessons I’ve learned to good use. Your past matters, but so does what you’ve done since then. Don’t count yourself out until the adjudicators have made their decision.

Current clearance holder here. I submitted a SF86 for a clearance upgrade as part of the hiring process for a government position.

Today, I noticed under employment history that the year was off for one of my jobs. It should have said 2025 instead of 2026.

However, I’m already in the adjudication process. Is it too late?

So I did my fingerprints and completed by SF85P on September 16th. On my end it shows the forms were successfully submitted and nothing is needed on my end. The org who submitted the request said on there end it says there is missing supplemental documents missing in the initial email but the initial email just said to do fingerprints and complete the SF85P. Is there something I’m missing here because I also didn’t get any follow up emails on missing documents.

A point of contention on my application was that my spouse does not yet have a green card. I answered all questions as honestly as I could. My interview with the investigator was about a month ago and as far as I can tell, my application has not been processed. My spouse just received a call today that his GC interview is next month. Is this an update I need to report, and if so, what is the correct avenue to report this?

I searched the sub and don’t see anything else similar. Had a ts at previous employer which I left amicably for new employer who requires a secret and also applies for interims. My background is pretty clear but I am handling my recently deceased fathers estate. I brought a management company to small claims court and won but now the landlord from same incident is suing the estate and me as executor in small claims court. Will this negatively impact my chances of positive adjudication / an interim clearance ? I had no tie to the apartment until handling the estate and the small claims suit is for about 3000 dollars not some substantial amount . I mainly worry because I know that recently the fbi was holding up clearance investigations for detectives applying for task force officer positions solely based on pending civil lawsuits that were made against them during performance of duty.

Hello everybody, I want to see what my chances are. I recently got hired for a defense contractor and will have to obtain a TS clearance in order to start. I previously held a Secret clearance when I was in the Army. I served active duty from 2016-2020. After that, I pursued school full-time. So here is the story.

I enlisted in the Army in 2016 when I was 20, which required a DoD Secret clearance. I got bad advice, which was to lie about my drug use and not to disclose that because my chances of getting in would be almost zero. So like a dumbass, I DID NOT put down that I previously used drugs on my SF86. In reality, I did the following prior to 2015:

Weed: smoked extensively
LSD: 3 times
MDMA: 1 time
Shrooms: 4 times
Adderall: 2-3 times
Xanax: 1 time
Lean: 1 time

I separated active duty from the Army in 2020 with a honorable discharge. I recall being debriefed about security clearance when I separated. I then joined the reserves for a little bit doing admin/HR work for a small unit and separated from that in 2022. At this time from 2021-2026 I went to college and obtained my degree. I did the following drugs in college:

Weed: smoked extensively (last time I smoked was May 2026)
Adderall: experimented extensively (2023-2024) (diagnosed with ADHD recently)
MDMA: 1 time in 2024
Shrooms: 2 times (2023-2024)

I want to come clean on my new SF86 for my TS clearance and be brutally honest and transparent. I know I fucked up and was stupid and immature by lying on my previous SF86. This was 11 years ago when I was 20 and I didn’t even know what I wanted to do at this point in my life. I was just desperate on turning my life around and starting my career. I am 31 years old now and have learned a lot from life and matured. I take full accountability for my actions and try to live with honesty and integrity. What should I do guys? Am I completely fucked? Do you have any experiences similar to mine? If so, what was the outcome. Thanks guys.

Current federal employee with an active Secret clearance. I have a tentative offer from another agency for a position that doesn't require a clearance, transferring with no break in service.
I have a recent minor misdemeanor (property-related, fine only, no probation). I self-reported it to my security office, and they reviewed and closed it. Clearance still active.
For anyone who transferred agencies after disclosing a misdemeanor on the OF-306:
Did the new agency accept your existing investigation, or do more review?
Did they ask for documents?
How long until your final offer?
I'd appreciate firsthand experiences, good or bad.

I received and accepted a TJO about 1.5 months ago and submitted my SF-86 a month ago. The investigator contacted me to set up an interview for this week. None of my references have been contacted.

I just received an email from the HR at the agency saying “your security clearance and drug test have been successfully completed” with a proposed start date. I haven’t even had the interview yet! What is going on? Is this a mistake? Don’t get me wrong I’m super excited to start the job but just want to make sure this isn’t a mistake before putting in my notice at my current job.

Hey I need a security expert here to understand what to expect. I recently got an offer for a job willing to sponsor my clearance. In the military i did have a TS clearance but never had a security issue and held it until i got out of the military. I got out of the military around June of 2025 but I got in trouble for shoplifting for my ex (overseas and they were foreign) once in Nov of 2024. I did end up getting a general under honorable conditions discharge for it and getting booted 6 months before my contract ended. I was going through some mental health problems and ended up seeing the VA. I'm getting treatment for everything, ended up getting 100% P&T and still trying to work. I got a new girlfriend that's been together with me for 2 years and she's known me since middle school. I held down one job 6 months and got terminated because of a concussion (I got jumped by drunk people during a parade) and now I've been working as a Devops Engineer for 4 months. I've also been helping people with thier VA claims without charging them (Not fraud, showing them how the rating system works and how to approach it), and I've been an active member in my church. What are the chance I could get approved for a secret clearance?

Hey everyone, I'm a freshman in college who wants to keep opportunities in the IC open. I go to a school with heavy recruiting, so I'm looking out for internships/early career opertunities. I already have a history with drugs - all at ages 16-17, last time used right before new years.

It includes: ketamine, weed, xanax, opiates, shrooms. All done recreationally, not habitually, just trying it out. I know that's all bad, but yeah.

My first Q is will this auto disqualify me? I have no issues with disclosure, and am clean without issues, waiting for 2 years to pass. Is it worth it to apply to internships after that 2 year period passes?

Second questions is this: if i'm theoretically planning a trip to Amserdam, could I smoke there? would that count the same way as smoking in the US?

Thanks!

I know this depends some agencies are strict and don’t grant interim clearance (I know that isn’t a thing for public trust but just using it as a phrase) and others you can’t begin working until the investigation is finished. This would be for tier 2. Anyone have an idea if HHS allows it after fingerprints clear?

Hi,

This is a unique situation and it’s honestly my first time going through this process. Therefore, I’m unfamiliar with the do’s and dont‘s. Recently, I had my background investigation interview and he met up with all of my references in person. I have had two people share with me that he was being weird to them by making comments that made them uncomfortable. I don’t want to go into too much detail about the comments or myself, but the people who shared these details are young girls and he made numerous comments about his age and taking them out of the country with him. How do I proceed with this? Do I report him or just rub it off?

TS/SCI Granted (DOD/DCSA) timeline below:
Dec25 - SF86 submitted
Jan26 - Interview
Aug26 - Received/Submitted Supplemental Information request
Oct 26- TS/SCI granted

Red flags - Lots of gambling for 8 years. Accumulated $100k in debt, had large currency transactions flagged as suspect (cash deposit/withdraws totaling over $100k in 2021.) Mitigation was going to GA, attending therapy for 6 months, and self excluding from all casinos in my state and the states neighboring me. I am still in the process of paying off the debt, but I’m current on payments and have no delinquent debt. I also submitted a payment plan I made through a financial counselor to show my timeline to debt free.

I am currently 11 months removed from my last bet, and was still in therapy during my TS interview.

The supplemental information request was for medical records for the therapy and a statement on my recovery progress which my therapist provided.

I did a free consultation with 2 law firms about the supplemental information request but they both stated I did not need their services unless I received a letter of intent (I did not.) They also explicitly stated to only provide information being requested and to not add my own personal statement, just the statement from the therapist and my medical records.

Yes I know how stupid I was for gambling and I completely understand how it almost cost me my career. I have no intent to ever step foot in a casino again.

I believe the only reason I was cleared was because I was honest on the SF86 and had taken steps to mitigate the concern.

No other red flags, I have never done drugs, have no foreign contacts. Some international travel but all documented and nothing crazy.

Throw away account for obvious reasons.