The Process: How to Ask the Judgment Fund to Pay an Award
- A federal agency determines that there is no other source of funds that can legally be used to pay the award and that, therefore, asking the Judgment Fund to pay is appropriate.
- An authorized official at the agency asks the Judgment Fund to pay through the Judgment Fund Internet Claims System
- The Judgment Fund Branch of the Bureau of the Fiscal Service reviews the claim and makes sure that
- no other source of money could legally pay the award
- the judgment or settlement is final and ready for payment
NOTE: The Bureau of the Fiscal Service only administers the Fund, it does not review or evaluate the merits of the judgment or settlement.
- If the Judgment Fund Branch agrees that the Judgment Fund is the right source to use and the judgment or settlement is final, they certify the request. If they have questions and are not ready to certify, they contact the agency to discuss the situation before making a final decision on certification.
- Before making the certification final, the Bureau of the Fiscal Service compares the name and TIN of each plaintiff against information that the Treasury Offset Program has on people who owe non-tax debt that the government is responsible for collecting. If there is a positive match, the payment is reduced (offset) to satisfy that debt.
- When all required deductions have been made (both those the requesting agency is responsible for noting on the forms and any debts the Treasury Offset Program finds), the Judgment Fund Branch completes the certification process by submitting a properly completed certified payment voucher to the disbursing official.
- The disbursing official pays the money according to the voucher.