[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 14]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR1956.110]

[Page 265-266]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
   CHAPTER XVIII--RURAL HOUSING SERVICE, RURAL BUSINESS--COOPERATIVE 
SERVICE, RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, AND FARM SERVICE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF 
                         AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED)
 
PART 1956--DEBT SETTLEMENT--Table of Contents
 
       Subpart C--Debt Settlement--Community and Business Programs
 
Sec.  1956.110  Joint debtors.

    Settlements may not be approved for one joint debtor unless approved 
for all debtors. Joint debtors includes all parties, individuals, and 
organizations, who are legally liable for payment of the debt.
    (a) Individual settlement offers from joint debtors can be accepted 
and processed only as a joint offer. A separate Form FmHA or its 
successor agency under Public Law 103-354 1956-1 will be completed by 
each debtor unless the debtors are members of the same family and all 
necessary financial information on each debtor can be shown clearly on a 
single application.
    (b) If one of the joint debtors is deceased or has received a 
discharge of the debt in bankruptcy, or if the whereabouts of one of the 
debtors is unknown, or it is otherwise impossible or impractical to 
obtain the signature of the debtor, the application for settlement may 
be accepted without that

[[Page 266]]

debtor's signature if it contains adequate information on each of the 
debtors to justify settlement of the debt as to each of the debtors. The 
name of the debtor requesting settlement will be shown at the top of 
Form FmHA or its successor agency under Public Law 103-354 1956-1 
followed by name and status of the other debtor. For example, ``John 
Doe, joint debtor with Jane Doe, deceased.''
    (c) Joint debtors must be advised in writing that all debtors will 
remain liable for the balance of the debt until any payment(s) due under 
the joint offer have been made.