[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 34, Volume 3]
[Revised as of July 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 34CFR682.409]

[Page 755-758]
 
                           TITLE 34--EDUCATION
 
 CHAPTER VI--OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
 
PART 682_FEDERAL FAMILY EDUCATION LOAN (FFEL) PROGRAM--Table of Contents
 
 Subpart D_Administration of the Federal Family Education Loan Programs 
                          by a Guaranty Agency
 
Sec. 682.409  Mandatory assignment by guaranty agencies of defaulted loans to 

the Secretary.

    (a)(1) If the Secretary determines that action is necessary to 
protect the Federal fiscal interest, the Secretary directs a guaranty 
agency to promptly assign to the Secretary any loans held by the agency 
on which the agency has received payment under Sec. 682.402(f), 
682.402(k), or 682.404. The collection of unpaid loans owed by Federal 
employees by Federal salary offset is, among other things, deemed to be 
in the Federal fiscal interest. Unless the Secretary notifies an agency, 
in writing, that other loans must be assigned to the Secretary, an 
agency must assign any loan that meets all of the following criteria as 
of April 15 of each year:
    (i) The unpaid principal balance is at least $100.
    (ii) For each of the two fiscal years following the fiscal year in 
which these regulations are effective, the loan, and any other loans 
held by the agency for that borrower, have been held by the agency for 
at least four years; for any subsequent fiscal year such loan must have 
been held by the agency for at least five years.
    (iii) A payment has not been received on the loan in the last year.
    (iv) A judgment has not been entered on the loan against the 
borrower.
    (2) If the agency fails to meet a fiscal year recovery rate standard 
under paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section for a loan type, and the 
Secretary determines that additional assignments are necessary to 
protect the Federal fiscal interest, the Secretary may require the 
agency to assign in addition to those loans described in paragraph 
(a)(1) of this section, loans in amounts needed to satisfy the 
requirements of paragraph (a)(2)(iii) or (a)(3)(i) of this section.
    (i) Calculation of fiscal year loan type recovery rate. A fiscal 
year loan type recovery rate for an agency is determined by dividing the 
amount collected on defaulted loans, including collections by Federal 
Income Tax Refund Offset, for each loan program (i.e., the Stafford, 
PLUS, SLS, and Consolidation loan programs) by the agency for loans of 
that program (including payments received by the agency on loans under 
Sec. 682.401(b)(4) and Sec. 682.409 and the amounts of any loans 
purchased from the guaranty agency by an eligible lender) during the 
most recent fiscal year for which data are available by the total of 
principal and interest owed to an agency on defaulted loans for each 
loan program at the beginning of the same fiscal year, less accounts 
permanently assigned to the Secretary through the most recent fiscal 
year.
    (ii) Fiscal year loan type recovery rates standards. (A) If, in each 
of the two fiscal years following the fiscal year in which these 
regulations are effective, the fiscal year loan type recovery rate for a 
loan program for an agency is below 80 percent of the average recovery 
rate of all active guaranty agencies in each of the same two fiscal 
years for that program type, and the Secretary determines that 
additional assignments are necessary to protect the Federal fiscal 
interest, the Secretary may require the agency to make additional 
assignments in accordance with paragraph (a)(2)(iii) of this section.
    (B) In any subsequent fiscal year the loan type recovery rate 
standard for a loan program must be 90 percent of the average recovery 
rate of all active guaranty agencies.
    (iii) Non-achievement of loan type recovery rate standards.
    (A) Unless the Secretary determines under paragraph (a)(2)(iv) of 
this section that protection of the Federal fiscal interest requires 
that a lesser amount be assigned, upon notice from the Secretary, an 
agency with a fiscal year loan type recovery rate described in paragraph 
(a)(2)(ii) of this section must promptly assign to the Secretary a 
sufficient amount of defaulted loans, in addition to loans to be 
assigned in accordance with paragraph (a)(1) of this section, to cause 
the fiscal year loan type recovery rate of the agency

[[Page 756]]

that fiscal year to equal or exceed the average rate of all agencies 
described in paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section when recalculated to 
exclude from the denominator of the agency's fiscal year loan type 
recovery rate the amount of these additional loans.
    (B) The Secretary, in consultation with the guaranty agency, may 
require the amount of loans to be assigned under paragraph (a)(2) of 
this section to include particular categories of loans that share 
characteristics that make the performance of the agency fall below the 
appropriate percentage of the loan type recovery rate as described in 
paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section.
    (iv) Calculation of loan type recovery rate standards. The 
Secretary, within 30 days after the date for submission of the second 
quarterly report from all agencies, makes available to all agencies a 
mid-year report, showing the recovery rate for each agency and the 
average recovery rate of all active guaranty agencies for each loan 
type. In addition, the Secretary, within 120 days after the beginning of 
each fiscal year, makes available a final report showing those rates and 
the average rate for each loan type for the preceding fiscal year.
    (3)(i) Determination that the protection of the Federal fiscal 
interest requires assignments. Upon petition by an agency submitted 
within 45 days of the notice required by paragraph (a)(2)(iii)(A) of 
this section, the Secretary may determine that protection of the Federal 
fiscal interest does not require assignment of all loans described in 
paragraph (a)(1) of this section or of loans in the full amount 
described in paragraph (a)(2)(iii) of this section only after review of 
the agency's petition. In making this determination, the Secretary 
considers all relevant information available to him (including any 
information and documentation obtained by the Secretary in reviews of 
the agency or submitted to the Secretary by the agency) as follows:
    (A) For each of the two fiscal years following the fiscal year in 
which these regulations are effective, the Secretary considers 
information presented by an agency with a fiscal year loan type recovery 
rate above the average rate of all active agencies to demonstrate that 
the protection of the Federal fiscal interest will be served if any 
amounts of loans of the loan type required to be assigned to the 
Secretary under paragraph (a)(1) of this section are retained by that 
agency. For any subsequent fiscal year, the Secretary considers 
information presented by an agency with a fiscal year recovery rate 10 
percent above the average rate of all active agencies.
    (B) The Secretary considers information presented by an agency that 
is required to assign loans under paragraph (a)(2) of this section to 
demonstrate that the protection of the Federal fiscal interest will be 
served if the agency demonstrates that its compliance with Sec. 
682.401(b)(4) and Sec. 682.405 has reduced substantially its fiscal 
year loan type recovery rate or rates or if the agency is not required 
to assign amounts of loans that would otherwise have to be assigned.
    (C) The information provided by an agency pursuant to paragraphs 
(a)(3)(i)(A) and (B) of this section may include, but is not limited to 
the following:
    (1) The fiscal year loan type recovery rate within such school 
sectors as the Secretary may designate for the agency, and for all 
agencies.
    (2) The fiscal year loan type recovery rate for loans for the agency 
and for all agencies categorized by age of the loans as the Secretary 
may determine.
    (3) The performance of the agency, and all agencies, in default 
aversion.
    (4) The agency's performance on judgment enforcement.
    (5) The existence and use of any state or guaranty agency-specific 
collection tools.
    (6) The agency's level of compliance with Sec. Sec. 682.409 and 
682.410(b)(6).
    (7) Other factors that may affect loan repayment such as State or 
regional unemployment and natural disasters.
    (ii) Denial of an agency's petition. If the Secretary does not 
accept the agency's petition, the Secretary provides, in writing, to the 
agency the Secretary's reasons for concluding that the Federal fiscal 
interest is best protected by requiring the assignment.
    (b)(1) A guaranty agency that assigns a defaulted loan to the 
Secretary under

[[Page 757]]

this section thereby releases all rights and title to that loan. The 
Secretary does not pay the guaranty agency any compensation for a loan 
assigned under this section.
    (2) The guaranty agency does not share in any amounts received by 
the Secretary on a loan assigned under this section, regardless of the 
reinsurance percentage paid on the loan or the agency's previous 
collection costs.
    (c)(1) A guaranty agency must assign a loan to the Secretary under 
this section at the time, in the manner, and with the information and 
documentation that the Secretary requires. The agency must submit this 
information and documentation in the form (including magnetic media) and 
format specified by the Secretary.
    (2) The guaranty agency must execute an assignment to the United 
States of America of all right, title, and interest in the promissory 
note or judgment evidencing a loan assigned under this section. If more 
than one loan is made under an MPN, the assignment of the note only 
applies to the loan or loans being assigned to the Secretary.
    (3) If the agency does not provide the required information and 
documentation in the form and format required by the Secretary, the 
Secretary may, at his option--
    (i) Allow the agency to revise the agency's submission to include 
the required information and documentation in the specified form and 
format;
    (ii) In the case of an improperly formatted computer tape, reformat 
the tape and assess the cost of the activity against the agency;
    (iii) Reorganize the material submitted and assess the cost of that 
activity against the agency; or
    (iv) Obtain from other agency records and add to the agency's 
submission any information from the original submission, and assess the 
cost of that activity against the agency.
    (4) For each loan assigned, the agency shall submit to the Secretary 
the following documents associated for each loan, assembled in the order 
listed below:
    (i) The original or a true and exact copy of the promissory note.
    (ii) Any documentation of a judgment entered on the loan.
    (iii) A written assignment of the loan or judgment, unless this 
assignment is affixed to the promissory note.
    (iv) The loan application, if a separate application was provided to 
the lender.
    (v) A payment history for the loan, as described in Sec. 
682.414(a)(1)(ii)(C).
    (vi) A collection history for the loan, as described in Sec. 
682.414(a)(1)(ii)(D).
    (5) The agency may submit copies of required documents in lieu of 
originals.
    (6) The Secretary may accept the assignment of a loan without all of 
the documents listed in paragraph (c)(4) of this section. If directed to 
do so, the agency must retain these documents for submission to the 
Secretary at some future date.
    (d)(1) If the Secretary determines that the agency has not submitted 
a document or record required by paragraph (c) of this section, and the 
Secretary decides to allow the agency an additional opportunity to 
submit the omitted document under paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this section, 
the Secretary notifies the agency and provides a reasonable period of 
time for the agency to submit the omitted record or document.
    (2) If the omitted document is not submitted within the time 
specified by the Secretary, the Secretary determines whether that 
omission impairs the Secretary's ability to collect the loan.
    (3) If the Secretary determines that the ability to collect the loan 
has been impaired under paragraph (d)(2) of this section, the Secretary 
assesses the agency the amount paid to the agency under the reinsurance 
agreement and accrued interest at the rate applicable to the borrower 
under Sec. 682.410(b)(3).

[[Page 758]]

    (4) The Secretary reassigns to the agency that portion of the loan 
determined to be unenforceable by the Department.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 
1845-0020)

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1078, 1078-1, 1078-2, 1078-3, 1082)

[57 FR 60323, Dec. 18, 1992, as amended at 58 FR 9120, Feb. 19, 1993; 59 
FR 33356, June 28, 1994; 60 FR 30788, June 12, 1995; 64 FR 18980, Apr. 
16, 1999; 64 FR 58630, Oct. 29, 1999; 64 FR 58963, Nov. 1, 1999]