1403.9—Late payment interest and administrative charges.
(a)
(1)
The provisions of this section are applicable to all persons whose debt to CCC becomes delinquent after January 1, 1990, unless the debtor and CCC agree otherwise.
(i)
To debts owed by Federal agencies and State and local governments. Interest on debts owed by such entities shall be charged in accordance with applicable statutes or, if none are applicable, at the rate of interest charged by the U.S. Treasury for funds borrowed by CCC on the day the debt became delinquent;
(ii)
If an applicable statute, regulation, agreement or contract either prohibits the charging of such interest or specifies the interest or charges applicable to the debt involved;
(b)
CCC will assess late payment interest on the full amount of delinquent debts. For purposes of this section, the term “full amount of the delinquent debt” means the sum of the principal, accrued regular loan interest or accrued program interest, and any other charges which are otherwise due and owing to CCC on the delinquent debt at the time the late payment interest is assessed, except as provided in paragraphs (a)(2) and (d)(3) of this section.
(c)
The late payment interest shall be expressed as an annual rate of interest which CCC charges on delinquent debts. The late payment interest rate shall be equal to the higher of the Treasury Department's current value of funds rate or the rate of interest assessed under the Prompt Payment Act, determined as of the date specified in paragraphs (d)(1) and (d)(2) of this section.
(d)
(1)
When a debt results from a statute, regulation, contract or other agreement with specific provisions for late payment interest and payment due date, late payment interest shall accrue on the amount of the debt from the first day the debt became delinquent, unless otherwise provided by statute.
(2)
With respect to debts not resulting from a statute, regulation, contract or agreement containing specific provisions for late payment interest and payment due date, late payment interest shall begin to accrue from the date on which notice of the debt is first mailed or hand-delivered to the debtor, except that, with respect to debts resulting from price support loans, late payment interest shall begin to accrue from the date on which a claim is established.
(3)
The rate of late payment interest initially assessed will be fixed for the duration of the indebtedness, except when a debtor has defaulted on a repayment agreement and seeks to enter into a new agreement. CCC may then set a new rate of interest which reflects the late payment interest rate in effect at the time the new agreement is executed. All charges which accrued, but which were not collected under the defaulted agreement, shall be added to the principal to be paid under a new repayment agreement.
(e)
(1)
Except as specified in paragraphs (a)(2) and (e)(2) of this section, an additional interest rate of three (3) percent per annum will be assessed on any portion of a debt which remains unpaid 90 days after the date described in paragraph (d)(1) or (d)(2) of this section, if no repayment schedule satisfactory to CCC has been agreed upon. Such rate will be assessed retroactively from the date late payment interest began to accrue and apply on a daily basis. Such rate shall continue to accrue until the delinquent debt has been paid.
(2)
With respect to debts resulting from price support loans, an additional interest rate of three (3) percent per annum will be assessed on a portion of a debt which remains unpaid 60 days after the date on which a claim was established. Such rate will be assessed retroactively from the date of claim establishment and apply on a daily basis. Such rate shall continue to accrue until the delinquent debt has been paid.
(f)
CCC shall assess as administrative charges the additional costs of processing delinquent debts against the debtor, to the extent such costs are attributable to the delinquency. Such costs include, but are not limited to, costs incurred in obtaining a credit report, costs of employing commercial firms to locate debtor, costs of employing contractors for collection services, costs of selling collateral or property to satisfy the debt.
(g)
When a debt is paid in partial or installment payments, payments will be applied first to administrative charges, second to additional interest assessed in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section and late payment interest, and third to outstanding principal.