The notice of intention to setoff must be given by mailing the notice, with postage prepaid, addressed to the debtor at the address provided to the claimant agency when the debt was incurred or at the debtor’s last known address. The giving of the notice by mail is complete upon the expiration of thirty days after deposit of the notice in the mail. A certification by the claimant agency that the notice has been sent is presumptive proof that the requirements as to notice are met, even if the notice actually has not been received by the debtor. The notice must include a statement of appeal procedures available to the debtor, substantially as follows:

"According to our records, you owe the (claimant agency) a debt in the amount of (amount of the debt), plus interest, if applicable, for (type of debt). You are hereby notified of the (claimant agency’s) intention to submit this debt to the South Carolina Department of Revenue to be set off against your individual income tax refunds until the debt is paid in full. Pursuant to the Setoff Debt Collection Act, this amount, plus all costs, will be deducted from your South Carolina individual income tax refunds unless you file a written protest within thirty days of the date of this notice. If you file a joint return with your spouse, this amount will be deducted from the total joint refunds without regard to which spouse incurred the debt or actually withheld the taxes. The protest must contain the following information:

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 12-56-62

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Claimant agency: means a state agency, board, committee, commission, public institution of higher learning, political subdivision, or other governmental or quasi-governmental entity of any state or the United States. See South Carolina Code 12-56-20
  • Debtor: means a person having a delinquent debt or account with a claimant agency which has not been adjusted, satisfied, or set aside by court order, or discharged in bankruptcy. See South Carolina Code 12-56-20
  • Department: means the South Carolina Department of Revenue. See South Carolina Code 12-56-20
  • individual: means a human being. See South Carolina Code 12-2-20

(1) your name;

(2) your address;

(3) your social security number;

(4) the type of debt in dispute; and

(5) a detailed statement of all the reasons you disagree with or dispute the debt.

The original written protest must be mailed to the (claimant agency) at the following address:

(address of the entity requesting the setoff)".

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