As part of the North Carolina Setoff Debt Collection Act, debtors to the university with debts of $50 or greater must be listed with the NC Department of Revenue for potential set off against their NC individual income tax refunds.
The NC Department of Revenue will notify the person with a past due account that they university has a claim against their income tax refund at the time that a refund is seized. The amount owed to UNCW plus a SODCA collection fee is deducted from the individual’s state tax refund. The amount owed is then forwarded to UNCW and the collection fee is retained by the NC Department of Revenue.
UNCW will apply the funds received as payment against the outstanding account balance and send a letter to the student notifying them. The student has 30 days to file an appeal, if no appeal is filed then the monies (excluding the SODCA collection fee) is applied to the outstanding balance.
If you are a state employee who owes the university money, your account will be submitted as part of the State Employees Debt Collection Act 143-553 (SEDCA). This act requires that employees who work for a state agency will be required to pay their debt in full or authorize their wages being garnished 10 percent of their net earnings or face termination.
Monthly payment plans are available to students whose accounts have been placed in collections.
Please contact the Collection Specialist at 910.962.1089 to set up a payment plan or if you have questions about your student account in collections. While establishment of satisfactory payment arrangement will not result in the removal of holds, it will stop the progression of collection efforts once the first installment has been paid.Note if the student fails to make the monthly scheduled payment the collection process will resume.
Rectifying your accounts means all debt is paid and holds are removed.
When will the hold on my account be removed?
If you have paid your outstanding balance with the university then the hold on your account will be removed. Please use the following chart to determine the timeline for removing a hold.
| Amount Due | Payment Plan (in Months) |
|---|---|
| $500 to $999 | 6-Month Payment Plan |
| $1,000 to $2,999 | 12-Month Payment Plan |
| $3,000 to $4,999 | 18-Month Payment Plan |
| $5,000 or more | 24-Month Payment Plan |
| Type of Payment | Account Hold Removal Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Cash or Credit Card | Immediately |
| Webcheck | 10 business days from payment |
| Paper Check | 30 days from payment* |
*Please note: Students may email a copy of the front and back of the paper check (account numbers blackened out) or provide bank documentation that the check has cleared their account then we will remove the hold sooner than 30 days.