Financial Disclosure Report Required for Some National Security Positions

Much has been written in blog posts and articles about national security positions within the Intelligence Community and DoD components that require a polygraph, but not many have touched on another requirement some positions may also require, and that is the Financial Disclosure Report (Standard Form 714). This lengthy four-page report asks you to provide information concerning income, assets and liabilities generated, held or incurred by you, your spouse (your legal wife or husband) and any of your dependent children including any legal or beneficial interest.

Here are some examples of information requested that apply to both U.S. and foreign income and accounts: annual income; bank accounts; investment accounts; owned or leased real estate; owned or leased vehicles, boats, airplanes; other assets; credit cards, mortgages and loans; and safe deposit boxes. The types of positions that may require this report are those with regular access to the most sensitive classified information (e.g., the identity of covert agents, technical intelligence collection systems, advanced cryptographic codes and systems, special program areas and nuclear weapons design info).

The stated purpose of requesting all of this information is to assist in detecting unexplained affluence, financial hardship, or possible insider threats, as well as to evaluate eligibility or continued eligibility for access to classified information. Unlike other less intrusive financial disclosure forms, the SF-714 is designed to help detect conflict of interest issues and potential espionage activities. The current version of the SF-714 expired in November 2021 but the Office of the Director of National Intelligence has submitted a request via the Federal Register to have it extended for three more years with no changes.