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Credit Balance Refunds

Credit Balance Refunds

Companies have the option to request a refund at any time during the year if there is a credit balance on their account.

USAC notifies all companies with a credit balance on their January invoice that the company is eligible for a credit balance refund (CBR).

All credit balances are offset with any known future universal service fund obligations and the company is only eligible for a refund of any remaining credit balance. Companies must be current with their FCC Form 499 filings to be considered for a refund.

CBR Distribution Schedule

Submission Deadline Month Refund Processed
November 10 January
February 10 April
May 10 July
August 10 October

 

Refund Exceptions

As with other disbursements, payments will be held if a company is in Red Light status. USAC reviews both the FCC Red Light status as well as the USAC Red Light status prior to issuing a credit balance refund.

Companies that have recently provided USAC with information to deactivate their account will only be eligible for a credit balance refund after the inactive reconciliation is completed and the final balance appears on the company’s invoice.

Universal service balances transferred to the U.S. Department of Treasury (“Treasury”), in accordance with the Debt Collection Improvement Act (DCIA), must be satisfied before a carrier’s credit balance refund will be disbursed by USAC. It is the carrier’s responsibility to contact the Treasury directly to settle any outstanding balance issues. The Treasury can be reached at (888) 826-3127.

Submitting a CBR Request

To submit a request for a credit balance refund, select the appropriate document below and follow the directions:

USAC is required by the FCC to disburse all credit balance refunds by Automated Clearing House (ACH). All bank routing and account numbers must be of United States origin. Funds cannot be transmitted to foreign banks. Upon successful payment of the credit balance refund, the amount of the credit is removed from the invoice balance as indicated by a “Credit Balance Refund” line item.