Legal Definitions - Anti-Assignment Act

The Anti-Assignment Act is a law that prevents people from transferring or assigning their claims against the United States government to someone else. This means that if you have a claim against the government, you cannot sell or give it to someone else.

For example, if you were in a car accident with a government vehicle and the government was at fault, you could file a claim for damages. However, you cannot sell that claim to someone else who wants to collect the money.

Another example is if you are a contractor who did work for the government and the government owes you money. You cannot transfer that debt to someone else who wants to collect the payment.

The purpose of the Anti-Assignment Act is to prevent fraud and ensure that the government deals directly with the people who have claims against it. It also helps to prevent people from profiting off of their claims against the government.