» » Social Security Sent Me Too Much Money. Am I Supposed to Pay It Back? A Social Security overpayment notice could set a recipient back a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars.

Social Security Sent Me Too Much Money. Am I Supposed to Pay It Back? A Social Security overpayment notice could set a recipient back a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars.

Social Security Sent Me Too Much Money. Am I Supposed to Pay It Back? A Social Security overpayment notice could set a recipient back a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars.

The Social Safety Administration will typically mistakenly overpay beneficiaries, and when it does it points an overpayment discover requesting that cash again. If that occurs to you, it may set you again anyplace from a pair hundred to some thousand {dollars} or extra, unexpectedly. 

Martha Shedden, president and co-founder of the Nationwide Affiliation of Registered Social Safety Analysts, helps shoppers with overpayment inquiries frequently. A couple of occasions, she’s even seen shoppers obtain notices that say the beneficiary owes the Social Safety Administration over $30,000. That is some huge cash to pay again once you weren’t anticipating it, particularly should you depend on these advantages applications for monetary help and are strapped for money. 

For extra, here is when the administration sends your Social Safety verify every month and the way to contact the Social Safety Administration in case you have questions.

What’s a Social Safety overpayment and the way does it occur?

In keeping with the SSA, an overpayment happens when the company sends you extra money than you need to’ve acquired. The rationale for an overpayment varies, relying on the kind of advantages you obtain, whether or not they’re old-age, survivors, incapacity or one thing else. Perhaps you began a brand new job whereas amassing Social Safety retirement advantages and did not notify the company in regards to the change in your earnings. Or your incapacity standing modified and also you returned to work however continued to obtain Social Safety Incapacity Insurance coverage (a program for folks with disabilities who can now not work). 

Overpayments may also occur to recipients of Supplemental Safety Revenue (a program for the aged and folks with disabilities who make little to no earnings) for a lot of causes, like a rise in earnings or errors within the info you offered to the administration.

The commonest causes that overpayments occur, lawyer Bethany Ok. Laurence writes in an All Legislation article, embody: 

  • Marriage
  • A roommate moved in or out (this one applies to SSI recipients) 
  • A baby moved out 
  • You started working
  • You earned extra month-to-month earnings than beforehand estimated 
  • You started receiving extra advantages 
  • You started receiving baby assist
  • You acquired extra earnings than an SSI recipient is allowed
  • You are now not disabled
  • You have been convicted of a criminal offense 

Shedden explains that a whole lot of overpayments happen as a result of a beneficiary did not notify the Social Safety Administration of a change that may have an effect on their advantages quantity. There’s additionally the prospect {that a} beneficiary was proactive and informed the administration about these adjustments, nevertheless it did not document the change in its system in time and nonetheless offered the identical profit quantity month after month.  

How do I do know if the SSA overpaid me?

You or your consultant payee (the particular person liable for amassing your advantages should you aren’t in a position to take action) will obtain a discover from the administration. The discover will let you know by how a lot you’ve got been overpaid, why you have been overpaid, how one can repay the overpayment and what your enchantment and waiver rights are, in accordance to the SSA (PDF). 

Should you obtain a discover, Shedden advises appearing on it rapidly. Learn by means of the discover fastidiously and ensure that the data — the quantities and the dates — are right. Preserve studying for what to do whether it is or if it is not right.

How can I clear up the overpayment?

Should you agree with the SSA’s overpayment claims, you will have 30 days plus 5 mailing days to repay the company. Should you’re receiving Social Safety advantages, the administration will withhold the complete quantity of your advantages 30 days after it notifies you of the overpayment, until you request a decrease withholding quantity and the SSA approves your request. 

For SSI recipients, the company usually withholds 10% of the utmost month-to-month profit fee. “If you cannot afford this, it’s possible you’ll ask that we take much less out of your profit every month,” the SSA says. It begins withholding 60 days after it notifies SSI recipients. It’s also possible to repay at a fee better than 10% per thirty days. 

Should you now not obtain SSI however you’re a Social Safety beneficiary, you’ll be able to have 10% of your month-to-month Social Safety advantages withheld.   

What if I am now not a beneficiary?

Should you do not obtain any advantages anymore, you’ll be able to contact the SSA to arrange a compensation plan or ship it a verify to repay your advantages inside 30 days of overpayment notification. 

What are my enchantment and waiver rights for an overpayment discover?

If you wish to dispute the SSA’s claims of overpayment, you will have enchantment rights. Perhaps you disagree with the SSA’s assertion that you just have been overpaid otherwise you imagine the overpayment quantity is wrong. 

An enchantment is a reconsideration request for the SSA to look over your overpayment discover as soon as extra. You’d request reconsideration should you imagine the quantity is wrong or the rationale for the company issuing you the overpayment discover is wrong. To submit an enchantment, discover type SSA-561 (PDF) on-line or name the SSA at 800-772-1213. Should you file your enchantment request inside 30 days, the company will not take the cash out of your advantages till after it has reached a choice, in response to Pine Tree Authorized Help.

Should you assume the overpayment shouldn’t be your fault and you’ll’t afford to repay, or should you assume it is unfair, you will wish to fill out type SSA-632 (PDF) as a substitute. To vary the sum of money you repay each month, fill out type SSA-634 (PDF).

How can I stop an overpayment from occurring sooner or later?

For SSI and SSDI recipients, it is important to report your work and wages throughout the first six days of the calendar month, and accomplish that each month, in order that the profit quantity you obtain precisely represents your present earnings standing, the SSA says. You’ll be able to report your wages on-line by means of your My Social Safety account, the SSI Wage Reporting app (should you obtain SSI) or phone wage reporting, or by taking your pay stubs to your native Social Safety workplace and reporting in particular person, in response to the SSA. 

For different Social Safety recipients who wish to stop overpayments, it is crucial to repeatedly notify the SSA about any adjustments in work standing, earnings or different components that would change the quantity of advantages you accumulate. 

Who can I attain out to for assist?

Should you want some extra assist exterior of the Social Safety Administration, applications like Registered Social Safety Analysts and the Nationwide Group of Social Safety Claimants’ Representatives can help beneficiaries with these types of disputes and assist them additional perceive the complexities of their advantages.

For extra, here is a cheat sheet to know your Social Safety advantages.

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