FAQ on Supplemental Security Income Overpayment

1. Does the Social Security Administration take into consideration an individual's financial situation and status in regard to paying the amount of Supplemental Security Income Overpayment owed?

         At any point in time that an individual's financial situation changes, the Social Security Administration can adjust the recovery amount accordingly. Under certain conditions however, an individual can file for a formal waiver. There are several forms that need to be submitted. A form from SSA, Request for Waiver of Overpayment Recovery or Change in Repayment Rate must be filled out completely.
   

2. What can be done if the Supplemental Security Income Overpayment  amount is incorrect and if an individual is not really overpaid?

       One can file a form from SSA which is a Request for Reconsideration  form. If an  individual believes that he or she has been overpaid and  feels that there is no need  to pay it back because he or she did not  cause the overpayment in the first place  or if there is no way that refund  can be afforded, that individual can file an SSA form – a Request  for  Waiver of Overpayment Recovery or a Request for Change in  Repayment Rate.

       If in the instance that the claimant still disagrees with the overpayment  decision and feels that he or she should not be held liable to pay it back  even if there was indeed a Supplemental Security Income Overpayment,  then the said claimant can file both reconsideration and waiver instead.

3. What are the documents that need to be presented in filing for a Request  for Waiver?

       When filing a request for waiver an individual needs to present all   documents  that will show and verify one’s financial statements. This  should include papers such as current bank account statements,  utility bills, pay stubs, credit card  payments, loan payments, etc. If one  does not have all these records immediately available, one must not  delay the filing. Claimants only have up to 30 days from the date the  request has been filed to supply them.

4. I have received too much in benefits. How will the Social Security Administration recover this overpayment?

       Recovery of a Supplemental Security Income Overpayment from a beneficiary is usually done by withholding the monthly Social Security check until the overpayment is paid in full. The Social Security Administration can employ several different methods of recovering overpayment including a compromise settlement. If the overpaid individual no longer receives Social Security payments, the Social Security Administration can recover the overpayment from the individual's Federal tax refund. This method of recovery is referred to as the Tax Refund Offset.