A RETIRED woman has spent the last three years receiving random amounts in her Social Security payments, and some months she received nothing due to an overpayment.
The beneficiary explained how the Social Security Administration revoked her benefits for most months of the past three years.
Susan explained in a Facebook post that SSA overpaid her and was now getting her money back.
“As most know, for the past three years, Social Security has paid me either 0 for many months, or a percentage of my income depending, apparently, on the whim of their staff,” she said.
“They claim that Social Security (not me) made a mistake and “accidentally” overpaid me.”
She realized how widespread the problem is when she saw a report on CBS’s 60 Minutes investigating improper payments and how the SSA collects debts.
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Following the report, SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley called debt collections “brutal” and said the administration will now withhold no more than 10% of a beneficiary’s monthly payment to collect debts.
The SSA will also make it easier for them to request a waiver to dispute the debt.
When this went into effect, Susan received a letter saying she would receive a check for $471 on July 24 and the full amount of the check every month thereafter.
Susan said that before she received the letter, she had only received the entire check in March.
“I got my entire check for March in the third week of the month because I went to the Social Security office and just cried,” she wrote on publish.
One of her friends commented that she was in the same position and that she “basically had to cry.”
“I feel sorry for you, Susan. They were going to give me $0 too, but someone on the phone fixed it, so they can only withdraw $86 a month for three years, which is what they already told me,” the friend wrote.
“I’m on my second or third appeal, so now I’m going to get the full amount until they make another decision.
“They know the overpayment was their mistake, but they think I can pay them, so now I’m trying to prove that I can’t pay my bills without my son’s help. be a difficulty.”
Internal agency records obtained by Cox Media Group stations found that more than two million Americans face overpayments annually.
OVERPAYMENT OPTIONS
The overpayment notification must contain the reason for the overpayment, the amount and refund options.
The recipient can arrange repayment or request debt waiver.
Flexible payment plans are available, starting at just $10 per month.
Those wishing to file an exemption must request a non-medical reconsideration online or submit an SSA-561, Request for Reconsideration, to their local Social Security office.
Beneficiaries who believe they are not at fault for the overpayment and are unable to repay it can request an exemption, as Susan’s friend did.
Submitting a Waiver to the SSA
Those who are unable to pay the overpaid amounts indicated by the SSA or who feel they should not be able to do so can fill out a specific form.
- O form is identified as SSA-632 in the SSA website and can be completed and submitted at a local office.
- “If you agree that you received an overpayment, but you feel that you should not have to return it because you did not cause the overpayment and you are unable to repay it, you should complete Form SSA-632,” notes the SSA on your website.
- It also lists several refund options.
- Recipients with additional questions should call 1-800-772-1213.
To do so, recipients must complete an SSA-632, Request for Exemption from Recovery of Overpayment.
If an exemption is denied and a person must pay back the amount, they may qualify to have the payment amount reduced if they file Form SSA-634, Request for Change in Overpayment Recovery Rate.
Another Social Security beneficiary was evicted after trying to pay off a $91,000 debt due to overpayments.
Plus, see what happened to one recipient after the SSA “took everything [her] benefits” due to an overpayment of $13,000.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
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