OVERPAYMENTS FROM THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

What are overpayments? According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), an overpayment is when a recipient of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits receives more money for a month than he or should have been paid by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

How Could I Receive an Overpayment?
There are several reasons as to how come an individual received an overpayment. Those include:

  • The recipient’s income was more than he/she estimated.
  • The recipient’s living situation changed.
  • The recipient’s marital status changed.
  • The recipient has more resources than what is allowed.
  • The recipient does not report a necessary change promptly or at all as necessary.
  • The Social Security Administration (SSA) incorrectly figures the recipient’s benefits because of incorrect or incomplete information from the recipient.

What Happens When I Receive an Overpayment?
When the Social Security Administration (SSA) reviews and discovers that an overpayment of funds was made, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will send the recipient a notice that explains the overpayments and will request for a full refund within 30 days. In the notice the Social Security Administration (SSA) will propose to withhold the overpayment at the rate of the lesser of 10 percent or the full monthly payment, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will state which month the withholding will start, how a recipient can appeal, and how a recipient can request the Social Security Administration (SSA) to review, reconsider and waive the overpayment.​

It is very important for recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to report changes that could affect his/her eligibility, such as wages/income. If a recipient does not report necessary changes, recipients are placing his/her benefits in great jeopardy and could trigger an overpayment. If you are unsure of what changes to report visit https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-report-ussi.htm. It is the recipient’s responsibility to report the changes in a timely manner.