{"id":2042036,"date":"2023-09-22T21:23:02","date_gmt":"2023-09-23T01:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/social-security-agency-demands-americans-pay-them-back-after-overpaying\/"},"modified":"2023-09-22T21:27:06","modified_gmt":"2023-09-23T01:27:06","slug":"social-security-agency-demands-americans-pay-them-back-after-overpaying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/social-security-agency-demands-americans-pay-them-back-after-overpaying\/","title":{"rendered":"Social Security Agency seeks repayment from Americans due to overpayment."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsocial-security-agency-demands-americans-pay-them-back-after-overpaying%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2042036&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<p>A bevy of recent reports has indicated that some Americans are receiving demands from the Social\u200c Security Administration to repay the agency after they were overpaid\u2063 on their benefits.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"post_content\" id=\"post_content\">\n<p>A bevy of recent reports\u2062 has indicated \u2064that \u2064 <strong>some Americans are receiving demands from the Social Security Administration to repay the \u2063agency after they were overpaid\u2062 on\u2063 their benefits.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>According to those published reports, the issue tends to arise when the agency overpays\u2063 people \u2062who are receiving workers&#8217; compensation payments. A recent Social Security Administration\u2062 inspector\u2064 general&#8217;s\u200c report (<a href=\"https:\/\/oig.ssa.gov\/assets\/uploads\/a-02-21-51120.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pdf<\/a>) found\u200d that the administration collected about \u2063$4.7 \u200dbillion \u2063in repayments in 2022, while \u200babout $22\u200b billion remains outstanding.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>For example, \u200ban Ohio \u2062nursing \u2062home worker <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/social-security-overpayments-investigation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">told<\/a> KFF News in a recent article that she has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jimmy-and-rosalynn-carter-coming-to-the-end-according-to-grandson\/\" title=\"Grandson says Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter nearing the end.\">multiple health problems<\/a>, including an\u2062 artificial heart and cerebral palsy, and was getting about\u200d $862 a month and receiving \u200cabout $1,065\u2063 in monthly\u2063 Social \u2062Security disability benefits when she received a letter from the SSA saying she was being overpaid. \u200cWhat&#8217;s more, the agency said that \u2062it wanted the money \u200cback and told\u200b her to mail a check with \u200cthe money in 30 days for \u2062about $60,000.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\" id=\"in_article_related_stories\">\n<h2 class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/article\/heres-how-much-social-security-payments-will-increase-in-2024-under-new-estimate-5492263?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>Here&#8217;s How Much Social Security Payments Will Increase in 2024 Under New Estimate<\/h3>\n<p>            <\/a>\n          <\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">9\/15\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n          <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/article\/heres-how-much-social-security-payments-will-increase-in-2024-under-new-estimate-5492263?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/bright\/when-you-must-pay-taxes-on-social-security-benefits-5482370?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>When You Must\u200c Pay Taxes on Social Security Benefits<\/h3>\n<p>            <\/a>\n          <\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/30\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n          <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/bright\/when-you-must-pay-taxes-on-social-security-benefits-5482370?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>A Texas\u2063 woman \u200cwho spoke to Fox4\u200c TV on Thursday said she received a\u2064 similar demand from the SSA,\u2063 saying she was overpaid\u200c and wanted the money back. The letter, according to the woman, wanted her to pay about $41,000, although she said an employee admitted to her that a mistake was made.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>&#8220;She called me and told \u200dme, &#8216;Yeah, I\u200d made the mistake. I&#8217;m human,'&#8221; Danielle Prisock <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fox4news.com\/news\/social-security-overpayments\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">told<\/a> Fox4. &#8220;I&#8217;m human as well, I said, and I \u200ddidn&#8217;t make the \u200bmistake.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>The Social Security Administration makes payments for a variety\u200c of reasons. Benefits are paid based on one&#8217;s earnings record if they are aged 62 or older or if one has \u200ca\u200d disability or enough work credits.<\/p>\n<h2>Agency Responds<\/h2>\n<p>The Epoch Times has not received an SSA comment yet on these reports, but a spokesperson for the agency <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsoctv.com\/news\/local\/9-investigates-social-security-overpays-billions-then-asks-money-back\/P3N4N4I2C5FCRFHXTE4AUAIN4U\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">told<\/a> multiple local \u2062news\u2062 outlets that it\u200b handles overpayments on a case-by-case basis.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shortcode post-related-videos\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;Social Security is required by\u200d law to adjust benefits or recover debts when we establish\u2064 that someone received payments to which they are not entitled and an overpayment occurs. We must maintain our responsibilities to taxpayers to be good \u2062stewards of the trust funds,&#8221; the \u200cagency spokesperson\u2062 told the outlet.<\/p>\n<p>Adding that fewer than 0.5 percent of Social Security payments are overpayments, the spokesperson said that &#8220;each\u200d person&#8217;s situation is unique, \u200band we handle overpayments on a case-by-case basis.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>&#8220;Overpayments can occur for many reasons, such \u2064as when a beneficiary does not timely report work or other\u200c changes\u200b that \u2064can affect\u2062 their benefits,&#8221; the SSA spokesperson\u2064 added. &#8220;We continually strive to improve stewardship of \u200bour programs and reduce improper payments. While staffing losses \u2064and resource constraints have challenged\u200b our service delivery, our \u200cpayment accuracy rates remain very high.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2>What the IG Report Found<\/h2>\n<p>In \u200dlate 2022, the SSA&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rapid-reactions-government-corruption-from-d-c-to-wuhan\/\" title=\"Government corruption: D.C. to Wuhan, a global concern.\">inspector \u2063general report<\/a> said that overpayments or underpayments can occur when the SSA makes &#8220;mistakes in computing&#8221; or &#8220;fails to obtain or act on available information&#8221; about the recipient.<\/p>\n<p>It found that \u200ca number of SSA workers &#8220;incorrectly input student \u200cinformation\u2064 on beneficiaries\u2019 records,\u2063 which resulted in SSA underpaying \u200ban estimated\u200d 14,470 beneficiaries approximately $59.5 million&#8221; \u2062in 2022.<\/p>\n<p>And, according to\u2062 the IG report, it estimated \u2062the SSA &#8220;could have avoided approximately 73,000 overpayments totaling\u200d more than $368 million if it\u2063 had effective controls over benefit-computation accuracy.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>But Rebecca Vallas, a\u2062 senior fellow at the Century Foundation think tank, suggested that the problem is worse than being reported.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>&#8220;We have an overpayment crisis on our hands,&#8221; she <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ajc.com\/news\/health-news\/social-security-demands-return-of-billions-in-overpayments\/IGTXWL7PEJFSZFVB2W5HFZEEOM\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">told<\/a> the Atlanta \u2063Journal-Constitution this \u200bmonth. \u201cOverpayments push \u2064already struggling beneficiaries even deeper \u200binto poverty and hardship, which is directly\u2062 counterproductive to the goals of safety-net programs.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Jack Smalligan of the Urban Institute, a Washington think tank, told the outlet that most \u200cpeople who are\u2063 getting overpayments are likely on disability\u2064 and can&#8217;t afford\u2062 to repay the agency.\u200c Some overpayments can also \u200bresult from an error on the beneficiary&#8217;s\u200b part, he said.<\/p>\n<h2>Payment Increases Soon?<\/h2>\n<p>As\u2062 for general\u2062 Social\u2062 Security payments, one seniors group estimated that \u200cthe cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will go into effect in January 2024.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The Social Security Administration is \u2063expected to announce the COLA for 2024\u2019s benefits\u2064 sometime in October, with the increased \u2062payments coming next \u2062January. The agency\u200c uses \u2062the Consumer Price Index (CPI) that measures inflation during the months of July, August,\u2064 and September before making its decision.<\/p>\n<p>The Senior Citizens League said last \u200cweek that the likely Social Security COLA will be \u20623.2 percent for\u200c benefit payments in 2024. That would average out to about a $57 increase in extra benefits, raising them to about $1,790 for the\u200d average recipient, it estimated in a press release.<\/p>\n<p>The 3.2 percent COLA is \u200dfar lower than the 8.7 percent that was received\u2064 for \u200d2023\u2019s payments, which was the highest increase in about four \u200bdecades, according to the group. However, the estimated 2024 \u2063COLA \u200cwould be higher than the 2.6 percent average over the past \u200d20 years, it\u2062 said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cInflation was\u200b so \u2062severe in 2021 and \u20642022 that the average Social Security benefit fell behind by $1,054, leaving 53 percent of retirees doubting they will recover because household costs rose more \u2062than the dollar amount of their COLAs,\u201d Mary \u2064Johnson, with the league, told media\u2063 outlets last week.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> \u2062 What are\u2063 some common \u2064reasons for overpayments by the Social Security Administration?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories&#8221;><\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>This case\u2063 is not an\u2064 isolated incident. Many other Americans have received similar demands and are struggling to understand why they are being asked to repay\u2062 money that they relied \u2063on for their\u2064 basic needs.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>According to the Social Security Administration, overpayments can occur for \u200dvarious reasons, such as errors in reporting income, changes in household composition, or\u200c failure to report changes in income. These overpayments \u200ccan\u2063 happen to anyone who receives Social\u2062 Security benefits, including retirees, disabled individuals,\u200d and survivors of deceased beneficiaries.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>The issue of \u200doverpayments \u2064has gained attention recently due to the growing number\u2063 of cases and the significant amount of money involved. According to\u2062 the inspector general&#8217;s report, the agency has been stepping up efforts to collect overpayments and has collected over $1 billion each year since 2016. However,\u200d the amount of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/social-security-agency-demands-americans-pay-them-back-after-overpaying\/\" title=\"Social Security Agency seeks repayment from Americans due to overpayment.\">outstanding debt remains alarmingly \u2064high<\/a> at $22 billion.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>The consequences of \u2062these overpayments can be devastating for individuals who are already\u2062 struggling financially. The sudden demand to repay a large sum of money can\u2063 lead to financial hardship and even bankruptcy. Many affected individuals are left grappling with the\u200d difficult choice of\u2063 how to allocate their limited resources.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>It is crucial \u2064for the Social Security Administration to address this issue\u2062 promptly and provide clarity to those\u200c who have been affected. Efforts should be made to improve the accuracy\u200d of benefit calculations and\u2062 prevent overpayments from occurring in the first place. Additionally, better communication and outreach programs can help individuals understand their\u200d rights and responsibilities in relation to receiving Social Security benefits.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Furthermore, the agency should establish more lenient repayment plans for individuals facing financial hardships, considering their circumstances and ability to repay. Taking a compassionate approach\u2063 can alleviate\u2062 the burden on affected \u200cindividuals and ensure that they can\u2063 meet their basic\u200b needs \u200bwhile managing their repayment obligations.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>In \u200dconclusion, the issue of overpayments by \u200dthe Social Security Administration \u200dis a pressing concern \u2062that\u2063 demands attention. The agency must take proactive measures to\u2062 prevent overpayments and provide support to those who have been affected. By \u2063doing so, the Social Security Administration can \u2064fulfill its mission of providing critical financial assistance to Americans in need without subjecting them to undue financial hardships.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recent reports reveal that Americans are being asked by the Social Security Administration to repay overpaid benefits. This problem arises when the agency mistakenly overpays individuals receiving workers&#8217; compensation. The Social Security Administration inspector has highlighted this issue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":58,"featured_media":2042037,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2042036","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2042036","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/58"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2042036"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2042036\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2042037"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2042036"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2042036"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2042036"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}