‘Do I need a lawyer,’ asks woman who got a letter that Social Security overpaid her $3,000 – but it’s been three years

A SOCIAL Security beneficiary was confused when they received a letter saying they had to pay up.

The user shared a post on Facebook to ask friends for payment advice.

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A Facebook user received a letter from Social Security saying they were overpaid by $3,000 (stock image)[/caption]

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The Social Security Administration offers an appeals process for beneficiaries overpaid (stock image)[/caption]

They said the letter came from the Social Security Administration, SSA, and claimed the user was overpaid $3,000 in May 2020.

“What in the world does this mean?” they asked. “Do I need a lawyer?”

One person replied saying the overpayment resulted from stimulus checks during the pandemic.

Another person suggested the SSA would take a small percentage of the user’s monthly paycheck to cover the expense.

“It’s very common and there’s really no fighting it,” they wrote.

OVERPAYMENTS EXPLAINED

Overpayments happen when a beneficiary gets more money in a given month than they should’ve been paid.

Factors causing this include an unreported change in income, living situation, marital status, or disability status.

This can halt the person’s Supplemental Security Income and may cause stress for someone who can’t afford to pay the full amount.

Still, there are ways to work around overpayments as the SSA provides information about a beneficiary’s appeal rights.

Those who have been overpaid but think they aren’t at fault or can’t afford to pay back the full amount can submit a form SSA 632.

This allows the beneficiary to request a waiver of overpayment recovery.

There are four levels to the appeals process:

• Reconsideration
• Hearing by an administrative judge
• Appeals Council Review
• Federal Court Review

The SSA makes an initial determination based on whether the person is available for SSI and how much their SSI payment is.

Beneficiaries can call 1 (800) 772-1213 for more information.

MORE SOCIAL SECURITY

One former teacher was shocked to find out she lost $111,384.

She taught in Missouri for a decade but lost part of her benefits due to the Windfall Elimination Provision, WEP.

The WEP is a statutory provision approved by the US government in 1977.

The beneficiary traveled to Washington D.C. to lobby for better laws to protect public servants and their Social Security rights.

The provision impacts public servants who qualify for pensions if their employer didn’t withhold Social Security taxes.

Another beneficiary with severe medical conditions said they received a $22,000 overpayment.

Also, read live updates for 2024 COLA Social Security.