Overpayments of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits happen when recipients get more benefits than they are entitled to. When there is an overpayment allegation, recipients have four options:
- Repay the overpayment
- Request an appeal
- Request waiver of the overpayment. Wavier is available if the recipient is without fault in the overpayment, and repayment would be a hardship. A recipient can request waiver by filing the SSA-632-BK form at their local Social Security office. If the overpayment is less than $1,000, recipients can call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or their local Social Security office to request waiver verbally.
- Request a lower repayment amount. Social Security can grant a lower repayment amount if the person is unable to meet their necessary living expenses, or is unable to repayment the debt within 60 months. Note that the 60 month timeframe is a change in Social Security Administration policy. A person can request a lower repayment amount by filing the SSA-634 form at their local Social Security. (Social Security Dear Colleague Letter, March 7, 2024.)