Social Security to Reinstate Overpayment Recovery Rate
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: March 7, 2025
The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced it will increase the default overpayment withholding rate for Social Security beneficiaries to 100 percent of a person’s monthly benefit. The Office of the Chief Actuary estimates this change will result in an increase in overpayment recoveries (i.e., a program savings) of about $7 billion in the next decade.
“We have the significant responsibility to be good stewards of the trust funds for the American people,” said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “It is our duty to revise the overpayment repayment policy back to full withholding, as it was during the Obama administration and first Trump administration, to properly safeguard taxpayer funds.”
The agency strives to pay the right person the right amount at the right time, and issues correct payments to most beneficiaries. When an overpayment does occur, the agency is required by law to seek repayment.
As of March 27, the agency will begin mailing notices about the new 100 percent withholding rate, rather than the recent adjustment of just 10 percent. The withholding rate change applies to new overpayments related to Social Security benefits. The withholding rate for current beneficiaries with an overpayment before March 27 will not change and no action is required. The withholding rate for Supplemental Security Income overpayments remains 10 percent.
People who are overpaid after March 27 will automatically be placed in full recovery at a rate of 100 percent of the Social Security payment. If someone cannot afford full recovery of their overpayment, they can contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or their local office to request a lower rate of recovery.
Additionally, people have the right to appeal the overpayment decision or the amount. They can ask Social Security to waive collection of the overpayment, if they believe it was not their fault and can’t afford to pay it back. The agency does not pursue recoveries while an initial appeal or waiver is pending.
For more information about overpayments and appeal rights, visit www.ssa.gov.
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Kelly M.
If I was overpaid in 2024 , will I be subject to the 10 or 100% repayment rate
Fred
Hi Kelly
It sounds like the 100% repayment is for those who were overpaid after March 27,2025 based off everything my payee has told me. So if your at 10% now it should not change.
Kelly M.
That’s just it. The wording isn’t clear to me relative to the 3/27/25 change. It says anything overpaid after that date. I was overpaid before that date but it won’t be recouped until after that date so I’m sure which applies 10 or 100%
Kelly C.
What are you talking about? You’re not supposed to have messed with it, you lied to the country. There is no overpayment, you made changes without Congressional approval.
L. W.
What does this disclaimer mean it is on the SSA sign-in agreement
•I agree that the Social Security Administration is not responsible for the improper disclosure of any information that the Social Security Administration has provided to me or any information that is on or from my computer or other device, whether due to my negligence or the wrongful acts of others.
T. A.
Sounds like SSA is covering their ass if DOGE “leaks” your info to anyone and it ends up negatively effecting you. So they can’t get sued.
Kendrick S.
I absolutely disagree with the new SSN to collect 100% of SSN overpayments.
SSN screwed this up…mismanaged. They need to get that money from other places where they’re saving billions,Not out of my pocket. I’m not accountable for their mistakes. Now you’re punishing the victim…me….it’s my money. I could have given a % of my pay to, ie Fidelity to manage for me vs SSN and we wouldn’t be talking about this now. This is all about peoppe, not just numbers! Peoppe mismanaged and stood my money. It’s Tue go Td responsibility to pay me O
Cynthia J.
I agree with you 💯 and God bless u!!!
Cindy
I’m not agreeing to that comment right there. If you are responsible if you gave wrong information, you’re responsible you can call Social Security and Ask A Question. Whoever answers the phone they give you one answer you can come right back and get another person and they give you a different answer so the training of the Social Security staff need to improve and y’all need to do your jobs.
Patricia V.
It will take two hours to get a rep. by phone if you’re lucky to just to get an office appt appt, go in and prove documents that will get you get off the hook of overpayment you believe was not your fault.
Meanwhile, how will you pay for your basic needs??
Ahames
I called and reported 57 times. They don’t care.
Michael P.
Since 2019, I have been fighting the SSA for error in charging me over payment due to my collection of disability insurance payments after I resigned due to poor medical health for which I could no longer work . The Disability Insurance policies I had at the time paid me a good percentage of my typical salary but the Insurance company sent me a W-2 as if I was an employee of their company and refused to change this saying they had the write by law to issue me a W-2. So from 2019 to the current time, I have been either getting no SSA benefit or a greatly reduced benefit per month until the SSA was reimbursed for their overpayment making them whole, however I was never reimbursed by the SSA as I was never made whole. I lost well over $100,000 of months worth of benefit payments. I have appealed this decision several times to the main SSA phone number explaining everything, even sending a letter written by the disability insurance company that I never worked for them. I have received SSA mails and have tried to offer them or sent them or hand delivered them to my local SSA office to Mrs. Adriano who seems very honest and bright but she sees the SSA has been made whole but doesn’t seem to care that I have not been reimbursed. In fact no matter how many times I call or drop off letters to the New Bedford SSA office, not only does nothing happen but I get only the data from 2023 to 2025 but not from 2019 to 2022. does this make sense or do other people have the similar experience. Can I sue the SSA? I have applied for a hearing with an Administrative law Judge but nothing has happened and it has been since 2019 when I started to file complaints. the amount of money that I have not ever received, interest and penalty from the Federal Government. Since November 2029, any money I have been paid is from non-earned income, told to me by several people at the Federal SSA and the New Bedford, MA offices. What will it take for me to get financial relief and an apology. Why Does Mrs. Adriano never answer her phone calls. Why does this apparently kind person never tries to help me. Mrs. Adriano gave me her office phone number to discuss but never never answers my phone calls but when I call the New Bedford offices, and ask to speak to someone senior who can understand and help me, they never help me. Or I get put on hold to speak with Mrs. Adriano but she never answers or never responds to me. I recently tried to explain to her in person, then sent a letter to her attention which I was told that she received this letter I wrote, but I NEVER GET ANY Answers. I have asked what other proof can I send to the SSA. If I never get the Administrative Law Judge to get back to me with a date and a time of a hearing. Can I sue the SSA for wrongdoing? If so, I will.
Patricia V.
I would march right into your local office, carry your docs and talk with a rep using “Tough Love” technique. The phone system is broken by severely understaffed help.
Susan Y.
So by paying the dead, we punish the living? Ive been trying for 9 months to get help with the constant (as in every couple of months)letters form SSA stating “errors in our calculations” that have resulted in about 6 different payment amounts. As SSA has all of my income information, and i have absolutely no idea how they come up with the calculation, they now have determined the last error resulted in a 7500.00 overpayment. I support myself and my husband on my ss, a part time job at min wage, and even after 5 LETTERS TO THEM, with documentation and all the needed forms to prove …a) this was not my error and b) I have no resources and cannot afford to pay them, I have been totally ghosted. To try to call them is ridiculous, “over 120 minute hold time” or “call back later” the website offers No contact and you cant call to make an appointment as you cant get through. I don’t have the resources or the guts to travel by myself to unfamiliar dangerous downtown Minneapolis. I don’t know if I should go to the AG or what I can do next? We cant survive without my social security and barely make ends meet as it is. This is a nightmare no one should have to be going through and the stress is making me sick.
Carrie
Contact your local United States Congressman for help.
Patricia V.
Has anyone gotten through successfully with their US Congressional figure?
I’d like to know.
Jami
This was to be resolved, improvements made. Commissioner O’Malley went to the heart of it, met with annuitants as well as SSA employees. Fairness, right the wrongs. My experience with Overpayments was dismal like others have said. They applied a penalty because I hadn’t informed them. Two real time extended phone calls didn’t count? My HR contacting them, didn’t count? Forms and letter mail, various subjects, didn’t count. SSA can’t explain the Why, can’t produce documents. For all I know, somebody flipped a switch and lost something…or check the inopened mail. It’s said, mail piled high as the ceiling, before the pandemic.
The silk purse is the wicked 1% who want to keep their 6% employer contribution. They’ll get there yet. Privatize and make money coming and going.
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L.Wo
maybe with DOGE we can get a system that doesn’t give 120 to 300 year olds a SSI check that could go to people that are in need! Unbelievable that our govt hasn’t looked into its financial system since 1945!!!! Really scary, but that explains all the screw ups so I am not surprised!
Tiger
So you really think a 300-year-old person is collecting social security think about it our country is not even 300 years old so someone was able to collect Social security before we became a country
That’s pretty amazing
Janice
You can’t argue with these stupid people that are cultists.
Cindy
Social Security just keeps printing those checks as long as nothing’s disturbed. They have not been contacted by the person. The machine just keeps printing the checks that’s what it is.. so it’s Social Security. Whoever puts the information and needs to put the information in correctly so that those people stop getting a check because that’s done by a robot probably
Jeremy B.
I got a overpayment notice in February for $3,827.20 saying I made too much money i had one job part time 12$ a hour working at lowes. I have worked part time jobs since I was like 18 I am 36 turning 37 this year and never recieved a overpayment. I am fighting this with appeals and a waiver this is a hardship for me. This is not fair to disabled trying to work this year I can only make $1620 a month with this inflation and increased prices and bills how do I make it and not become homeless?I have a disabled father that is helping me get by and I use my social security i get to pay those bills for my rent and everything. I might have to a lawyer to fight this I also have SVT and irregular heart rate and this is very stressful I should sue them for this but I got to use all my remedies first hopefully I won’t have too….pray for me
BRENDA L.
I AM SO SORRY THIS HAS HAPPENED TO YOU. SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SOME ONE I KNOW. SO I KNOW THEY MAKE MISTAKES. I EVEN WONDER IF IT EVEN IS A MISTAKE . IT MAY BE DELIBERATE . NO ONE SHOULD EVER BE PUNISHED BY THEIR GOVERNMENT WITHOUT DUE PROCESS. . THE PERSON I KNOW GOT EXCELLENT REPRESENTATION FROM LEGAL AID. EXREMELY SMART LADY LAWYER. EXCELLANT. MABE YOUR LOCAL LEGAL AID WILL HELP YOU. SOME TIMES YOUR STATE WILL HAVE VOLUNTEER LAWYERS. MY STATE HAS THAT. ….SADLY SOMETIMES SOCIAL SECURITY OIG WILL GO AFTER SOME ONE WRONGFULLY. FULL WELL KNOWING THEY ARE WRONG.. I BELIEVE THAT HAPPENED TO MY FRIEND. I WONDER IF THAT HAPPENS OFTEN. HUMANS CAN BE CAPABLE OF GREAT EVIL. I WISH YOU ALL THE LUCK IN THE WORLD.
BRENDA L.
I AM SO SORRY THIS HAS HAPPENED TO YOU. SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SOME ONE I KNOW. SO I KNOW THEY MAKE MISTAKES. I EVEN WONDER IF IT EVEN IS A MISTAKE . IT MAY BE DELIBERATE . NO ONE SHOULD EVER BE PUNISHED BY THEIR GOVERNMENT WITHOUT DUE PROCESS. . THE PERSON I KNOW GOT EXCELLENT REPRESENTATION FROM LEGAL AID. EXREMELY SMART LADY LAWYER. EXCELLANT. MABE YOUR LOCAL LEGAL AID WILL HELP YOU. SOME TIMES YOUR STATE WILL HAVE VOLUNTEER LAWYERS. MY STATE HAS THAT. ….SADLY SOMETIMES SOCIAL SECURITY OIG WILL GO AFTER SOME ONE WRONGFULLY. FULL WELL KNOWING THEY ARE WRONG.. I BELIEVE THAT HAPPENED TO MY FRIEND. I WONDER IF THAT HAPPENS OFTEN. HUMANS CAN BE CAPABLE OF GREAT EVIL. I WISH YOU ALL THE LUCK IN THE WORLD.
Cindy
And that’s sad because if you have to get an attorney that attorney get some of your money that belongs to you and I don’t like that and they only take a case when they’re gonna make lots of money off of it so that means a case that you know you’ve been owed two years so the Attorney get a third or a fourth I think that’s wrong
Victoria S.
That was not happening
Carrie
Warning: Be very careful where you get your news these days. Make sure the source is a reputable one. I suspect an overwhelming majority of the stuff we read online is fake news. They use sensational headlines and fear tactics to lure viewers with clickbait of sensational stuff to drive up profits with advertising. They cash in and use viewers to further spread the misinformation. Works like a charm.
PR
That’s misinformation. Elon and his teenage elves didn’t bother to ask or familiarize themselves with the coding that is used by the Social Security Administration. No deceased or 350 year old people are receiving benefits. If you’ve never had to arrange a funeral you may know that the Funeral Director/ Mortician reports the death to SS immediately even before the death certificate is applied for.
Linda
Please……..that information has been explained by the real SSA as a computer input done purposely. Since they did not know the death dates of these people, they made ones where people looked like they were over 115. Then other data controls flagged anyone over 100 and then verified proof of life or death. Get it…? Please stay informed.
LaLa
maybe with DOGE we can get a system that doesn’t give 120 to 300 year olds a SSI check that could go to people that are in need! Unbelievable that our govt hasn’t looked into its financial system since 1945!!!! Really scary, but that explains all the screw ups so I am not surprised!
Barbara
If you’re going to cut off Social Security, then give me back all the money I put in for the past 45 years with compounded interest equivalent to what I would have accrued if I had invested it.
Gloria
AMEN!!
jo l.
After monthly deduction for Medicare I receive $1395. Not much. Somehow, I have been overpaid they say and will receive $346 less in April. Really? Screw you. I’m appealing.
J w.
Call me stupid but just how does someone get overpaid by SS? I mean it’s not like THEY did it, is it? It’s due to errors made by the people that input the information. Perhaps you should PUNNISH the idiots that can’t do their effing jobs. We have no way to do that unless you lie about things. Unless it’s done to profit. But I have a feeling that everyday people just can’t control that. At least I don’t think so.
Gigi
The majority of the time, overpayments occur due to excessive earnings due to your working and receiving SSA monthly checks simultaneously.
S. Y.
I can tell you how. They take all of the information from every tax return and verify all of that with you. If you worked in the year you retired and were not yet vested at (in my case 66 and 10 months) but I started collection at 64, with 1/2 year resulting in an overcap, which they were aware of and used in their calculation. That amount is deducted from the cap on earnings prior to vesting, and then they use some magical formula that only they know, to come up with your monthly payment, based on total applicable earnings. If you are paying for medicare, that is deducted as well as taxes if you are taking taxes out. Apparently this is far too difficult a process for them to do in their jobs, which they are paid well to do. The few interactions I’ve had substantiate clearly to me that SSA customer service agents hate their jobs, could care less about you, are not empowered to help you or just don’t understand English as a second language. The issue is not the overcap earnings, they know about that as they have that information from tax returns and verify it at application. The issue is they cant seem to make any correct calculations and will make error after error..and their is no systems of checks and balances that they or the recipient can use to remedy.
Jeanine
Appeal,appeal and a appeal And don’t stop appealing then, Appeal again.
Steve
Keep fighting them!! My wife and I have had a overpayment waiver in for 6 months now! During covid they didn’t stop sending checks when in fact they were not supposed to, so of course we spent our money on every day living expenses…but now 4 years later, they want 20 grand back!! Screw them!! I worked 45 years!! Just keep fighting
Bobby C.
Social Security is getting a bad rap primarily because there are too many politicians who want to privatize Social Security or eliminate it altogether. People lose their Social Security disability because they go back to work. They are overpaid primarily because they fail to notify Social Security they have gone back to work OR they continue to spend the erroneous Social Security benefits awaiting a response from Social Security about their return to work. If able to work, one should know they are no longer due Social Security disability payments no matter how long it takes the understaffed Social Security Administration to respond.