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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Elisa
Over payments lol
The judge made me sign a paper for me to receive only 2yrs back pay or he wasn’t gonna “approve my case“
That’s black male!!
When they owed me way more than he aloted me in my case
I fought for years!!
They robbed me of years of my back pay
How the hell are there overpayments anywhere?????
Shar M.
You meant to say ” blackmail” not “black male!”
Bonnie S.
So you overpay some poor soul, meanwhile Musk and his thugs are costing taxpayers tens of MILLIONS to be ratting through everything, making the stupidest mistakes. I demand that every mistake the DOGGY group made means a penalty they have to pay. It’s EAT THE RICH time, and it’s going to be so yummy.
Robin W.
It is about time! If you received overpayments it is time to pay it back. Too many people abuse the system. I have worked and contributed to the Social Security System all my life and I want my investments safeguarded.
Shar M.
If you read correctly, overpayment is the mistake due to the worker, not the customer. When it is found, then the customer is notified. It’s too late for the recipient! They’re now looking at thousands of dollars to pay back immediately. Be kind.
Lisa
Forget you Robin. This is a scam for trump and musk to line their pockets. 7 BILLION?! It’s a scam wake the eff up! You’re the reason trump is in office
rrVIS
Good luck to those to those with overpayments after 27.
I owe them 3k, when iworked when I could, I had to report my hours and i did always on time, and they Mess up and i have to pay for their mistake
Vi. C.
From my understanding, when a beneficiary rceive an overpayment, it is very honest and fair to contact the SS office to let them know about it and send the overpayment back to them. Just an applied action of respecting the tax payer status. nothing elese.
B
Even if the overpayment was entirely the fault of Social Security, they will demand full repayment immediately. It’s called MAGA math. Crooks.
J
Idiot, it was the same under the Obama administration, since you clearly can’t read.
Sell your hate somewhere else.
Byron
Scumbags.
Lizz
And if a person willingly knows they shouldn’t have received it and spent it then that is theft.
Lisa R.
I am so disgusted about what Trump is doing to our country it makes me literally sick to my stomach.
I really hope for all us that his damage to our country will be stopped soon.
Tracie
Are you kidding me? I have never heard such non sense. Trump is cleaning up our corrupt government and gonna pay off our debt. Ooohhh he sounds like the worst person. Are you even paying attention? Sounds like your just walking with all the sheep…..Bbbbaaah! AMERICA WILL BE GREAT AGAIN!
Shar M.
You don’t clean like this. It is horrible and distasteful. I supported Trump from start to not. You assess the needs of each entity first. But make sure your stuff is clean. That seems not to matter. I am praying. This is not God’s way! Hurting others and mostly bent on revenge. Not Christ like at all.
Me
How has it effected u personally?
Alpha
Damage? You call what Trump is doing “damage”? The damage has been done long before Trump took office. Do you have maxed out credit like our government? Would you treat your personal finances like the government does and pay trillions in interest financing charges? Wake UP you WOKE, weak follower.
C.M. H.
Why change the rate? Was it a demand of the felon who raided our files and decimated the department?
If Social Security is who is figuring out the benefits why should there ever be an overpayment, unless that person passes away and you all don’t update the Death Master Index?
Will the recent employment cuts cause people to not get their benefits on time and actually result in inaccurate calculations made by the Social Security Administration?
Why are you afraid to stand up against those who are trying to steal our money and who are responsible for making the bad decisions that have led to this?
J
Since you clearly don’t know how to read, it was the same under the Biden administration, so educate yourself and tuck your hate back in.
Ka
It’s often related to work earnings that would impact the benefit amount, or mistakes made at the ssa office. No control of the beneficiary to get ssa to process things properly.
Robert
Are you one of those people who just want overpayments and never want to pay them back? You know if you got overpaid. But who’s honest enough to admit it and let them know they sent you too much money? 100% overpayment only applies to new overpayments not past overpayments. It’s completely fair. If you get paid too much give back the excess. Quit trying to be a cheat.
R N.
If Social security made the mistake, then by all means recover the money, but don’t cause undue hardship to the seniors and disabled who did nothing wrong.
Chuck
I guess you like what the Biden administration did to this country all you asshole libtards are nothing but liars and theifs
Tj
You have valid questions, snark removed.
Ernestine S.
Providing the phone number is the funniest thing ever. There’s no one left at SSA to answer a call. They were already understaffed and now Musk has cut another 20% of their workforce with more cuts to follow. This has been the plan all along, folks. Senior citizens voted for this in massive numbers. Enjoy!
Beth
What do you think? (about cutting half the staff). If you cut half of anything, its gonna have a major impact, good or bad. Half your salary, half a tank if gas vs a full tank, half the cashiers at the grocery stores … you think maybe it will effect the ability of a place to function best? Well, thank trump voters who wouldn’t listen & said “I’m voting for a better economy” even tho Biden handed off an economy that was 5x better than in 2020. Inflation was at the lowest point in 10 yrs. etc etc etc. Y’all didn’t wanna listen. Ofc he was going to go after SS. Ya big dummies.
Sue V.
YOU make a mistake, and then slam the beneficiary to make payment for your mistake ASAP! WOW, you are a piece of work. Think about it, and keep patting yourself on the back.
Robert
It applies to new overpayments not past overpayments. Completely fair.
Ella J.
Will I be able to to receive ss benefits from my deceased ex husband?
Lynne B.
I am a widow who has been receiving my late husband’s SS benefits (100% of what he would have received had he lived to collect it). At the time I personally would be eligible to start collecting SS at age 62, but because of my widow status I was able to start collecting his benefit amount at age 60. Of course the rule still applies that the longer you wait to collect, the more monthly benefit you will receive.
T.Y.
Thanks for reading our blog and for your question, Ella. The Social Security Fairness Act ends the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset (GPO). It’s possible you may be due retroactive payments if you previously applied for benefits as a spouse, divorced spouse, surviving spouse, or surviving divorced spouse. Those benefits could have been reduced, or even eliminated, by GPO because of the non-covered pension you receive from your work as a school bus driver. For more information on how to proceed, please read the answer to the question, What should people do now that the Social Security Fairness Act is law? on our Social Security Fairness Act webpage. We hope this helps.