Occasionally the Social Security Administration (SSA) will make a mistake and make an overpayment to an individual who is receiving disability benefits. Unfortunately, that does not mean the recipient is entitled to keep the overage; it must be given back to the government. This situation does not need to be stressful. Here are some hints to help you if you have received an overpayment of your disability benefits.
Notification
If you have received too much money in your disability payment, the SSA will send you notification about the issue. Read the notice carefully. Make sure all of the information is correct, particularly the date and amount. Think about reasons you may have been overpaid.
Ask for reconsideration
You may ask the SSA to take another look at your claim to reconsider your right to the overpayment. This step is helpful for those who think they were not overpaid or the reason for the overpayment is incorrect. The request for reconsideration must be made in writing and be made within 60 days of the receipt of your notice. The types of reconsideration you can request include:
– Case review
– Informal conference
– Formal conference
Ask for a waiver
If you agree that the payment was incorrect, you can request a waiver. If the waiver is accepted, you will not have to pay the overpayment back. This step is helpful for those who believe the error was not their fault or cannot afford to pay back the overage. The SSA will likely grant your waiver under the following conditions:
– The overage amount is less than $100.
– The overage was not caused by false information you gave the SSA
Ask for a payback arrangement
If the overpayment was your fault and you can afford to pay it back, you may request a payback arrangement that will allow you to pay back the full amount in smaller increments over time. If you do not request a payback arrangement, the SSA will automatically take your entire disability check or 10% of your SSI check.
There is no need to panic if you have received a notice of disability overpayment. The situation can be easily resolved. However, if you need assistance with your disability overpayment, a qualified disability attorney can help you. If you received a notice of overpayment or have any other New Jersey Social Security disability issues, contact Mazur Disability today to see how we can help you.
