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May 1, 2015

An Overpayment Story

     Woman thinks she's been overpaid by Social Security. She contacts the agency and is told to send them a check. She does so but later receives a notice saying she really was entitled to the money. It only took eight months and several phone calls to get Social Security to refund the money to her according to a story on a Michigan television station. The story doesn't say it but there's a real possibility that she'll eventually receive another notice from Social Security saying that she really was overpaid! You think I'm kidding but I've seen it happen.

5 comments:

  1. My Daughter died 3 years ago, and we got custody of my Granddaughter, we have saved most of the money that she got from SSI for college. Yesterday I get a letter from SS telling me to give all that money back so they can give it to her. I don't care that she is going to be an adult in a month, what kind of person would write a check for a lot of money to an 18 year old kid, when we can take that money and pay for her college. I'm not saying she will not let us keep it, but I am sure it might take six months to get that money back, when we have taken good care of it our self's to make sure she does have it for college.

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  2. I did not think that SSI was supposed to be saved.

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  3. I think it's a bit disingenuous to post anecdotes about overpayments, underpayments, and delays that affect individual claimants, while at the same time railing against the media for publicizing anecdotes about fraud and waste that affect Social Security's coffers.

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  4. @8:33, file an appeal. That money went to the benefit of the minor. Case closed.

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  5. @5:54 The grandparent can't say the money went for the benefit of the minor when they have already said that they didn't spend any of it and saved it for college.

    Sorry 8:33. This is standard SSA policy - you account for the funds and any leftover, conserved funds are turned over to the 18 year old to do as she pleases. It is her money and she can make any decision she wants. Too bad you didn't use it for her support (which is what is intended for) and save your OWN money for her college. That you could still control. Too late now. Hopefully, she will be smart about it. But even if you and I think she is wrong, she gets to make adult decisions now.

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