What can I do if I’m notified that I have an overpayment?

When we notify you of an overpayment you can make arrangements for repayment, appeal the decision, or request a waiver. Your overpayment notice explains why you have been overpaid, your overpayment amount, your repayment options, and your appeal and waiver rights.

After receiving an overpayment notice, you can:

• Repay the overpayment if you agree with the overpayment and are currently receiving benefits. You can make a payment in full, through monthly benefit withholding, or through a repayment plan by check, money order, or credit card. If you are not currently receiving benefits, you can make a full or partial repayment using Pay.gov or your bank’s online bill pay option. We offer flexible repayment plans, including payments as low as $10 per month.
• Appeal the overpayment if you don’t agree that you’ve been overpaid, or you believe the amount is incorrect. You can request a non-medical reconsideration online or you can submit a completed SSA-561, Request for Reconsideration, to your local Social Security office.
• Request that we waive the overpayment if you believe you are not at fault for causing the overpayment and you cannot afford to repay the money back, or it is unfair for some other reason. You can ask for a waiver by submitting a completed SSA-632, Request for Waiver of Overpayment Recovery, to your local office. If your overpayment is $1,000 or less, we may be able to process your waiver request quickly by telephone. You can contact your local office or call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
• Request a different repayment amount if you are unable to meet your necessary living expenses due to the current repayment amount. If you are unable to repay the debt within 60 months due to the negotiated repayment amount, you will be asked to complete Form SSA-634, Request for Change in Overpayment Recovery Rate.