Finance
Social Security Beneficiaries Outraged After Agency Demands Money Back
Clear Facts:
- The Social Security Administration (SSA) is set to review its overpayment procedures following public outrage.
- The SSA tried to reclaim billions from beneficiaries, causing distress among the vulnerable.
- The SSA’s inspector general disclosed $4.7 billion in overpayments for the fiscal year 2022, with $21.6 billion still outstanding.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has ignited a storm of controversy after revelations that it has sought to recover billions of dollars from beneficiaries, many of whom are among the nation’s most vulnerable citizens.
Prompted by the backlash, the SSA announced on Wednesday its intention to scrutinize its overpayment practices.
Recent reports have unveiled the SSA’s aggressive approach in attempting to recuperate billions from individuals they claim weren’t entitled to the already disbursed, and most probably spent, funds.
Those impacted by this startling demand primarily encompass individuals with limited incomes, the disabled, and retirees. For several, their bewilderment turned to panic as they confronted the realization that they couldn’t refund the requested sums.
The very essence of SSA benefits rests upon the earnings record of individuals either aged 62 and above or those with adequate work credits due to a disability. In countless scenarios, these payments embody the primary source of income for recipients.
Intriguingly, the SSA’s inspector general relayed data indicating a whopping $4.7 billion in overpayments during the fiscal year of 2022, with an outstanding $21.6 billion yet to be returned.
The SSA endeavors to reclaim this substantial amount through various means, such as halting or slashing monthly benefit allocations, confiscating federal tax refunds, or implementing wage garnishments.
The SSA defended its actions by stating, “Social Security is required by law to adjust benefits or recover debts when we establish that someone received payments to which they are not entitled and an overpayment occurs.”
They emphasized their obligations to taxpayers and the trust funds, ensuring that each situation undergoes meticulous assessment.
While the SSA boasts a commendable accuracy rate, the acting commissioner, Kilolo Kijakazi, has unveiled plans to assemble a dedicated team to critically assess the agency’s overpayment methodologies.
Kijakazi conveyed her commitment to enhanced service delivery by designating a “senior official” to spearhead the review and provide direct reports to her.
The mounting tension surrounding the SSA’s overpayment debacle has garnered the attention of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown candidly remarked on the necessity for reform, attributing the current predicament to a “management problem.”
Meanwhile, Republican Sen. Rick Scott showcased his approval of the impending review, expressing his pleasure at the “swift action being taken” to address the glaring issue.
We want to know what you think! Share your thoughts in the comments below.
I. Oliver
October 9, 2023 at 6:50 am
What about the expenditures that have been stolen or given out as part of the ongoing wars that the military industrial complex has been doing for the past 80 plus years. Also the Ukraine war and others where billions have been spent and not getting anywhere with this military endeavors. How about the 2.3 trillion dollars that went missing and declared by D. Rumsfeld back on Sept 10th 2001. What happened to that money that was never looked into then. What about all the corrupt and corrupted politicians and their minions not being held accountable for the ever spending spree that goes on behind closed doors? On and on ano on and on etc etc etc.. It seems like the regular Joe blow gets extra money he gets audited and made to pay but the bigger plate walk Scott free. Corporate malfeasance also doesn’t get looked at either.
Paul Castle
October 10, 2023 at 8:37 am
Exactly right , $trillions have been stolen and certain people are not even interested doesn’t that tell you something ? The money was stolen by those closest to it and that is politicians and those people they use on a daily basis . How did “The Biden crime family” get their name do you think . I wonder how many offshore bank accounts they have opened lately to channel these vast amounts of money ?
Doug Walker
October 9, 2023 at 6:57 am
How do you ‘RECOVER’ money that was never yours, ALL this money was put in the fund by American workers, not by joe biden, go take it out of bidens illicitly obtained bank accounts !!!
Loretta Cogar
October 9, 2023 at 7:22 am
Well, she is right. It is a “Mismanagement Problem” and has been since Congress in their so-called wisdom, decided to MOVE SSA Monies. They decided to move the money our Hard Working Citizens earned and placed there for their RETIREMENT, into the General Funds. That way they had additional money to draw from for their Pet Projects. Now SSA is saying there are Billions in Overpayments. Granted there are some overpayments but NOT BILLIONS. The Billions come from the Pet Project Withdrawals. Now they say SS is going Bankrupt because there’s not enough money for the people retiring.
The solution is Simple. Have Congress Pay Back the Money they “Borrowed” by moving SS to the General Fund then Move SS back to a steady earning through Gold or Platinum or possibly Solid Performing Stocks. Then Keep Congress’ Sticky Fingers OUT of our Citizen’s Retirement Funds. Next, they say there are not enough workers in the workforce paying into SS. So quit giving that money to the ILLEGALS and Killing your FUTURE WORKERS through ABORTION.
Simple Solution in words but Congress and the Government DON’T Want that. They Want to DESTROY, UTTERLY this Country and that is one of the ways they are going about accomplishing that. People may not like my comment but at 66 I don’t care what they think.
R lee
October 9, 2023 at 8:00 am
EXACTLY
R lee
October 9, 2023 at 8:01 am
I likw your comments as you are EXACTLY RIGHT.
SJHPW
October 9, 2023 at 9:53 am
You are 100% correct! The government created this mess and they need to fix it. They shouldn’t have any access to our Social Security funds and pay back what they took.
Rob Dean
October 9, 2023 at 11:02 am
YES!!! Thank you.
My wife was notified that SS had OVERPAID her and they stopped all current payments to fix it. It was their error as they did not properly evaluate our tax returns and thus believed she made more money than she actually made and reported on the taxes. It took us nearly two years to get all the money back from SSA and restore her monthly benefits – and they did not pay any interest on the “delayed” payments. They should be required to submit all of their facts and proof and allow the SS recipient at least 6 months to prove the SSA incorrect BEFORE they try to seize any assets or stop making monthly payments! In our case they just stopped the payments immediately and then notified her why – how cruel!
Joval McCants
October 9, 2023 at 1:23 pm
I agree
Pame
October 9, 2023 at 5:42 pm
You said it PERFECTLY, and SPOT ON! The GREATEST GENERATION, AND THE ONE AFTER THAT, made this Country the Best in the World!!! Then the downfall into this disgusting mess of a failing Country started!! We know where the blame lies,as well! THE USA IS DROWNING IN THE ISH OF THE CURRENT CROP OF HUMAN IDIOTS! And WE,(the decent,respectable, hardworking,taxpaying,lawful,God-loving normal Men and Women, who made this Country the best in the World, are seeing it implode) ALL KNOW WHO All I’M REFERRING TOO! Glad I grew up in that earlier time, before the ISH was unleashed. Here’s a thought. The name Democrat is eerily familiar to the word Demonrat. Hard to see that and not wonder why! Hmmm? Which spelling came first? Just that 1 letter swap! How about that! Sneaky buggers didn’t think it would be noticed?…GLAD I’VE LIVED MOST MY LIFE IN A MUCH BETTER TIME THAN THIS UN-UNITED STATES OF ISH…ALL BECAUSE OF THE UN GODLY NO REASON TO LIVE ‘CRATS! SHAME ON THEM!!!
Pamel
October 11, 2023 at 1:03 pm
You said it perfectly and its exactly what is happening to our imploding America! And the Demonrat party is working really fast and hard at getting it done! Such good little brainless DeviI bots! There are 2 types of them. The ones owned by their party’s namesake the DEMON! (demon(c)rats), and the brainless army of followers. Glad I’m old and hopefully will be gone before the ISH EXPLODES! Another big nasty reset is headed for humanity! And it’s about time! The sun will shine brighter, the sky will be bluer, the air will be cleaner, the animals will be happier, EVERYTHING will be better when those human ISH are finally gone…..hopefully for good this time!
Jim Chin
October 9, 2023 at 9:14 am
Government agencia continually issue fraudulent payments equating to many programs resulting of trillions of excess payments. Better systems need to be implemented and responsibility assigned. Better care of taxpayers money is essential. Stop the waste.
Gorilla oy
October 9, 2023 at 9:15 am
Lying immoral scum bags are what most politicians are. There is no end to their ways!
donald
October 9, 2023 at 9:54 am
As Ted Cruz one said of “politics” . It is composed of two words-Poly, meaning many and Tics, meaning a blood sucking insect!
Dennis in Va
October 9, 2023 at 9:56 am
This issue is an example ofis use ,corruption, and why ssa should not provide benefits to illegals living in the US. Next they will be using 87,000 agents to try to collect what they should not have paid out. They have been using ssa funds we pay in as a slush fund, now as it is running out, they make this feable attempt to right the ship. It is an election year, and lipstick on a pig. After election, they will forget about this.
Scott from wa
October 9, 2023 at 10:40 am
I went into a social security office and it was full of kids just graduated from high school that couldn’t cope in American society so they put them on social security they never paid a dime into social security.
Fred Doe
October 9, 2023 at 11:07 am
Here’s an idea! Do your freaking job and don’t overpay people to begin with! And don’t pay social security funds to people who have never paid into them, meaning immigrants who never contributed a dollar but are draining it dry.
David Bennett
October 9, 2023 at 11:39 am
If the SSA wants to recover funds they gave to legal beneficiaries, take it from the Billions being forked over to Ukraine and from the Billions being given as handouts to illegal aliens that have not worked and paid into this system.
Robert
October 9, 2023 at 12:09 pm
Tell me about it. They’re making me pay 1800.00 dollars back but I can only afford to give them 50.00 per month. I’m on SSDI.
captain blasto
October 9, 2023 at 12:25 pm
typical criminal government program. ponzi scheme. punish those harmed by it, promote those who do the harm.
G T Stafford
October 9, 2023 at 12:29 pm
A. The rules have been violated
B. Because the government agency was not accountable
C. The IRS is another example
D. If losses occurred RECENTLY (1 — 3 years?) then it might be acceptable for the government to attempt
to reclaim them, but it should be negotiated with a neutral party added, and the pay back should be slower,
not faster than the losses occurred. A “statute of limitations” should apply.
Patty
October 9, 2023 at 8:05 pm
What about the over $. 600 MILLION dollars Obama robbed from the system? Nothing is said about that! Our government has been robbing our social security system for years, with NO intention to pay it back! Social security is looked upon by the government as their personal piggy bank! WE paid into social security all our lives, and deserve to recieve our benefits! Social security is NOT their money, it is ours! We paid into it, we deserve to get it back! This affects the most vulnerable citizens, the elderly, the disabled, our veterans and others! And by NO means should illegals be getting any of our money, they did not contribute to it, they deserve NO money from it! Ssa needs a total re vamping , stop stealing OUR money! And make the government re pay all the funds they have stolen from us! And——- stop all funding to Ukraine!
Debra Subowicz
October 16, 2023 at 5:11 pm
Democrats didn’t get the nickname “DemonRats” for nothing! Those who made the “error” should have to pay it back by retrieving the wrongly taken/disbursed money and returning it to the rightful owners.
Donna Cruz
October 9, 2023 at 5:04 pm
About time! I contacted my Congressman when I got a letter this year from Social Security about an overpayment that they said I owed from 1995!!! He was able to get them to take smaller payments as at 67 and on a very fixed income I feared losing our home. I’m sorry others are going thru the same thing, but glad someone can now look into this matter. They have not yet told me how it happened, and I don’t have records going back that far to fight them.
James Perkins
October 9, 2023 at 6:03 pm
If our government hadn’t used the social security funds as an emergency slush fund in the early years and in times of low distributions, there would be money for all the recipients needs and to spare, but just like any other investment, once you withdraw funds, unless you can replace them plus all lost interest, it’s distribution funds will continue to shrink. Stop blaming the people for your foolish mistakes and govern with integrity and fairness to the people you are supposed to serve; we are providing for all your needs so do your job or get out of the way and let someone who is qualified replace you.
Jack Anderson
October 23, 2023 at 10:11 pm
The American government, Congress, has spent $33 trillion, that they do not have. It will be the burden of the lowly American taxpayers. They have not followed the constitution and produced a balanced budget since 1995. The Congress, both Democrats and Republicans have failed to do their jobs in the last 20 years. I find it amazing that they have the nerve to ask the taxpayers for money for their re-election campaigns. They have served only themselves not the citizens who vote for their election and re-elections. It is true that the public gets the government we voted for and let me say we are voting poorly.
I believe the fossil fuel changes to give our energy independence, spending bills passed without funding and the Afghanistan withdrawal has given $85 billion of American weapons which Iran is shipping to Hamas and Hesbolla to kill the Jews. So it is no surprise to me the SSA has miss spent millions of dollars.
Elaine Miller
December 18, 2023 at 2:17 pm
I lost my home because of government screw ups. I took out my 401k after I retired and 20% taxes taken out on the front end. Then when I filed my taxes at the end of the year owed $10s of thousands of dollars. The government got more of my money than I did. Then social security came along and took more out because they supposedly overpaid me on Medicare which was my money in the first place. They took it out all at once. Therefore leaving me no money to pay my rent. Right now I’m living in a cheap hotel.