The Social Security Administration sent letters to recipients insisting they owe money due to the agency overpaying them, Newsweek reported Friday.
According to the report, the SSA is demanding that some recipients pay back vast sums — as much as $67,000 — with only 30 days' notice. Many of the individuals involved are vulnerable or have a disability.
The practice is not new. In 2022, the SSA regained $4.7 billion in overpayments, with another $21.6 billion outstanding. A year before, the agency's watchdog said it recovered $4 billion in overpayments.
People affected by the practice range from those on the Supplemental Security Income program who have disabilities to retirees aged 70 and older on Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance.
An SSA spokesperson defended the practice to Newsweek.
"We continually strive to improve stewardship of our programs and reduce improper payments," the spokesperson said. "While staffing losses and resource constraints have challenged our service delivery, our payment accuracy rates remain very high.
"Each person's situation is unique, and we handle overpayments on a case-by-case basis. Overpayments can occur for many reasons, such as when a beneficiary does not timely report work or other changes that can affect their benefits."
The SSA inspector general's 2022 report found that $368 million in overpayments could have been avoided if the agency had better tracking technology. Currently, much of the process is manual.
SSA acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi this year signaled that she agreed with the inspector general's concerns in her agency's 2024 budget request.
It was subsequently included in President Joe Biden's initial budget proposal, which proposed an increase of $1.4 billion for the agency.
"Our programs affect individuals throughout their lives: from birth, to entering the workforce, to facing a disability or loss, and to retirement," Kijakazi said. "The broad and critical nature of our programs drives our request for the resources necessary to improve our service to the public."
Luca Cacciatore ✉
Luca Cacciatore, a Newsmax general assignment writer, is based in Arlington, Virginia, reporting on news and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.