Social Security recipients struggle to pay back agency after unexpected overpayments | 60 Minutes
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- Опубліковано 5 лис 2023
- Each year, about a million people are told they owe the Social Security Administration money because the agency miscalculated their benefits and paid them too much.
#news #socialsecurity #personalfinance
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The fact that they waived the overpayments after 60 minutes highlighted these stories shows two BIG THINGS - #1 - They have the power to waive these overpayments, especially for people who clearly cannot afford to pay it back. #2 Without an advocate or a powerful voice on your side to face a government agency, low-income individuals and families will always get the short end of the stick and are likely to be treated unfairly.
You are 100% right. Unless you can get your story out to the right place, you get answers then. Shouldn't take that to get a answers. How is this happening
the govt wants us all to be homeless and give us just enough not to starve to death .
I'd add a third thing: They knew they were wrong.
Because they don't want an investigation of this scam. The whole place is run like Dominion voting machines.
@@marleonetti7 That’s pretty much what SS was intended for when it was implemented: prevent abject poverty and destitution. It wasn’t intended to provide a middle class lifestyle upon retirement. ☹️
I love that they expect them to pay it back in 30 days was absolutely no warning of their mistake. Disgusting.
Why did they spend money that wasnt theirs? This isnt that hard.
@@Getitstraightyo DBAG Alert....troll
@@Getitstraightyo Exactly...the victimhood (real and fake) in America is appalling.
Yep. And they sent numerous letters demanding money
@@michaelclark2144 no the dbags are the crooks who kept something they knew didn’t belong to them. Old farts are some of the most dishonest scumbags out there.
My bro-in-law lost a leg due to cancer when he was 10 years old. Yet each year he must go for a medical exam to determine/ affirm his disability. Am i the only one that thinks this is completely ridiculous???
.
@@JP-te7kdyet the point is that his leg won’t grow back and it’s unlikely that this kind of disability will change
Smh!
More than ridiculous! It is a slap to your brother-in-law. Do they expect his leg to regenerate? So sad for him.
There is a lot of fraud that’s why.
Traumatic brain injury here. I have to go in every year and prove I haven’t grown a new brain.
As someone who relies on Social Security, this scares the hell out of me
Social Security is fictional. You rely on waste marketed as social security to do what?
You are not alone my friend. I’m 34 and absolutely terrified about how things will be in my future for so many things and this is a huge one. I’m also so scared of overpayment, it’s so hard to know what exactly they’re doing so there’s no peace.
About two years ago they actually sent me a letter saying they were cutting me from SSI. (Which, of course, was utterly devastating and took a huge toll of my mental health). Thankfully I got lucky. I was able to get into touch with a lawyer whose agency helps people with cases like mine. If you don’t win, you don’t pay them. If you do win and money was held back in the interim then you pay them some amount out of that money. For me they were able to win before my payments stopped so I payed nothing and was saved. (And of course this was not an overpayment situation. Somehow I was luckier that they were gonna to abandon me then I would’ve been if I’d gotten overpaid. That’s insane.) I will always be grateful for the help and guidance this lawyer gave me. I’m also hugely lucky to have a support network, so many people on Social Security have very few or no people who can help them deal with these things. When it’s one or two (sick or elderly) individuals against a government agency, they have every bit of the power and you’re just trying to claw your way forward. It’s atrocious.
Don't worry about it; these sort of mistakes are quite rare.
@@barneyronnie since this comment, a few weeks ago they sent me a letter that I have been overpaid by 3k and they will be taking all of my Social Security survivor benefits for myself and my daughter until it is paid back. I am absolutely devastated
@@barneyronnie I too, know someone this happened to. Not that rare.😥
I was sent a letter a couple of years ago saying I was overpaid about $400.00 from 1978. My mother a lone parent, passed away and I was still in high school. Amazed, I sent the money, only to have SS say I could get it back. So they sent it. Then sent me another letter saying I owed it. So I sent it again. Absolute insanity.
I unfortunately agreed to be an "alternate payee" on behalf of my niece, who was getting SS as a minor bc her father passed away and her mother was not able to do it. Well, just after I got the initial (large - several months' worth) payment, I purchased a savings bond to hold for her until she turned 18. Then the child made her friend's mother the payee, and they came after me for that $5k+. Meanwhile, they sent that amount to the new payee!! Luckily, I kept the proof and sent it in (3 times!), and eventually, they clawed it back from the new payee. However, a year went by, and they sent me another notice to pay, so I had to send it all in again! It's in their own pamphlet titled "what to do with overpayments" that a savings bond is one of the options. Now been about 8 years, and I still have all the evidence, which will go to my kids when I'm gone in case they ever try to come after them or my estate! It sucks so bad - NEVER be an "alternate payee" for a family member or for a friend, if at all possible!!
Lol
This happens alot. I'd suggest the IRS was using Common Core Math long before they tried shoving it down our children's throats.🤔
Contact your Congressional Representative and share your story with him or her. They need to know about this!!
@@DragonNinja4680yes 🙏♥️🕊🤲it’s citizen abuse .. social security wastes time’n$ ..do not consent .. Article IV Section 4 cites government must protect citizens fm domestic abuse not cause it ..unconstitutional esp4 low income people .
It angers me our taxes are being sent overseas while our own citizens struggle to live in America.
Hundred of billions too to every country on Earth! Our hard earned money being squandered by foreign governments. When we collapse economically, who will come to our aid? I think we all know the answer to that one!
That and not properly taxing the rich.
@@AyeohxExactly 👍🏾
This is the thing:
It's not about the money "going overseas," it's the government allowing the wealthy and super rich to NOT pay a dime.
@@carlettesouthern-robert2992
Those who make around $168,000 a year pay nothing towards FICA but when they retire receives social security if they meet todays requirements.
The richest and the wealthiest who pay nothing should pay, and a higher amount, towards social security and every year.
WTH is Capitol Hill doing to stop social security from being depleted because there's no excuse for it to possibly happen.
Social Security officials should have some responsibility for their mistakes.
This whole country is going down the drain... the evidence is overwhelming! 😮
As should people who take money that doesn’t belong to them.
@@elizabethlibero1878Many of them did not realize that they were being overpaid. I am sure that many people do not review their statements regularly, especially financial statements like investment statements, Social Security statements, bank statements, credit card statements, paystubs, etc. This is why you should regularly review that information because many institutions that issue those statements can make mistakes.
What a racket! Thank you Anderson Cooper and 60 minutes for reporting this story.
Now that's journalism. Helping people who need a voice. Keep up the great work.
It only benefits those shown on 60mins. How will this 60mins short documentary benefit the millions of people caught in this web of poor calculations bad documentations of SS payments?
@@4evertrue830 that's a great question. Most television stations won't air this. We have to do better by our citizens.
Excellent work Anderson! Always proud of you! Keep on doing God's work! Bless you!
This is why we need factual journalism in our world!
realize media causes the problem, they promote the problem. all the report is, is a lesson in ego.
You could see the defeat in that woman’s eyes at the end when she said they’d give up all their savings just to make the government go away even if it left them broke. That is just disgusting.
Democrat thieves . Did they report earning income on SSN federal income? And any person that says they should keep money is a thief>four years of taxpayer money they stole.
@@sandblast5636 Just saw a Congressional hearing where Senator Mark Rubio is grilling Mayorkatis as to why we are giving monthly SSI payment, food stamps and free medical. He said they were fleeing Cuba and were political refugees. Rubio gave evidence that some of these same people were actually going back to Cuba for vacation staying 2-3 months. They are using our tax dollars to live free here and go back to supposedly a country they fear for their lives. I am livid. Our government is completely corrupt.
What we need to do….all people who have suffered this…what correspondence do you retain?
They say they can’t provide recap information…no kidding, it was never provided.
If this is expunged or the slate wiped clean…do we have documents?
Banks don’t go back that far, if they do, it’s substantial fees.
Some people have everything saved. Find out.
Rest assured, plenty of people paid and gave up. Many too embarrassed, or didn’t know how to complain.
Local news had human interest On Your Side segments. It’s no longer a common feature.
What I say to powers that be….look, some people have to go on the bus and hope the copier is working,
If I tell you a reference number, you shouldn’t need a copy from me. I’ve spent a small fortune on certified mail already.
@sandblast5636 what makes you think this is purely one party?
I am one who has been paying them back for 3 years for a few random overpayments. Of course I was never able to defend myself against those overpayments to show that I didn't owe the amount they claimed. They've had me living on less than $750 a month for the last 3 years Try buying food and paying your bills with that kind of money. Every time I call to see how much I have left to pay they only tell me the total amount I owed them in the beginning. Each time I explain I've been paying for 3 years so I shouldn't owe that total amount and they say we'll notify the payment department who will get in touch with you. Give them a month. Month rolls around haven't heard anything and call them back and hear the same thing again. That month rolls around and I hear nothing. It's a lot of stress and usually if you're on social security you definitely don't need additional stress. It's an endless cycle with no endpoint. I can understand why this woman has that look in her eye. It's a look of defeat.
The contempt they have for American taxpayers who pay their salaries is truly awesome to behold.
I would use the word disgusting.
contempt is the wrong word. But as someone that works in a government social service system( CPS), employees do learn to remove emotion from decision making or else everyone gets approved. I've had many cases that have been denied due to policy reasons and CRIED LIKE A BABY AFTER! If I had a magic wand I would fix everything in child services but I can't and that's why I'm logical and emotionless in my job. I'm sure SSA workers feel the same way.
Happened to me. For a lot more money. Thank God for legal aid as they were the only help available. 7 years later and 3 court appeals, my case was finally resolved. Right from the beginning, SSA admitted the overpayment was their error, but they never took ownership and they stopped my check completely for the 7 years. It was a living nightmare.
If it SS fault they should have to eat it. We don't figure the amount we get...they do. So that is their fault.
Does anyone KNOW? I heard for years the Federal Government and Federal employees CAN'T BE SUED? ? Soc. Sec. Office/Admin and ***Postal employees who steal Federal checks all the time
The young man with a 20 year debt associated with his mother....Mindblowing
pretty sure ss "made a mistake" on that too, because children in america are not responsible for their parents' debts- especially when the 'debt' was incurred when the child was actually a child.
can you imagine any other entity trying to make an adult child pay for their deceased parents' debt? i can. some time after my father died, a collection agency called me and said i owed his hospital bills. i told them i was hanging up and reporting them to each and every agency i could think of. they never called again.
He should payback! He appears to feed him and that mutt thousands in McDs and wendys every month, so he can afford to cutback and payback who financed him to walk instead of roll
When there is over a million mistakes in one year social security is incompetent.
That's some Lloyd's of London inherited debt right there!
this happened to me with my VA compensatin lol, took me 5 years to repay overpayments.
It's disgusting that it took some bad publicity for the social security agency to act in good conscious.
And only for the specific individuals in this story. Millions of others remain on the hook. Despicable.
Well it is government.... I don't expect anything less from those crooks
It wasn't a good conscience that ssi waved the payments, it was definitely the heat the media brought on due to this exposure.
It too easy for government workers to pass the buck
SSA shouldn't have waived the payments. The couple should have been forced to pay ALL of it back because they OWED it.
I'm going through this right now. What a nightmare..😢
So am I. I leave the office in tears every time I go. They asked for documents. I brought them. They can't find them. But it's my fault. The customer rep shut the window IN MY FACE WHILE I WAS TALKING!
@@sunnypsych27I'm so sorry you're also dealing with this nightmare. I submitted everything for an appeal over a month ago. They say the process could take months, and although they've reinstated my benefits during the appeal process, they are adding interest to the $50k they claim I owe. You can contact your local senator or congressman for help. They're there to help with these types of situations.
@@sunnypsych27I just won my appeal. If you haven't appealed, please do.
Me too. I'm having panic attacks. This stress is killing me.
In November I received a letter from SSA saying I owed over $50,000 and they were going to discontinue my benefits immediately. I appealed their decision.
Last week, I received a letter saying I WON my appeal! Based on this 20/20 story, I thought it would take years to resolve. Don't give up. If you need help please call your local Congressman or Senator. This is the type of help they offer their constituents.
I hope you win your appeal.
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Personally, I would always advise getting a professional help so they can steer you through the choppy market.
I’m Glad i stumbled on this. Please, if its not too much of a hassle for you, can you drop the details of the expertise that assisted you and how to get in touch with him.?
@@Florencecoxx I get guidance from *Mr Gary Mason Brooks* . Most likely, the internet should have his basic info..
I let out a sigh of relief when Anderson said these people didn’t have to pay. Thank you 60 minutes - as a senior citizen I appreciate what you did here.
Democrat thives
I feel horrible for e everybody else that had/have nobody to represent them.
@@sm5130ThankyouGod Oh my poor liberals feel so horrible for people who steal from the taxpayers of America.
They were over paid and they b ew they were should have sead something wen it started .not wait 4 years.
Is 60 minutes prepared to advocate for each of us? SOMEBODY SHOULD.
They kicked me off of Social Security because I receive payments from books I wrote. Not a lot but they said that it was my fault. I am 77 years old and on a limited income. The worker that I spoke to was screaming at me on the phone. I filed a complaint with the agency and they eventually restored my benefits. They then came back again and took the money out by cutting my benefits. It is the most incompetent government agency I have dealt with!
That is horrible , I hope you are ok
I too, have 2 letters from different parts of SSI, from 2 different cities, that contradict each other. One says I get benefits, the other says I owe. Guess which one they went with?
Are you on SSI?
SS pro-rates benefits based on any other source of income. It's as if we never paid into the system to ensure a retirement benefit.
You don’t get “kicked off “ SS.. you’re allowed to earn a certain amount of income, and once you go over that amount, they deduct $1 dollar for every $2 dollars you earn.. but you don’t actually lose that money.. once you stop earning above the li
It, they reinstate your prior income…
That's insane to expect any regular family to repay $51k in 30 days
I genuinely mean it when I express my stress and concern regarding the market crash and high inflation, particularly in relation to my retirement. I have been experiencing losses for quite some time, and while some may argue that crises can present opportunities, I am feeling overwhelmed. However, I understand that investing is a long-term endeavor, and it is crucial to maintain focus on the bigger picture and the long run.
The best course of action if you lack market knowledge is to ask a consultant or investing coach for guidance or assistance. Speaking with a consultant helped me stay afloat in the market and grow my portfolio to about 65% since January, even though I know it sounds obvious or generic. I believe that is the most effective way to enter the business at the moment..
STEPHANIE KOPP MEEKS, that's whom i work with look her up and thank me later..
@@Lida-sh6ee6667The Meeks shall inherit the earth😮!
What's even more sad is being over 60s plus and still have to work a $16/hr job after having worked full-time all your life and contributing to a $hitty system. You'd never see a politician having to suffer like this. A country with an economy in the billions, shipping billions overseas to fix other people's issues while turning a blind eye to those at home. America neglects the elderly and does a extremely poor job taking care of them. Literally many more like these people who are working to survive until they land in the grave. When do you enjoy retirement? By the time you're able to do so you'll be living on 20 medications trying to deal with all of the health issues you developed working your entire life. What a system...
Where are the protests for this and healthcare. :/
You nailed the issue that EVERY American citizen should care about. How is our tax money being doled out by the billions to help foreign countries when the workers PAYING into these aid packages aren’t being taken care of first? Our communities must demand better from Our Government.
The elderly neglects the elderly with who they vote for. I’m sorry but it’s true and needs to be said. Social Security is a socialist ideal, it is socialism in its truest form. The capitalist agenda values retired, non-working folks far less than those who are employed and working. In 2020, when COVID took place here - multiple conservatives stated they didn’t care about the impact on the elderly population because they didn’t contribute to society. As someone living in Florida, I can safely say these folks vote against their own best interest constantly. Florida being a red state is incredibly ironic, especially as cuts to programs like SS and Medicare are so often threatened.
I only have sympathy towards seniors who understand this and are caught in the middle of it.
All you have said is the truth about how we as elderly Americans are forced to live. We need our own representatives in this vile corrupt government. We should not help other countries UNTIL OUR CITIZENS living our best lives, I do not mean extreme wealth. Just to have jobs so we can support our families and live happy lives which does not mean being a millionaire.
They probably only had minimum wage jobs during their entire lives, which is why they are getting so little from Social Security.
This is exactly what happened to me! I am legally blind, use a guy dog, have gone back to vocational rehabilitation a couple of times over the course of my disability, and have been able to work. Social Security paid me benefits, and even increased my benefits for a time when I was working about seven years ago. The benefits stopped after that, because I stopped them. Now the government, Social Security, Says I owe them tens of thousands of dollars. Right now they’re getting $100 a month for me and that’s all they’re getting. I reported all my earnings and checked in with Social Security all the time and follow their rules. It’s not my job to know their job. It’s my job to do the best I can as a disabled person And be as independent as I can.
I used a guy dog too but got 2 years for that one. Just kidding I love you from one disabled person with too much time on their hands to another
You can pay less than that. Matter of fact you should pay less than that.
Your story is exactly my story, these terrorists are putting me through their ringer for the last three years.
@@user-wh7kt5oz3r read the room dude, that's not a good joke and this isn't the place for it. Even with the 'just kidding love you', that comment is awful. In any case, I hope OP gets some relief somehow.
They technically can't get anymore. If they take you to court, you need fight any and all action. I assume you're not sitting on a pile of money and if you own your house, most states have unlimited homestead protection exemption.
This is such a gut punch!!!!! My sister who's been living on disability for many years, had a very cheap home she lived in - the house was worth 5 to 15K. It's all she had. The system wanted her to sell that house and live on the streets, essentially homeless, before they would not require her to pay back roughly 21K in disability that they claimed she had received but didn't require. She's living with a multitude of health issues and lives very meagerly. Our system is so messed up and we need to find a way to fix it.
As someone getting ready to retire in December 2024 this scares the hell out me.
Thank you 60 Minutes for doing this show. You need to do a follow-up show and see if the Social Security Administration really did what they said they would do. I was told the same thing, only to get another letter, at a later date, reminding me to make full payment as soon as possible. What a shame to hold innocent people accountable for their (SSA) mistake.
This is the program that helped Congress pass the WEP way back in the early 1980s because of a false report about "double dipping." What happened with the WEP is that it was the LOWER wage workers who did not have a lifetime of a career in the public sector who got shafted. I had a mere five years in Nevada public employment, yet because I don't have 30 years of "substantial earnings" in Social Security-covered work, I get cheated out of 120 bucks a month. Combine this with Medicare, and I am short 300 bucks a month. I don't even get 900 a month net for all the years i worked, and I had to take SS early. Never-marred women especially are penalized as it is; the WEP makes it worse. I have to work until I die.
It's hard to run a poniz
It is not a "Ponzi scheme." Quit believing the lies of Koch-backed "libertarian" outfits whose motives are merely that the corporations Koch owns don't want to pay the employer share of FICA.
That’s big government.
Lmao it's government.
Don't hold your breath because it be the last one you ever take if you think the United States government going to do any thing to make it right for the people that are forced tax withholdings .
This is what journalism and freedom of speech are for: to be a check and balance on the government. Thank you 60 Minutes for bringing this to light and getting justice for these people. I hope they really do reform their policies so others can be treated fairly in their old age too.
Yeah one big thing. The fact that they have been so bias towards a Democratic party especially when Trump was in office is disgusting. The one lady who interviewed him who said she knew nothing about the Joe Biden laptop Hunter Biden lie shows nobody can trust these people. It's all about power
Right! Our "fourth" branch of government! It's in jeopardy though...voting blue is our only chance to save it for ppl like trump, who like all authoritarian governments, try to vilify the media and journalists and want to silence them.
This is MANIPULATION FOR VIEWS!!!!
Maybe if one party didn't strip the agency to the bone...
It takes funding to eliminate this kind of stuff.
I could tell this exact same story as these! I received a shocking letter a month ago and it said I owed over $17,000 and I have 30 days to pay it back. By the time I received the letter I had only 14 days left to either pay it in full or appeal. I immediately went to appeal this craziness saying I was over paid by this amount over 5 years ago!!! Here I am just hearing about it from the Social Security Administration. After I appealed I waited and received another letter stating I needed to prove that I am disabled asking for all of my medical records, etc. I called them and said what on Earth is this about and they said ignore that letter, it is a mistake. They entered my appeal wrong in the system. Just today I got another letter from them stating they are stopping my monthly disability checks until it is paid back. No notification. No response from my appeal letter, nothing!
The last guy was a child and his mother died. Now they go after him for his mother's debts. That is draconian and bad SS employees should be fired.
This happened to me! I'm only 29 and they say I own $7,500 because my daughter who was born with a heart defect was overpaid. She was only getting SSI for the first 2 years of her life, and they decided about a year after she was no longer eligible that they had been paying too much. I took it to an appeal, and the judge said we should never have gotten it at all! She said we never should've qualified in the first place! How in the world is that my fault? I also watched this judge leave the room and come back 5 minutes later with the numbers for our income over the last 3 years. So clearly this information was easily accessible to them the entire time. They still ruled that we owe them despite the fact we are very nearly homeless. I'm sure I will die young due to all the stress they caused me, and I cannot even fathom doing something like this to elderly people for tens of thousands. They need to be sued.
I think that's why they do it. Not only to put stress on people ( heart attacks/ strokes) and just out of GREED.
Personal responsibility is FREEDOM. Playing victim is not. This is why they teach people to be helpless. Much easier to milk and rule over. All of us need to be aware of every gd penny flowing thru our lives. Understand there is no FREE anything. No perfect system. Life is a chit salad and one's best defense is always be on Offense. Not playing like a 3 years old who had their cookie stolen.
It is VERY RARE to talk to or go in an office and meet with a Soc Sec worker who cares, knows their job, or is grateful to be healthy and able to work. They ABOSOLUTELY LOVE TO CRAP ON PEOPLE WITH DISABLED CHILDREN!
They want you to be DIRT POOR and a dollar away from being homeless.
Anyone who has been a live-in caregiver for a relative/love one with a chronic illness knows how expensive things are and how much is not covered by any insurance. So you need money to help keep a sick and disabled love one HOME and not in the hospital. 1st...How ARE YOU GOING TO BE 2 PLACES AT 1 TIME? What do you do qhen you dont have help and are alone and no one else can take off work OR CARES??? So many medical needs/supplies are not covered. Most people sincerely use Soc Sec for Medical needs. Gas in the car Special diets all kinds of small medical supplies to Copays.
Larger utility bills...WATER... ELECT. I wash EVERY DAY! I Have to keep ac on during peek hours. Someone aka Me must always with my son. He cant be left alone So no break in a hot state. Im driving a very expensive vehicle because I have to put a wheelchair in it! I would never have bought it if there was no need. When you trade PERSONAL FREEDOM & FINANCIAL GROWTH & SECURITY ...For Your Child Soc Sec sits perched like a vulture waiting for a "GOTCHA" moment.
Dare you try to work and pay bills and keep a good credit score? Ohhh Hell No!
You child better be UNDER 18...Yep the healthiest time of A parent's life. Why the FINANCIAL punishment? Im 66 No Obama care until my son was 38. I was/ have treated like POOP for 42years he has been sick and disabled! I paid my way thru college, but if I worked to try to pay for his meds/2800month when he was 7...Then I was cheating Soc Sec! Even after I informed them I was working. Back then about 1986 He was getting 340 dollars a month. It helped but it sure didn't make us RICH. I reported my income. Next thing I know Im in COURT! for 3400.00 overpayment/10 months. I took my paystubs into local Soc Sec office sat with a lady and she Made COPIES and wrote down everything in a FILE. Then I got my surprise! Court for 3400 dollars, Not 34k, not 340k.
I did tell the judge I was insulted that the Government thought Id steal 340$ a month. I told Judge if Soc Sec mistakenly sent 3.4million at 1 time and that check cleared...Now Id catch a case for that amount...but the Feds would have to out what country we moved to find us 1st. lol He laughed and dismissed the case. This insanity has to STOP!
Where do they think people get money from with a sick and disabled person at home? If you are doing right by them YOU WILL BE BROKE! Barely Living CHECK TO CHECK.
I made Flower pens to afford gas and parking at the hospital/our 2nd home. 1 month we had 17 ER visits. Praise God my son is still here but Im a PANIC STRICKEN WRECK from school and government and Now GREEDILY RUN CORPORATE Run HOSPITALS. I have been TRAUMATIZED for 42years! My sick child DIDN'T CAUSE ANY OF THE TRAUMA!
The judge was right.
@@IP0Monsturdthe judge touched you
If I’m sending in the documents that you are requiring me to send in and you don’t check them, that’s not on me and I will not let you treat me like it’s my fault. People need to be fired and held accountable. Those errors is not on the person receiving the benefits.
This happened to me, as well. I was paralyzed from accident age 31, had 2:small kids. SS waited 20 years, then insisted i repay 58k, 11k for me, the remaining amount was everything they had paid my kids. I appealed, and lost. My adult son made payments on the amount they attributed to him. I am Still making payments to this day, on the remaining balance, because when i pass away, whatever is left owing will become my surviving family's debt. Its a terrible situation to be in.
You should have had some kind Of disability insurance.
@@johnp139 It was work related, therefore Work Comp was involved....After a 3.5 year battle in court
You should send a tweet to your state rep state senator CNN and Social Security and a news organization these stories need to get out This is unacceptable unbelievable
This happened to my mom ... it caused her so much anxiety and stress, I actually think it affected her overall health. They said she owed a little over $5,000 back, but demanded she appear in their offices several times to go over her records, where their numbers changed every time and they treated her like a criminal - as if she somehow was able to get them to over pay her on purpose. She was in tears every time she went there. It was so horrible and the staff was so rude.
I’m so sorry this happened to her. Hope she is doing well now. Sounds absolutely awful 😞
@@PraveenSriram Actually, she passed a few years ago, not all that long after fighting this battle with SS. I'm telling you, it affected her health. I did all I could to help her and it caused me a lot of stress too. They made her last 5 years horrible.
That is awful! I’m so sorry she had to endure that! May she rest in peace. Our country and the world continue to spiral out of control. My our Lord come soon 🙏🏽
Sorry she had to suffer so much in her last years.
People need to teach Americans not to be s weak and wimpy when it comes to their shtty government.
This happened to me also years ago at no fault of mine. I lost my mother at 9 years old then my father at 16 years old. I was a ward of the court and my payments came to my aunt. It was not until I turned 18 that a payment came to me prior to graduating high school. Imagine my surprise after I got disability several years ago I was being held accountable for a overpayment from the 90's after I done lost both parents and had no say over my money. I happy this is coming to light.
Oh my god, I'm sorry. Crazy.
You should not have even been sent a bill if you ware a minor at the time. Congress keeps giving itself raises, great health insurance, great income, income and health insurance after leaving office, Yet, they bill a person who was a minor when they received extra money from the government. Republicans even want to eliminate social security, Yet, some people keep voting republican. Who should we blame? @@marygoff3332
Here’s what I don’t understand. She said Social Security was sending her the benefits for four other people. The average Social Security check is $1700 so that would be $6800 for four people. If you add her check of about $1700, that would be $8500 a month she was receiving each month. Wouldn’t you think that she would realize there is a problem and contact Social Security. It’s almost as though she was stealing $8500 a month. It’s not her money and she should’ve known that. She took the benefits from four other people, four other old retired people. But what do I know. I do know I’m going to get a lot of blowback for this comment, because most of the comments have been supportive of this woman.
Was hoping to get away with it obviously
Yes SS has a statement showing your earnings and an estimate of what your benefit will be. The closer to retirement age you get the more accurate the estimated is. I don't believe she didn't know it was wrong. But SS should have caught it earlier not 4 years later!
They knew
She should've seen and known it was too much money. Their yearly raise is like 1%!! I call. BS on her claim...really? Even still working, i know what each paycheck will be!!
She wasn't taking anyone else's payments. They were giving her the amount they decided on by calculating the benefits for 4 people instead of just her - the one person. But nobody else's benefits were affected by that mistake. They just overpaid her.
Yeah. Happened to my Dad. My stepmother (she passed a year or so ago) was perfectly happy to keep cashing his checks after he went back to work and let SS know. She took so much money without his knowledge, but Dad is the one that had to pay it back.
Same thing happened to me back in 2003. I received Social Security Disability due to quadriplegia following a motorcycle accident. After graduating from college and getting a job, I informed Social Security of my status and salary. Could not get them to stop the payments. Then I got re-evaluation paperwork. I filled it out and they said, after performing the evaluation, I was still eligible for the benefits. This happened for 3 years until all of a sudden I get mail from them saying i had been overpaid and I owe them $30K. There are ZERO lawyers out there to help with this! I had to go to my congressman just to get a hearing with an administrative judge. Then the judge said "Yeah, you got hosed but, since you can afford to pay it back, you must." I owed 30K and was making $35K at the time. I disagreed with his definition of being able to afford to pay it back
Dang! The system is so ..........MESSED UP !!!! Hope & Wish you all the best in your future .
@@DavidJones-ib3zy 👍
Well I think you gotta write SSA & tell them to put you on a payment plan I mean you can’t just say i can keep the money because the government made a mistake; but on the other hand, you can’t penalize them and you have to let them pay it back. Let them pay back slowly and maybe they could take out a loan pay it back and then pay on their loan. If SSA all of sudden gives u a big increase call & ask
@@kareyrose Oh, you can get put on a payment plan through SSA. The stupidest thing you could do is take out another loan to pay it back cuz SSA doesn't charge you interest
@@kareyrose "If SSA all of a sudden gives you a big raise, call and ask." That should be in big letters across every piece of paper they send you! They don't just give you a big raise, they send you paperwork saying they are giving you a raise and the reasons they are doing so. They actually convince you this is right, then 3 years later or whatever it is when they say you owe them thousands of dollars, then they say you should have called
I had to deal with the IRS and Social Security when my dad passed. It was one of the worst experiences of my life. One agency ONLY ACCEPTED FAXES! No email or anything. Always call (if possible) to check that a fax was received. It's a favorite 'get out clause' with some agencies.
Why in the world is that young man being held responsible for that old overpayment?! 🤯🤯
Right!! we HAVE to provide proper documentation of whatever they need upon filing and reviews, and if THEY can't provide any documentation on this case from so many years ago and as the young man said "they did not have anything anymore".....then WHERE did they find the exact amount owing??
The US govt still uses Cobol computer systems. LOL! People need to educate themselves and revolt. The wealthy' , aka Republicans, don't want to spend the money to upgrade. Because, it is no concern, nor benefits them. The govt has your life in their hands Wake up people!
@@chrisfry436Great Question!!
An audit of Social Security needs to happen Now! its urgente to the nation
This is horrible. I'm sorry to all the people going through stuff like this. People should not be punished by other mistakes.
Right, so these recipients shouldn’t get MORE MONEY FROM MY DEDUCTIONS because of an error!!!
I don't often say this to a show, news agency,etc, but God bless you for helping these people and bringing light to this disgusting miscarriage of justice.
Democrat thieves
Where is our justice system !! This is the government stealing from the elderly !! At the rate of over a million per year !!
Sad to say the person he hates (Trump) is probably the only person that would fix this🤷🏾♂️
This is what the news should be, not shoving a political agenda down peoples throats and making enemies of half the American people.
@@leonardtarver149 you be right Bro
After listening to these tragic stories I didn't feel too bad anymore. I started receiving social security checks in January this year, after turning 65 the past December. Five months later Social Security informed me that I have been over paid for three months. Thankfully, I only owe them a little over $3000. You can't win with Social Security
Ponzi scheme!!
They say said I owed 1,100 dollars from when they overpaid me 47 years ago.
How would YOU NOT KNOW that you were getting $1,000 a month MORE than you were supposed to get???
I wonder if Ukraine got any overpayment
you had no idea?
A millions overpayment notices is obviously too many. Social security needs to fix their problem and help the victims of their blunder,
Kudos to 60 Minutes. Great job.
Better to go to the media then a lawyer.
that’s what happens in America when you have no protections or rights as a consumer.
@@Milk-rn5uqThat's not true
@@joycem5967 It's effectively true enough when people don't have the resources or knowhow to use those protections.
@@scarpfish if you want to get information, there are free internet services ( especially in libraries ) , there are also volunteer lawyers in US, you need first try to help yourself, as a consumer, you collect evidence and get a lawyer, if you choose to keep it in the dark, then that's what you're getting.
@@joycem5967 Come on man, you're the one in the dark as you clearly didn't watch the stories in the 60 minutes piece -- these three played by the rules (one even with fax receipts of the paystubs they had sent to SSI) and SSI claims they never received them and in the case of the man who was a boy at the time -- as his mother (caregiver) who's long been dead -- filed for a few years on his behalf because he had cerebral palsy. An 11 year-old would never have such documentation. And SSI doesn't have it either...yet are putting the onus on the customers to "prove their innocence" for something years if not decades after the fact.
This story is terrifying to me. I live alone and receive SSI/SSDI benefits for medical reasons. It's my only source of income. I can't imagine what I would do if given notification of a past overpayment caused by SS administration's lack of accountability for themselves. This is not okay & I hope this 60 minutes report makes them change their tune!
As long as they keep blaming the people, I don't see this changing.
I saw in the video, the head of SS is a woman. Now that right there speaks a lot about accountability. Smh.
Yes it is ok. It is their fault. They got 3 years of payments. They knew. They just kept collecting. And you get big handouts so you can’t complain either.
I am currently paying back an overpayment. Been doing it since 2014 and the entire ordeal started in late 2010. I still have several years to go before it's all paid off.
@@dcg590 so, you weren't actually watching the video..... k
I was recently told by SSA that I was overpaid $315 in survivor benefits from 1968 when I was 10 years old after my mom passed away. They said I could appeal it, but the appeal paperwork alone would cost me more than $315 in aggravation and time so I simply paid it. Thankfully the amount wasn’t life altering like the people on this story. Truly frightening to think you can get one of these letters and not have a clue there was ever a problem.
My husband is in a hospital bed in our frontroom. Has been for 4 years. Last year Social Security cut him from $867 to s nothing checks for 3 months, then sent $120 per month, this year he gets $199 a month. They say they overpaid during covid. He has been on SSD since 2007. 😢
I’m so glad this is getting the attention it deserves because the system is unhinged. This is my office, and the stories I hear are mortifying but it’s literally nothing I can do to help. My heart hurts for these people because it’s not their fault.
Oh yes it IS their fault if they are collecting SS and getting disability and shouldn't be getting it. The rules are strict.
@@ValleyoftheRogue true for some but not all. I know that as a fact 🤷🏾♀️
Dude was working and earning more than federal minimum wage. They knew they weren’t supposed to get as much as they did. They’re just mad because their privilege cards were revoked. Should’ve bet that money on derivatives and fattened their nest egg on the interest. No-they’re upset because the spigot was stopped. Boo hoo!
Not your fault. It's the stupid government that has such a small amount of ssa employees handling such a large program.
@@VoltairesRevengeAmerica: thieves, slaves and opportunists...😊
If there's overpayments, probably also underpayment. If that happens, how would the average person know & would social security admit it or issue a check to compensate? Great story, 60 Minutes!
Yes.
HOW do we know the calculation IS CORRECT?
Note sure if this helps, but the Social Security Administration provides a calculator:
www.ssa.gov/OACT/quickcalc/
After entering your figures, you can change their assumptions. You need to have kept good tax records for many years to figure it.
I dont know, budgeting for 3 minutes?
Perhaps they would actually look at their social security STATEMENTS!!!!!!
@@johnp139
Yeah you would think the people sending them out would also.
This happened to my dad! He had disability insurance and SSI was sending him thousands of dollars per month… almost 100k. Then they asked for it all back. Thankfully he hadn’t spent any of it so he was able to send it back immediately but it was still a clusterf**** and stressful as heck
Again if you're making a certain amount of money and you get a hell of a lot more in your social security check don't you think that should be a red flag telling you something was wrong in the first place
I know, like that lady that was the school cafeteria worker and was getting benefits from 4 other people and she acted like she was unaware something was up. I think she thought she could get away with it, because did you notice her husband didn't speak at all. He had to know too and they probably used that money to pay off their house.
EXACTLY!!! They should be CHARGED with FRAUD!!! NOT BE ALLOWED TO KEEP OVERPAYMENTS!!!
I would love to know how Social Security can blame the recipient when they know what you are earning as they get Social Security witholding with every paycheck.
@@stevenstrain283 Yup, they could never blame themselves now could they? That would mean, as an agency, they would have to "stifle" their pride issues.
Over a million times a year as well. Plus a lot of the people they do it to are vets and disabled people. The US government is pathetic.
it called the law.
@@RichieRich-pn3ggso we need to change the law.
So do the recipients.
I am one of the victims. Despite the fact I kept calling them to readjust the benefits after my husband’s death, they kept delaying and now they come back and tell me to pay them back. I did all I could to stop them from overpaying me, but they didn’t fix the problem, and now they’re threatening me they’d stop giving me my benefits. I can’t believe I’m paying taxes to feed these lazy incompetent government workers! I want my taxes back
To be honest, if you knew, you should have put the extra money in a savings account so you could pay it back when needed. If you did not know it's a different story.
@@mensmans9241 I didn’t know the amount of the difference. Besides, my husband died of ALS and there was so much medical expenses I had to take care of. There was no way I could have saved money.
@@mensmans9241no one knows if, or when, they are going to come back to you.
If an agency can't do its job you don't solve the problem by cutting their money. Congress keeps agency stupid by resisting refusing to face up to the needs of the agencies. The fact is Congress is not paying agencies enough to hire enough competent employees. So politicians can continue to campaign on ignorance.
@@mensmans9241 Good advice!
What infuriates me is that THEY made the mistake. We did not know we were being overpaid and we live paycheck to paycheck. WE should not have to pay for THEIR error. And WHY did it take over 3 years to find THEIR mistake?
THANKS, 60MINUTES FOR MAKING IT DIFFERENCE ~~~~
If it's the recipient's mistake, they should be allowed to pay it back according to their ability to pay. If it's SSA's mistake, they should eat the overpayments - let the administrators take the heat from Congress!
It is the taxpayers' money.
Per policy it’s supposed to be based off of income, not a set amount based on overpayment.
Congress doesn't give a s***.
America should be ashamed
Not normal Americans just our Corrupt Government.
My husband's doctor filed disability ss on his behalf. We refused it. He went back to work. Most people on disability don't even need it, based on our own experience. I have co-workers will all kinds of ailments, even in wheelchair, working. Get a job and these problems won't be yours.
I worked for IHS of HHS. This isn’t just an SSA problem. This is a federal government problem. It’s a systemic problem.
Meanwhile the rich keeping their undeserved tax breaks. SMH 🤦♂️.
False…..the rich pay the majority of the tax load.
What does the rich and tax breaks have to do with the SSA making these big mistakes?
I think they are referring to the Social Security Tax Limit, if you make more than $160,200 you no longer pay Social Security Tax. So yes, rich people don't need Social Security and don't pay into Social Security, THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM!!!!
News should run more stories like this instead of stupid stuff that riles people up but can't solve and become wedge issues
those incompetent workers should be the one paying the errors and not the recipient retirees... BLOOD BOILING!!!
My mom is on disability and has been since I was a kid. So I received benefits also, while a minor.
Once I aged out of qualifying for benefits, they sent me a letter saying they over paid me 🤷♀️. I was lucky and a college student at the time so didnt have to repay.
But that was 20 yrs ago....the fact this happens all the time is just ridiculous.
You should be grateful for ANY payments that you received because YOU NEVER PAID ANYTHING IN!!!!
@johnp139 I don't think I said anything about NOT being grateful. So good on you to judge me on my life, when you know NOTHING about my life. But just so you know....there were plenty of times growing up that the only food I had was what I received at school. So why don't you go worry about you. Because I've been able to take care of myself.
I was actually commenting on how many mistakes actually happen with SS/SSI. And some people relay on their SS to pay bills. They're not trying to "take advantage or pull one over" on the government.
All of these victims should get together and file a class action lawsuit against the social security administration. They would win.
Victims? You are trying to keep something that doesn’t belong to you. More like crooks.
@@IP0Monsturd They(e.g. family) and millions of other Americans paid Social Security taxes and now they owe the Social Security department for over payment of benefits. The Government should stop raiding the Social Security Trust to fund wars that we never win (e.g. Afghanistan, Iraq) etc. that would help the so-called “lower contribution” due to less US child births. The government can print money (billions) to support countries all over the world(e.g. Pakistan, Israel,Ukraine) but can’t forgive Social Security “over payments” recipients. SMH
Unfortunately, no one can sue the Federal Government (any agency) unless they agree to allow it. Do you think they are going to allow it? I would not bet on it.
Unfortunately, that would be a waste of money and time.
@@IP0Monsturdmaybe this will happen to you some day, and you will sing a different tune.
Thank you, 60 Minutes and Anderson, for helping those few families get their "debt" waived. This is gross negligence on the SSA's part and it is devastating the victim's lives. I can only imagine the added stress of such a huge debt on top of an existing medical condition. It's just not right to do this to people.
We need more information. There are clearly written rules about notifying Social Security FOR ANY CHANGE IN INCOME! It falls to the recipient. You have to sign that you have read and understood the rules when before you get SSD & SSI. For my state's benefits, I think it is 6 weeks after the income increases. Which means, when the "disabled" guy got surgery and became fit to work--he was obligated to contact SS regarding any employment. The guy who got SSD--when he went back to work--was supposed to notify SS as soon as he began working again. SSD and SSI can still be received, if the wages are still less because of inability to work more. They adjust the benefit. But if you are able to work, they absolutely require that you do and that you notify them. I am sure that in every state it is no more than 3 months after the income increase. No one should be making more with wages and SSD or SSI combined than they did while they were fully employed. And if you have no clue, all you have to do is call the SS office. They will make an appointment for a phone consult. They will explain the rules and will review all the income. As often as needed. I know this, because I called them for an appointment. You don't even have to leave your home.
@@PixieTheRabbitOne of the couples were reporting their income in a timely and regular bases and they still didn't adjust payments. SMH! SS has a responsibility to send out information needed to avoid this as well. The story about the guy receiving a letter for something when he was 11yrs. old, 20 years ago, is crazy and irresponsible on the part of the SS Administration.
Thank you 60 Minutes. Shame on you Social Security. With all the technology/programs available, this should not be a problem.
Meanwhile…corporations and billionaires have endless loopholes to avoid paying their taxes.
I'm 54 and my wife and I are VERY worried about our future, gas and food prices rising daily. We have had our savings dwindle with the cost of living into the stratosphere, and we are finding it impossible to replace them. We can get by, but can't seem to get ahead. My condolences to anyone retiring in this crisis, 30 years nonstop just for a crooked system to take all you worked for.
We face a new challenge every day. The new normal is this. We now see that this is the new normal and must adjust, having initially believed it to be a catastrophe. Across the country, this year will be quite painful economically.
Glad to have stumbled on this conversation. Please can you leave the info of your investment advisor here? I’m in dire need for one.
I just looked her up on the internet and found her webpage with her credentials. I wrote her outlining my financial objectives and planned a call with her.
Thank you Joe Biden !
Wait until you realize what young people are going thru. We never got ahead to begin with but the system still hurts us the same. At least you had something to lose.
The fact that because a major news journal asked them about it, these people no longer have to pay shows how lousy these agencies are. Now, they will have to forgive everyone else's cause they've basically set the precedent of indirectly admitting responsibility.
But who will know about this precedent?
If agents are freewheeling these debt letters based upon NOTHING, what will stop them going forward?!!!
The lady who was being paid for 4 extra people didn’t know her identity was stolen by someone ineligible to work in the United States. Most people learn that when their credit tanks, or they can’t file their tax return because others using their SSN filed early.
IT HAPPENED TO ME! Yes, recipients are responsible for their errors and/or lack of understanding. SOCIAL SECURITY. does not care about your situation. Just pay!
I was on SSD for bipolar and eventually after years I was able to get off SSD and after 2 years my whole tax rebate was taken and found that I owed $19,000, almost $13,000 now. It altered my life, my kids lives, and now I’m hoping that I can take my retirement money from my full time job to hopefully pay for it. No lawyer really wants to take an overpayment case. This story hits home so hard. 😢 I am a success story for SSD, but feel like I’m being punished for nothing.
You were overpaid. That money never belonged to you. Of course, no lawyer will take that stupid case.
How did you end up owing I am on SSDI and have no way of finding out if I’m being overpaid. I have a my social security account and there is nothing on there to indicate if I get over paid.
Regarding receiving SSDI..SS reviews work income every 2-3 yrs to insure you are not earning more than accepted limit, if there is 1 mo you earned too much, you are to notify them at which pt they consider you are no longer eligible for SSDI.. to avoid, you need to contact SS to determine how they calculate the Work amt.then you need to monitor it yourself. This is to insure avoid what happened to me. I was told I earned 1 month $100 over limit 3 years prior.
Resulted in their stopping SSDI and Medicare, I my owing over $50,000. Negotiated and now they withhold from my SS(now retired)check over $200/mo for 20 yrs..in my case I'll be 84 when overpayment paid back...
You aren’t being punished, you weren’t entitled to that money. Period.
@@dcg590 Yeah, but they have to live off of that money, it's not sitting around making interest, so the idea that the government can make a miscalculation FOR YEARS and then suddenly demand the money back is harsh. Like if your job overpaid you for ten years and then gave you a bill for &15,000 because of their error, you'd be upset too.
This is ridiculous!!… No one should have to payback anything. It’s all apart of their plan. Peace and love you to all!!!!
💯💯💯
It is all part of their plan
They got paid more than they should have, from a govt program that shouldnt even exist. They spent the money. They owe it back.
@@Getitstraightyo You sir, are derp.
Please explain to us what the US would look like without SS. Explain how we would take care of elderly Americans.
Because, I guarantee we'd take care of them before not taxing you 80% or more if necessary.
IT’S NOT THEIR MONEY!!!! It belongs to the rest of the people who are CONTRIBUTING!!!
Im happy to hear that you guys were able to help these ppl
This is just shameful. I owe a lot to the IRS and it keeps me up at night and honestly has made me google some dark questions. Glad you got them some relief!!! They must feel free!!!!
Thank you for reporting on this horrific problem. Misuse of power is a rampant issue, but the abuse of elderly and also preying on previously disabled children at the rate of almost a million people a year is a hideously unethical new low.
Irrelevant
60 minutes in action works again. Need more of this instead of personal stories.
How were they receiving SS benefits in their 50s in the first place?!
I have had problems with gov't agencies my entire life. Immigration, IRS, State payroll tax, and now Medicare. I paid for 40+ years and barely get by now. The problem is yours always. You are at their mercy and the employees know it. I had a Medicare employee laugh at me and tell me good luck. They terrify me. I pay every month and cannot get a local doctor to accept my insurance. I am currently having health problems that I cannot get treatment for. Pain is my companion. My next door neighbor and his wife pay nothing and get free medical and dental. 'Murica'. I finally just gave up and accept whatever their bizarre accounting practices leave me each month. An emergency will definitely be catastrophic. The homeless here get free everything. Drugs, food and cash. I don't want a handout, I want to sleep without holding my guts.
I'm so glad to see this being exposed. I requested a waiver for a clawback 2 years ago and I'm still waiting for a decision. While waiting for their decision, I receive no communication from SSA. I was able to get help from a local legal assistance group that helps seniors, but they've had no luck either.Two months ago the attorney told me they'd been told that SSA would be contacting me to set up a meeting but I've not heard anything more. It's disgusting that we have this Federal agency that is accountable to no one and we have no legal recourse against them. I've heard about having slow governmental processes but never expected it to happen here.
Don't worry by the time they get to arrange a meeting your grandkids might not be alive
Why should tax payers have to pay for your decisions? You should have saved money to retire. You shouldnt have cashed the checks that you knew were more than you were supposed to get. We should have legal recourse against you. The entitlement is insane
😲@@Getitstraightyo
What makes you think people knew it was more than they were supposed to get?
@@Getitstraightyo
Go take a pill!
I owed them $52k. I’m paying them back $250 a month for 17 years. It’s a shock when you get the letter in the mail, but you only pay back at a rate you can afford. I was told that no one in the history of the social security administration has ever successfully appealed an overpayment after being denied a waiver.
I’m so sorry
@@Ididntwantayoutubehandl Thank you. I feel very sorry for the people who get these letters. In my case, I was told in writing that I was allowed to make $300 a month and still get my benefits. But any month I made $1 more than that, even if there were months I made nothing, the entire benefit was taken away and had to be repaid. There’s no doubt in my mind suicides have resulted from this. The rate of suicide for the veterans of our armed forces is already too high.
I just received a letter saying they made an error and I owe $2000 for the past 4 years. There are ways request help if you are disabled, a vet or poor. I could see a Admin Law judge but that will take years. This has to be corrected. I just want a detailed calculation on how they came to that decision. I can go the the bank, the mortgage company, and insurance company and get details. Why not SSA?. There has to be a way to calculate this correctly. So sad for these peope
What about all the underpaid recipients? I bet they don’t get notice.
The social security administration is doing the same thing to me right now. They declared me permanently disabled, gave me a lump sum, then paid me payments every month right up until I was able to use the ticket to work program to start working again. Then all of a sudden it was like there was two separate departments that weren't communicating with each other, with one department saying I was eligible for more and more money and the other department staying silent. Now they say I owe them more than $24,000 and if I can't pay in a lump sum, they're going to garnish my paychecks. I attempted to set up a repayment plan but they will not accept AutoPay. Every time I call I get attitude and disrespect and hostility. Not to mention, just because I'm able to work doesn't mean I'm suddenly not disabled.
Obviously social security didn't read people on disability CAN make a certain amount per month and still receive disability!! Smh
This is outrageous! SS is the department who determines our benefit. How is this at the fault of the recipient? This should be considered thievery.
Act like an American.
The people who kept something that didn’t belong to them are the thieves in this situation.
If you get and keep 4 times the benefits you expect, you’re a thief. Period.
@@IP0MonsturdHow could they have known they were overpaid? Is there a way for them to calculate benefits and not rely on the SS?
@@VoltairesRevengeSocial security benefits is NOT a loan borrowed that should be paid back. It is a debt the govt owes you in the future and in due time. The right thing SS should have done, is to withhold future payments due to the beneficiary to offset the overpaid benefits and not to request money paid to be returned. That solves the problem.😉
Really pathetic; and yet people who never paid a dime in to the system can get money; but the hard working people who did have to get an attorney to fight for what’s theirs.
My cousin's wife is like that. She's never worked and was getting SSI , but I'm not sure if she still does. She's always gotten free medical. It makes me mad too because I've always had to work, but since she doesn't she could sit up at a public hospital or free clinic all day until they finally got around to seeing her. I wouldn't be able to take off work to do that.
I have a family member whose disability was stopped because he was working fulltime. He cut back his hours so he could get back on benefits. If you can work fulltime you do not need to be on SS. He is only in his early 40s. Yet, I am having a hard time with my mobility and after working 40 years I am having a hard time getting benefits that I paid for.
It’s their JOB to know, not ours! They went to college for this. They are the government and people we rely on to have knowledge of the funds sent out. This really irks me and so typical of the government to blame their mistakes on someone else 🤬
I’ve had this happen to me as well. I was getting benefits for my daughter who’s born disabled. Three years after we started getting benefits they said I owned them $9,000 back. They told me because they didn’t review my case in time to catch the over payments. So here we are paying it back while living on a fixed income.
Same. It makes me sick to my stomach with stress. It's not comfortable owing money, let alone to the government. It's not like you're aloud to save money. They can even have all payments stopped for 6 months if you sell your broken down vehicle that you can't afford to fix, if the amount you sell if for is less than they think you should get for it. So much more that I won't get into. They get you anyway they can.
@@mommabear2544 The most that you can get from a sick child is 6-9 hundred dollars a month. If you are getting close to 9 hundred dollars a month, called SSI and make sure the amount is correct.
Same here
My friend has a traumatic brain injury. He got social security while he was in recovery for two years and then started a training program that subsidized his wages. He owes at overpayment of $24,000. He can basically never retire and his disability still affects his ability to find work because no employers offer accommodations for a cognitive disability.
Obviously it's the SSA who is responsible for these errors and they should be waived. That said, the person who got 72k over payment over 4 years had to realize they were getting almost 1500.00 more per month than they should have been, which from the sound of it was 4 times more than they should have been getting at all. It's one thing to get a couple of hundred bucks too much but 1500 is enough of a mistake for them to have realized something was wrong. 🤷♀️
Everyone needs an advocate 🙏🏾🙏🏾
We were sent a notice saying we were overpaid $182,000 for the past 17 years (from June 2006). Their solution is to stop payment completely for the next 10 years to pay it back. However, I KNOW FOR A FACT that the amount was calculated properly as we had an attorney who worked on Social Security cases calculate it in detail. Now, that same attorney literally works for them in their Seattle office. Just paid an attorney yesterday $4,500 retainer to fight them.
We are lucky enough to be blessed with financial security but it’s still wrong when we know we did everything by the book. Now, seeing this video, I feel horrible for the people that can’t afford to fight for what’s right and especially for those who have their income “stolen” by the agency and left with nothing!
they wont stop until we are all homeless .
I was overpaid 500 when husband died..they sent a small form..I said, not to take..box, not my fault..they took it anyway...
if you own anything becareful they may own it
Wow, journalists actually helped other human beings. THIS is what media should be doing. Exposing the corruption and lunacy within Government agencies and helping those who are victimized be heard and helped. Bravo 60 min, BRAVO 👏
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The same thing goes when you qualified for Unemployment Benefits and they mistakenly paid you more so you will end up owing the government money instead.
60 minutes these people must be so happy and grateful for what you did for them! Bless you
Thank you 60 minutes for helping these people.
I work in this area and the amount of times I’ve seen recipients follow the rules to the letter and still get overpayments is ridiculous. You are asking to take collect from people that have little to nothing. Big tough guys picking on seniors and people with disabilities. You somehow expect people with limit capacity to completly understand the calculations and rules. Yet, when getting a disability diagnosis it’s nearly impossible. Remove the income limit.
Someone's brother passed away in 2005 and social security sent his sister a letter last year saying he was over paid and they're taking the money out of her retirement- she used to be a teacher.
I saw that story in the headlines recently. That is insane. Everyone on here needs to copy the link to the story and send it in a tweet and include CNN, Anderson Cooper, the White House, news media, Congress senators people's own state rep and state senator. This is an agency running rogue and unaccountable to any check and balances. This is frightening