Overpayments

Produced by Attorney Laura Gallant, Northeast Justice Center
Reviewed March 2022

An overpayment happens if Social Security pays you too much SSI or SSDI. Social Security will send you a letter telling you that you have an overpayment. The letter should tell you:

  • how much you have been overpaid,
  • how the overpayment happened,
  • the dates the overpayment happened,
  • how you can repay the overpayment,
  • and your rights to appeal the overpayment and to request a waiver of the overpayment.

Ask Social Security to waive the repayment or lower the rate of repayment of your overpayment:

Complete an interview to create the form you need.

Learn more about SSI Overpayments from the Social Security Administration.

See the Disability Law Center booklet on SSDI overpayments.

Report changes that might affect your benefits to to Social Security to avoid an overpayment. 

Use this interview to write a letter to prevent an overpayment. 

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