NEWAYGO COUNTY, Mich. — In November, Dave Wilder spoke to 13 ON YOUR SIDE looking to spread awareness as he found himself one of many Americans across the country who have received overpayment notices from the Social Security Administration.
Wilder received a notice saying he owed back $84,000 to Social Security, and received another notice that his benefits would be cut off.
The Social Security Administration says 1 million people received a notice during the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years that they were overpaid, as the agency is required by law to collect overpayments.
"It was so overwhelming, and I was like, 'is this real?'" said Wilder as he and his wife Rose sat down again with 13 ON YOUR SIDE, with a far different tone than in November.
"He didn't eat for almost two days, he was so depressed and scared. We're both scared, like, what are you doing all of a sudden your income is ripped out from under you," said Rose in November as she described the "sheer panic" that her and her husband experienced after receiving the initial notice.
Less than a month later however, they said they received a call from SSA.
"I was talking to her on the phone. I didn't know which way this was going, and then she said that 'there was determined there was no overpayment, and you're not obligated for any kind of repayment,'" described Dave. He explained that they were told paper work was on the way from the SSA, but that the agent said she wanted to call him personally.
"I told her God bless you and thank you," said Dave.
His wife Rose then described the physical reaction from her husband.
"When he hung up, he couldn't breathe for like, a minute, minute and a half. He was just so overwhelmed with emotion. You just saw it drop right off his shoulders," said Rose.
While now on regular Social Security, Dave had been on disability since 2012. While working part-time, he said he always worked within the limits and filed everything correctly when asked, but was told he was paid $84,000 when he should have been paid zero even though the payments were issued during the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
Dave says the explanation now given to him by SSA is that his yearly average was within the limits for hours worked, and that no repayment is necessary.
While he and his wife are relieved, they are still reeling from so much uncertainty.
"They don't seem to take into account the human element that they're dealing with, people and emotions, and people that have worked their whole life," said Dave.
They also say they hope their experience can inspire others to advocate for themselves when they receive an overpayment notice they disagree with from the SSA.
"We're just hoping that this brings awareness to other people, that you have to call in, you have to fight for your rights. Otherwise, you're just gonna get walked on," said Rose.
Dave's message for others experiencing a similar situation:
"Read all your paperwork, make sure you understand it thoroughly so you know what's happening...you're not alone. There's people to talk to. There's always help," said Dave.
The Social Security Administration issued a statement issued in October saying:
"Each person’s situation is unique, and the agency handles overpayments on a case-by-case basis. In particular, if a person doesn’t agree that they’ve been overpaid, or believes the amount is incorrect, they can appeal. If they believe they shouldn’t have to pay the money back, they can request that the agency waive collection of the overpayment. There’s no time limit for filing a waiver."
Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, also said her agency is evaluating its overpayment policies.
“Despite our high accuracy rates, I am putting together a team to review our overpayment policies and procedures to further improve how we serve our customers," Kijakazi said.
71 million Americans receive Social Security payments every year, with $1.4 trillion being paid annually.
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