A divorced mother is facing a $24,000 Social Security overpayment notice — and she says she’s just as shocked as anyone.
The woman, who posted on Reddit’s r/SocialSecurity forum, explained that she had been receiving monthly benefits on behalf of her 16-year-old son. These payments were tied to her ex-husband’s Social Security disability claim. But now, the Social Security Administration is demanding she pay it all back.
“My ex-husband and I have been divorced for 13 years,” the mother wrote. “We share custody of a 16-year-old.” And she is the custodial parent.
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For nearly two years, she received benefits for her son — known as auxiliary benefits, which are available to children of certain disabled parents. The catch? The ex-husband had reportedly returned to work during that time without informing SSA, making him ineligible for disability — and by extension, making their son ineligible for the auxiliary payments.
“I had NO clue what my ex was doing,” she added. “And I have no way of repaying $20,000+ in 30 days.”
Overpayments can happen when someone receives more benefits than they are eligible for. According to the SSA, reasons can include unreported income, changes in living arrangements, or no longer meeting disability requirements.
Even though the overpayment was triggered by the ex-husband’s failure to report his work activity, the notice went to the custodial parent who had received the funds on the child’s behalf. Under SSA rules, representative payees — those who receive benefits on behalf of another person — can be held responsible if an overpayment occurs.
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Reddit commenters were quick to suggest next steps:
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Ask for a waiver: The SSA allows individuals to request a waiver of overpayment if they believe the overpayment was not their fault and repaying it would cause financial hardship. To qualify, the recipient must also show that they didn’t know — or couldn’t have known — the payments were incorrect.
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File an appeal: If the mom believes she shouldn’t owe the money or that the amount is incorrect, she can request a reconsideration. If filed within 60 days of receiving the notice, benefit payments may continue while the SSA makes a decision.
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Request reassignment of the debt: “Ask the person handling your case to assign the overpayment to your husband since it is 100 percent on him,” one Reddit user advised.
