Social Security recipients struggle to pay back agency after unexpected overpayments | 60 Minutes

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.

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.

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??? .

As someone who relies on Social Security, this scares the hell out of me

Now that's journalism. Helping people who need a voice. Keep up the great work.

I love that they expect them to pay it back in 30 days was absolutely no warning of their mistake. Disgusting.

What a racket! Thank you Anderson Cooper and 60 minutes for reporting this story.

Social Security officials should have some responsibility for their mistakes.

It angers me our taxes are being sent overseas while our own citizens struggle to live in America.

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.

The contempt they have for American taxpayers who pay their salaries is truly awesome to behold.

That's insane to expect any regular family to repay $51k in 30 days

It's disgusting that it took some bad publicity for the social security agency to act in good conscious.

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.

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.

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.

The young man with a 20 year debt associated with his mother....Mindblowing

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.

An audit of Social Security needs to happen Now! its urgente to the nation

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.