Feds Prosecuting Seniors In New York State Demanding Money Back

The Federal Government is going after senior citizens in New York State, demanding repayment of money. The money was given to elderly New Yorkers by mistake and now the government wants its money back. Many seniors live on fixed income, so repaying the money could put them in dire situations.

The U.S. Social Security Administration Demands Repayment From Seniors

The Social Security Administration made $2 billion in overpayments to seniors in 2021. When the SSA office discovers the overpayments, they demand the money be repaid. U.S. Representative Marc Molinaro said that his office has received complaints from elderly residents. Rep. Molinaro has written a letter to Dr. Kilolo Kijakazi, the Acting Commissioner of the SSA. In the correspondence Rep. Molinaro has requested that SSA immediately stop demanding repayment and instead, update its system so that these overpayments are not made in the future.

The letter begins with,

As you know, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is the federal agency responsible for managing over $1 trillion in payments to roughly 70 million beneficiaries annually, making the SSA the largest expenditure of taxpayer dollars. With a program this size, overpaying or underpaying even in the smallest amount can result in billions of dollars in improper payments.

 

Moreover, when an individual is then forced to repay an improper payment, it can be an incredibly difficult burden on beneficiaries who committed no wrongdoing. I have heard from many of my constituents of instances in which they are being told to repay tens of thousands of dollars in improper payments that were sent by the SSA. This is absolutely unfair to the Americans who unknowingly received overpayments from the SSA, and this must be addressed immediately.

You can read the rest of Rep. Molinaro's letter to Dr. Kilolo Kijakazi here.