In mid-June, the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) released its results of an investigation into overpayment of Social Security benefits for 2009. The investigator determined that, for most beneficiaries, payments were correct. For recipients of Social Security retirement, survivor and disability benefits, the errors were small. There were more problems, however, for those receiving Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”). Those interested in information on various Social Security programs can obtain details from a Tulsa Social Security Disability attorney.
Overall, the SSA made $6.5 billion in overpayments in 2009 to people who should not have been receiving the money. $4 billion of those overpayments went to people receiving SSI benefits. SSI beneficiaries are supposed to qualify for SSI via low-income requirements coupled with disability, blindness or being over the age of 65. 10 percent of the payments paid out via SSI went to improper recipients.
The overpayment problems associated with SSI mostly stemmed from the income requirements. The SSA’s inspector general told a Congressional panel that most overpayments went to people who did not report all of their assets. For example, for married couples to receive SSI, in most cases, they must own less than $3,000 in assets, excluding their car and home. Additional details on requirements to qualify for Social Security benefits are available from a Tulsa Social Security Disability lawyer.
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