Updating a blog post we brought you earlier this month, a veteran who owed the Social Security Administration (SSA) almost $500 has had his debt waived by the agency.
On December 6, we reported how veteran Thomas Testerman, of Hayward, Calif., received a warning letter from the government two days before Veterans Day. The letter was from the Defense Department indicating that if he does not pay or dispute the bill, he could face deductions from his military retirement checks.
Testerman, 61, said that he nearly died during wartime and sustained “severe injuries to his bladder, pelvis, and scalp, and fractures to a hip, knee, femur bone and two vertebrae.”
While he was recovering from his wounds 41 years ago, Testerman said that the government began mailing him monthly disability checks through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which he still receives to this day.
However, around the same time, he also began to receive checks from the SSA. Testerman talked to an attorney who advised him that he was not eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, and told him to stop cashing the checks and mail them back, which he did.
The SSA then stopped sending him checks, but earlier this year he received a $493.80 bill for the checks he cashed.
According to the San Jose Mercury News, about two weeks after his story went public, he received a phone call from Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Pleasanton, who offered him assistance. The day after the phone call, he got a letter informing him that the government was “waiving the collection of your Social Security overpayment of $493.80. This means you will not have to pay this money back.”
We are happy this issue was resolved. If you ever fear that you are receiving SSA overpayments, you should contact your local agency office. This will help negate potential future collection attempts.
Working with an experienced attorney will help you if you think you qualify for SSDI benefits. Contact our Tulsa Social Security Disability attorney today for help. We offer free evaluations of your case, and you can reach us by phone at (918) 265-1404.
Troutman & Troutman, P.C. – Tulsa Social Security Disability lawyers
Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_24784077/social-security-waives-nearly-500-debt-it-said