H.R. 2142: Social Security Overpayment Relief Act

The Social Security Overpayment Relief Act aims to change how the government handles overpayments made under certain titles of the Social Security Act. Specifically, it proposes two main changes regarding the limitation on recovering these overpayments.

Key Provisions

The bill establishes that:

• If someone has received more money than they were entitled to from Social Security, the government cannot seek recovery of that overpayment if it occurred more than 10 years before the date the government realizes the error.
• This limitation applies to two specific parts of the Social Security Act:
  • Title II, which generally covers retirement, disability, and survivor benefits.
  • Title XVI, which pertains to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for individuals with limited income and resources.

Purpose

The intent of this legislation is to provide relief to individuals who may have received overpayments and to prevent the financial burden of having to repay amounts that are very old and may be difficult for beneficiaries to manage.

Implementation

Once enacted, the Social Security Administration would implement these changes, focusing on the ten-year limitation for recovering overpayments, which could potentially reduce the number of cases where individuals are asked to repay old debts.

Legal References

The bill amends Sections 204 and 1631(b) of the Social Security Act, referencing the legal citations:

• Title II: 42 U.S.C. 404
• Title XVI: 42 U.S.C. 1383(b)

Relevant Companies

None found.