Featured photo: Congressman Zach Nunn (IA-03) with a senior like one of the many he and Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) are working to protect.
WASHINGTON— On March 13, Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) and Congressman Zach Nunn (IA-03) introduced the bipartisan Social Security Overpayment Relief Act to limit the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) overpayment lookback period to ten years. This bill protects Social Security recipients from having to pay back funds that arise from overpayment errors on the part of SSA.
“Overpayments can put seniors in thousands of dollars worth of debt through no fault of their own,” said Congresswoman McDonald Rivet. “When the government comes to collect after decades of mispayments, that can throw someone into a financial crisis. While Michiganders are struggling to keep up with high prices, this legislation is an important step towards protecting Michigan seniors’ financial wellbeing.”
“When the government created Social Security, it made a promise to Iowa’s retirees,” said Congressman Nunn. “I’m 100% committed to protecting that promise. While we need to root out waste, fraud and abuse within our federal government, we can’t risk doing that on the backs of seniors on a fixed income. I’ll continue to do everything in my power to protect the benefits Iowans count on.”
Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) are introducing companion legislation in the Senate.
Currently, an indefinite lookback period allows the SSA to collect funds from a recipient for an overpayment error going back decades, resulting in collection notices totaling tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
This legislation would limit that period to ten years for Social Security, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients. The lookback period limit would not apply to those who committed fraud or other crimes.
2.3 million Michiganders receive Social Security benefits, approximately 200,000 of which are from Genesee, Saginaw, Bay, and Midland Counties.
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