Options to Stop or Reduce Repayment

Request a Waiver

You can ask the SSA or VA to waive the overpayment if:

• The overpayment wasn’t your fault, and
• Repaying it would cause financial hardship

To do this, you’ll need to submit a waiver request form and provide documentation of your income, expenses, and assets. The agency will review your claim to determine if repayment should be forgiven.

File an Appeal

If you believe the overpayment notice is wrong, you can file an appeal. For example, if you think you were paid the correct amount or if the SSA miscalculated your benefits, appealing might stop repayment altogether.

Request a Payment Plan

If you can’t stop repayment completely but can’t afford to repay all at once, you may be able to set up a monthly repayment plan. This won’t stop repayment, but it will make it more manageable.

Demonstrate Financial Hardship

Even if your waiver isn’t granted, showing that repayment would threaten your ability to pay for basic needs (like food, housing, and medicine) can reduce your monthly repayment amount or delay it.