Social security is the protection that a society provides to individuals and households to ensure access to health care and to guarantee income security, particularly in cases of old age, unemployment, sickness, invalidity, work injury, maternity or loss of a breadwinner.
A Social Security Overpayment is when you receive more money for a month than the amount you should have been paid. The amount of your overpayment is the difference between the amount you received and the amount due.
What Can Cause Social Security Overpayment?
- Your income is more than you estimated.
- Your living situation changes.
- Your marital status changes.
- You have more resources than the allowable limit.
- You are no longer disabled and continue to receive benefits.
- You do not report a change to us (on time or at all) as required.
Overpayments occur when the Department of Social Security (DSS) pays a beneficiary more social security benefits than was due, often because one’s income, resources, marital status, living situation has changed or through an administrative error.
Beneficiaries of social security benefits are required to inform Director General (Social Security) of any changes in income, employment, living situation or marital status amongst others. A great number of overpayments are caused by beneficiaries who fail to do so. Be sure to keep the DSS informed on these changes, to avoid incurring inconvenient and potentially costly overpayments.
When the Director General Social Security discovers that an overpayment has been made, it sends a Notice of Overpayment to the beneficiary or his/her agent/administrator to be inform about:
- The amount of improperly paid social security benefits,
- The reason(s) for the overpayment, and
- The way the DSS proposes to recover the amount that has been overpaid.
When deciding the rate of repayment, the DSS will look at the following factors:
- The beneficiary’s ability to repay,
- Any relevant facts or circumstances that have raised by the beneficiary, and
- The amount of the overpayment and how it happened.
- Eligibility
General criteria as to how the DSS can ask the beneficiary to repay the overpayment by either:
- Making a single payment to repay the full overpayment, or
- Making weekly or monthly cash repayments until the overpayment is paid off; or
- If you are still receiving a social security benefit payment, by deductions from your entitlement.
Documentation required for Social Security Overpayment
Have a valid e-ID issued by Identity Malta to make an online payment, or
Overpayment beneficiary details (ID Card Number, Name and Surname and Original Amount) to make an online payment without the use of an e-ID. Only digits are to be inputted in the amount field.
How to settle a Social Security Overpayment?
Once the beneficiary receives a Notice of Overpayment from the DSS, the overpayment may be settled by either:
Repay an overpayment due to the Department of Social Security online. (One can also make a repayment on behalf of another person). For this service, the user is to provide the beneficiary overpayment details including the Name and Surname, ID Card Number and the Original Amount (€).
Only digits are to be inputted in the amount field. This information can be found on the notification letter that is sent to the beneficiary or the agent/administrator. A confirmation email is sent as a receipt to the person making the payment.
Presenting cash payment of not more than €100 at one of the servizz.gov hub. A receipt is handed to the person making the payment.
Also Read: Consumer Account Meets FCRA Requirements
FAQ’s
How do I get money from my Social Security number?
You can do so by signing up for direct deposit, which sends payments directly into your bank account. Or, you can have your benefits automatically deposited into your Direct Express® Debit MasterCard® account. Direct deposit is a simple, safe, and secure way to get benefits.
How much money is a Social Security number?
They don’t charge a fee to assign a Social Security number or issue a Social Security card. If you should lose the card, we will replace it for free.
What to do if Social Security number is taken?
Protect yourself from identity theft
If someone uses your SSN to obtain credit, loans, telephone accounts, or other goods and services, contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC collects complaints about identity theft from those whose identities have been stolen.
How does Social Security work?
Social Security replaces a percentage of a worker’s pre-retirement income based on your lifetime earnings. The amount of your average earnings that Social Security retirement benefits replaces depends on your earnings and when you choose to start benefits.
What is the highest Social Security payment?
Maximizing the Social Security benefit in retirement is easier said than done. In 2024, the highest amount a retiree can receive under the program is $58,476 a year. That’s $4,873 in monthly payments.
