20 C.F.R. § 404.502a : Employees' Benefits — SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION — FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) — OVERPAYMENTS, UNDERPAYMENTS, WAIVER OF ADJUSTMENT OR RECOVERY OF OVERPAYMENTS, AND LIABILITY OF A CERTIFYING OFFICER — Notice of right to waiver consideration

Whenever an initial determination is made that more than the correct amount of payment has been made, and we seek adjustment or recovery of the overpayment, the individual from whom we are seeking adjustment or recovery is immediately notified. The notice includes:

(a) The overpayment amount and how and when it occurred;

(b) A request for full, immediate refund, unless the overpayment can be withheld from the next month's benefit;

(c) The proposed adjustment of benefits if refund is not received within 30 days after the date of the notice and adjustment of benefits is available;

(d) An explanation of the availability of a different rate of withholding when full withholding is proposed, installment payments when refund is requested and adjustment is not currently available, and/or cross-program recovery when refund is requested and the individual is receiving another type of payment from SSA (language about cross-program recovery is not included in notices sent to individuals in jurisdictions where this recovery option is not available);

(e) An explanation of the right to request waiver of adjustment or recovery and the automatic scheduling of a file review and pre-recoupment hearing (commonly referred to as a personal conference) if a request for waiver cannot be approved after initial paper review;

(f) An explanation of the right to request reconsideration of the fact and/or amount of the overpayment determination;

(g) Instructions about the availability of forms for requesting reconsideration and waiver;

(h) An explanation that if the individual does not request waiver or reconsideration within 30 days of the date of the overpayment notice, adjustment or recovery of the overpayment will begin;

(i) A statement that an SSA office will help the individual complete and submit forms for appeal or waiver requests; and

(j) A statement that the individual receiving the notice should notify SSA promptly if reconsideration, waiver, a lesser rate of withholding, repayment by installments or cross-program adjustment is wanted.

20 C.F.R. §404.502a

61 FR 56131, 10/31/1996