Delays At The SSA?

I am minded to adopt the "do nothing" approach and let them recover overpayment 10% at a time.  It's nuts though - I'd be more than happy to let them not pay me anything for 3 months and that would cover it.  There would be a nagging doubt that they'd fail to restart payments however!

At the risk of catastrophising, and being slightly morbid, I do wonder what will happen when I die.  Obviously the SSA or FBU would need to be informed, but on current form it would take them a long time to react - so I could imagine an overpayment in that scenario.  The account into which I receive payments is joint with my wife, so that account would still be open to receive payments.  If it was closed by the bank, at least the payments would fail and then there'd be no overpayment.  Maybe a life lesson is not to have SSA payments into a joint account - a bit late now though.

So, I envisage it being a nightmare.  There would be no way for the SSA to recover overpayment from future payments, so the cheque/money order route would be the only option.  Money orders seem impossible.  Cheques are not straightforward either - and if you didn't have a US bank account you'd be snookered.

The SSA, and the USA in general, really are behind the times when it comes to banking.  It doesn't half make it difficult at times.

I've had the "What about when I die?" thought, too. I don't have concerns about executors having insufficient funds to repay overpayments, it's more a case of how they will negotiate (within UK law) retaining sufficient money in the estate to pay the money back. As I don't have dependents, I can't even think how US-SS would claw back overpayments anyway ... I suppose my executors would be legaly liable to pay my debts, but this isn't really a debt in the traditional sense of the word.

I've had the "What about when I die?" thought, too. I don't have concerns about executors having insufficient funds to repay overpayments, it's more a case of how they will negotiate (within UK law) retaining sufficient money in the estate to pay the money back. As I don't have dependents, I can't even think how US-SS would claw back overpayments anyway ... I suppose my executors would be legaly liable to pay my debts, but this isn't really a debt in the traditional sense of the word.

TBH, this is starting to keep me awake at night.  As you say, it's not about having the funds to make a repayment, it's the mechanics of doing so.  My wife will be having spousal benefit when we choose to take it - although, come to think of it I don't believe that's subject to WEP but could still be overpaid in the event of her death.  If she dies before me, and assuming I still have marbles, I'd probably be able to sort out any overpayments although it wouldn't be easy (last resort would be to enlist the help of American friends, who I'm sure would help).  In this case it depends how quick they are at stopping benefits once notified of a death (BTW, I see that it's possible to do that online to the FBU) - and current experience tells me they are not quick.  As I mentioned somewhere, I am minded to have her benefits paid into a sole account, and even change mine to a sole account (benefit currently goes into our joint) account so that once the account(s) are closed on bereavement, the benefit payments would fail - so they couldn't rack up large overpayments.

If I die before my wife, she is going to have a very difficult time in sorting things out.  We still have a joint US bank account from which she/I could write a cheque, but   she/I would need to put sufficient funds in there first (possibly be Wise, which she has never used).  However, I'm fully expecting one day to be told that they are closing that account because we're non-resident.

Even worse is when we both die and our son(s) have to sort out any overpayments.  They don't even have the fallback of a US bank account from which they could write a cheque.

It wouldn't be so bad if I/she/they could haul themselves to the embassy in London and make payments there, but that doesn't seem possible either.

The SSA need to drag themselves into the 21st century.  I feel a few pertinent emails to the FBU coming up.

I thought I should give an update on the repayment of overpayment of retirement benefits because I think I misread the letter from the SSA.  Rather than recover the overpayment by reducing future payments by 10% of the overpayment every month I think they just take 10% off the monthly benefit.  So rather than it taking 10 months, in my case it will actually take over 2 years!  At least that's what I think.  I'll try and get in touch with the FBU to see if I'm correct.

I thought I should give an update on the repayment of overpayment of retirement benefits because I think I misread the letter from the SSA.  Rather than recover the overpayment by reducing future payments by 10% of the overpayment every month I think they just take 10% off the monthly benefit.  So rather than it taking 10 months, in my case it will actually take over 2 years!  At least that's what I think.  I'll try and get in touch with the FBU to see if I'm correct.

Do let us know which it is.  If there are no charges then even if it takes over 2 years to pay back it is still a good deal, a no interest free loan, and to be expected since they are to blame for their slow take-up of your timely filings.

I believe it is 10% of your monthly benefit, not the amount you overpaid. My partner is in the same situation. Initially they stopped her payments all together but she called and insisted on this 10% which I believe they have to do - you just have to ask.

In her case they haven't caught up either - she missed payments for 2 months - called and insisted on the 10% then she started receiving her full benefits without any reduction...

I believe it is 10% of your monthly benefit, not the amount you overpaid. My partner is in the same situation. Initially they stopped her payments all together but she called and insisted on this 10% which I believe they have to do - you just have to ask.

In her case they haven't caught up either - she missed payments for 2 months - called and insisted on the 10% then she started receiving her full benefits without any reduction...

Yes, I should have read my letter more carefully.

The SSA are so difficult to deal with.  I've suggested that they cease payments to me for 3 months which would recover the overpayment quickly but I've not heard back from them and I'm not holding my breath.  Mind you, I could imagine them failing to restart payment and causing a bigger issue.

Out of curiosity, does your partner deal with the FBU in London?  And does she do this by phone or by email?

I have an SSA online account but there doesn't seem any way to communicate with them through it.  They don't even send a message to alert you there's a letter on the way, let alone "send" you letters via the online account.

I thought I should give an update on the repayment of overpayment of retirement benefits because I think I misread the letter from the SSA.  Rather than recover the overpayment by reducing future payments by 10% of the overpayment every month I think they just take 10% off the monthly benefit.  So rather than it taking 10 months, in my case it will actually take over 2 years!  At least that's what I think.  I'll try and get in touch with the FBU to see if I'm correct.

Please keep us updated - I'm interested in how and whether you can even get a response from FBU. They still haven't responded to the message I sent 2 months ago! (And of course contacting them by phone has been impossible for over 6 months).

When they eventually contacted you to say that you had been overpaid (i.e., they had screwed up), was that a hard copy letter from the US? And what did it say (not detail, just generalities)?

I figure when they eventually catch up with me, deducting 10% of benefits per month will take at least 5 years (probably closer to 8 years, I think). My executors are going to have a job on their hands when the time comes.

Please keep us updated - I'm interested in how and whether you can even get a response from FBU. They still haven't responded to the message I sent 2 months ago! (And of course contacting them by phone has been impossible for over 6 months).

When they eventually contacted you to say that you had been overpaid (i.e., they had screwed up), was that a hard copy letter from the US? And what did it say (not detail, just generalities)?

I figure when they eventually catch up with me, deducting 10% of benefits per month will take at least 5 years (probably closer to 8 years, I think). My executors are going to have a job on their hands when the time comes.

The sent me a letter from the USA.  It basically said that the amount they were paying me was incorrect and that it should have been $xxxx from Sept 2023 and $yyyy from December 2023 (seems like they apply COLA in December but the first increased payment is January).  They didn't explicitly say that the amount they were paying me was incorrect due to WEP,  but then they went on to say that WEP could reduce my benefit.  It's pretty obvious it's deu to WEP because that's when I reported I'd be receiving UK state pension.

They stated the amount I'd been overpaid.

Then there's a section on how to repay them.  They want a USD money order (banker's draft) or USD cheque.  They want repaying within 30 days.  If they haven't been repaid in that time they will start recovering the overpayment by reducing my payments starting in November.  They will take 10% off your benefit each month but minimum $10.  You can appeal, yada yada, yada ....  That's pretty much it.  Why they don't use the online account to tell you this, and/or allow you to specify more than 10% I don't know.  Or even to just communicate with you.  Communication doesn't appear to be their strong point.

The sent me a letter from the USA.  It basically said that the amount they were paying me was incorrect and that it should have been $xxxx from Sept 2023 and $yyyy from December 2023 (seems like they apply COLA in December but the first increased payment is January).  They didn't explicitly say that the amount they were paying me was incorrect due to WEP,  but then they went on to say that WEP could reduce my benefit.  It's pretty obvious it's deu to WEP because that's when I reported I'd be receiving UK state pension.

They stated the amount I'd been overpaid.

Then there's a section on how to repay them.  They want a USD money order (banker's draft) or USD cheque.  They want repaying within 30 days.  If they haven't been repaid in that time they will start recovering the overpayment by reducing my payments starting in November.  They will take 10% off your benefit each month but minimum $10.  You can appeal, yada yada, yada ....  That's pretty much it.  Why they don't use the online account to tell you this, and/or allow you to specify more than 10% I don't know.  Or even to just communicate with you.  Communication doesn't appear to be their strong point.

Thank you. I was particularly interested in whether they give a specific amount that they have "overpaid" as a lump sum, and/or whether they gave you a figure of how much they had been overpaying each month. From your reply, it looks like they maybe gave you a figure for total overpayment, and that you'd do some mths (current monthly payment minus new monthly payment) to determine the monthly overpayment figure.

As you say, communication isn't great - I mean, I don't even know (when I get the same letter) how I'd contact them to say I would prefer the 10% deduction method .... what a mess. Even the "within 30 days" is a nonsense - I've never received a letter from them that wasn't at least 2 months old! I guess the best course of action would be "do nothing".

Thank you. I was particularly interested in whether they give a specific amount that they have "overpaid" as a lump sum, and/or whether they gave you a figure of how much they had been overpaying each month. From your reply, it looks like they maybe gave you a figure for total overpayment, and that you'd do some mths (current monthly payment minus new monthly payment) to determine the monthly overpayment figure.

As you say, communication isn't great - I mean, I don't even know (when I get the same letter) how I'd contact them to say I would prefer the 10% deduction method .... what a mess. Even the "within 30 days" is a nonsense - I've never received a letter from them that wasn't at least 2 months old! I guess the best course of action would be "do nothing".

The letter did state exactly how much they should have been paying from last September onwards, based on my UK state pension - but they didn't show any maths as to how they arrived at that figure.  And the total figure was correct.

The lack of response to emails, and failure to call the FBU, is getting ridiculous.