PA Offset Hotline says I owe money to Commonwealth - what debt is this?

Yep happened to me too back in january!!! The offset is prolly from UC overpayment. They think u got paid too much and now they want it back. Check your dashboard on the UC website and look for any 'overpayment' notices. If u dont see anything call the UC office asap but good luck getting thru lol

This is most likely an unemployment overpayment, but it could also be other state debts like unpaid state taxes or court-ordered payments. The Treasury Offset Program can collect for various Pennsylvania agencies. I recommend three steps: 1) Call the PA UC Overpayment Services at 1-866-403-6163 to check if it's related to unemployment 2) If not UC-related, contact PA Revenue Department at 717-787-8201 3) Request a written explanation of the debt - they're required to provide this Don't ignore this as it can affect future tax refunds and potentially lead to additional collection actions.

this happened to my cousin he ignored it and they took his tax refund!!! dont mess around with this stuff

If this is a UC overpayment, you need to find out whether they've classified it as "fault" or "non-fault" overpayment - this makes a huge difference. Non-fault means they don't think you did anything wrong (maybe they miscalculated), while fault means they think you misreported something. My experience with PA Treasury Offset: it's extremely difficult to reach someone who can fully explain your situation. I spent two weeks trying to contact UC about my offset notice. Eventually I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual representative. They have a service that gets you connected to unemployment agents quickly - saved me hours of redial attempts. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 Once I got through, I found out mine was a non-fault overpayment from a calculation error, and I was able to set up a reasonable payment plan.

Check if you received any letters in the mail! PA UC usually sends notices about overpayments before they go to Treasury Offset. The letter should say exactly how much they think you owe and why. I had a similar issue last year and found out they thought I was working full-time when I reported part-time hours. I had to submit paystubs to prove my actual hours. If you can't find any letters, request a copy of your overpayment determination by calling or writing to the UC service center. You have appeal rights too, but there are strict deadlines (usually 15 days from the determination date).

i went thru this exakt thing! in my case it was actuly state taxes not unemployment. i didnt file one year when i was between jobs and complety forgot. check with the tax department too not just UC

Since you moved 6 months ago, there's a good chance correspondence was sent to your old address. This is actually common. I recommend: 1) Verify your current address is updated in the PA UC system 2) Request copies of any determinations sent to you in the last year 3) If it is indeed an overpayment, ask about the "fault" status as another commenter mentioned Regarding payment plans - yes, PA UC offers them if you can't pay the full amount. Terms depend on the amount owed and your financial situation. They can spread payments over up to 36 months in some cases. You'll need to complete a financial statement to demonstrate your ability to pay.

just my two cents but offset usually means tax refund geting seized not like their sending bill collectors to ur house or anything. but ya def call and figure out what its for

For the financial statement, you'll typically need to provide: - Recent pay stubs or proof of income - Bank statements (sometimes) - List of monthly expenses - Information about dependents They use this to determine a reasonable monthly payment. Be honest but thorough about your expenses - don't agree to a payment plan you can't realistically maintain. If your situation is particularly difficult, they may consider that when setting up the plan. And to address another comment here - while tax refund offset is the most common collection method, Pennsylvania can also use wage garnishment for unemployment overpayments in some cases, particularly for fault overpayments. So it's definitely best to address this proactively.

UPDATE: Finally got through to someone at UC after calling repeatedly this morning! Turns out there was an overpayment of $1,450 from when I started my part-time job. They say I reported my start date incorrectly (though I'm 99% sure I didn't). The good news is I was able to set up a payment plan - $60/month which I can manage. They're sending me all the paperwork so I can review exactly what happened. The person I spoke with said I can still file an appeal if I have documentation showing I reported correctly. Thanks everyone for your advice! Definitely don't ignore these notices like I almost did.

So glad you got through and got it sorted out! $60/month is definitely manageable. Definitely get that "record of claim" document Emma mentioned - I had a similar situation where I was 100% sure I reported correctly, and the record showed I was right. Ended up getting the overpayment reversed completely after my appeal. Keep copies of EVERYTHING they send you, and if you do decide to appeal, don't let the payment plan stop you from fighting it if you truly believe you reported correctly. You can maintain the payment plan while the appeal is pending. Good luck!