PA UC overpayment payment plan started - will they still take my tax refund?
I started a payment plan for my UC overpayment in May 2025 and have been making regular payments since then. I'm worried about my tax refund this year - will PA UC still intercept it even though I'm on the payment plan? I called the Treasury Offset Program line and they said I don't have any offsets showing up in their system, but I've heard horror stories about refunds being taken anyway. Has anyone dealt with this situation? I really need my refund this year and thought making the payment plan would protect me from having it seized.
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Sean Fitzgerald
Generally, if you're on an approved payment plan AND making your payments on time, PA UC shouldn't intercept your tax refund. The fact that you don't show up on the offset line is a good sign. But to be 100% sure, you should call the UC Overpayment Services directly at 814-254-4584 to confirm your account is in good standing. Make sure to get the name of whoever you speak with and ask them to note in your file that you called to verify your payment plan status.
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Anastasia Kuznetsov
•Thank you! I've tried calling that number three times last week but couldn't get through. It either rings busy or disconnects me after 20 minutes on hold. Do you know if there's a better time to call or another way to verify this?
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Zara Khan
omg same boat!! been making payments for 6 months on my plan but terrified theyll take my refund anyway. the lady i talked to said they "probably" wouldnt but couldnt guarantee anything which is super helpful lol
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Anastasia Kuznetsov
•That's exactly what I'm afraid of! The uncertainty is stressing me out. Let me know if you find out anything definitive, and I'll do the same.
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MoonlightSonata
They absolutely CAN and WILL take your refund even WITH a payment plan!!! Happened to me last year! I was on a payment plan for 8 months, making EVERY payment on time, and they STILL took my entire federal refund of $2,870! When I called to complain they said the payment plan only prevents them from taking MORE aggressive collection actions but doesn't stop tax intercepts that were already in process. The whole system is designed to confuse us and take our money!!!
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Mateo Gonzalez
•This isn't entirely accurate. Tax refund intercepts typically stop once you've been on a payment plan for 3-4 months AND your account is properly coded in their system. The issue is that sometimes there's a disconnect between PA UC and Treasury. It sounds like your intercept was already in process before your payment plan was properly coded in the system. For the original poster, since they started their plan in May and it's now tax season, they should be ok IF the plan was properly set up.
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Nia Williams
this happnd to my brother too they took his refund even with payment plan going for 3 months
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Luca Ricci
•I work with a lot of clients dealing with UC overpayments. Here's the deal: If you set up a payment plan AFTER they've already certified your debt to the Treasury Offset Program (which usually happens after 90+ days of non-payment), there can be a delay in removing you from the intercept list. Sometimes it takes up to 60-90 days after starting payments for them to update Treasury. Since you started your plan in May, you should theoretically be fine by now, but it's best to get written confirmation.
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Aisha Mohammed
Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to a PA UC agent? I was in a similar situation last year and could NOT get through on the regular lines. I found this service at claimyr.com that got me connected to a real person at UC within 45 minutes instead of days of trying. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. The agent I spoke with was able to check my account and confirm I was properly coded as being on a payment plan, which meant my tax refund was safe. Having that peace of mind was worth it.
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Zara Khan
•is this legit? seems kinda sketchy to use a third party just to talk to unemployment
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Aisha Mohammed
•It's completely legitimate - they just help you get through the phone system. You still talk directly to the actual UC representatives. I was skeptical too but was desperate after trying for a week to get through.
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Sean Fitzgerald
One important thing to note: make sure you haven't missed ANY payments on your plan. Even one missed payment can void your agreement and put you back in the offset program. Also, if you amended your taxes and that somehow changed your reported income for the benefit year, it could trigger a re-evaluation of your overpayment amount.
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Anastasia Kuznetsov
•I haven't missed any payments, but I did have to pay a week late in November because my bank had an issue. They still received the payment within the same month though. Would that count as a missed payment?
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Mateo Gonzalez
Based on your situation, here's what I would do: 1. Get written confirmation from PA UC that you're in good standing with your payment plan 2. Ask them to provide documentation that you've been removed from the Treasury Offset Program 3. Keep records of all your payments 4. If possible, file your taxes early so if there is an issue, you have time to address it 5. If they do incorrectly take your refund while you're on a payment plan, you can request a refund of the offset amount, but it takes 8-12 weeks to process The key is getting that written confirmation that you're not in the offset program. Phone confirmations aren't reliable enough.
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Anastasia Kuznetsov
•This is really helpful, thank you! I'll try to get that written confirmation. Would an email from them count as written confirmation or should I ask for an actual letter?
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Mateo Gonzalez
•An email from a PA UC representative with their name and ID number would be sufficient. Make sure it specifically states your account is in good standing and that you've been removed from the Treasury Offset Program. Save that email forever!
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Zara Khan
let us know what happens with your refund! im filing next week and am terrified
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Anastasia Kuznetsov
•I definitely will update here once I find out anything. Good luck with yours too!
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Anastasia Kuznetsov
UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at UC Overpayment Services! I used the Claimyr service that someone mentioned above and it actually worked - got through in about 30 minutes. The agent confirmed that since I've been on my payment plan for over 8 months with consistent payments, I HAVE been removed from the Treasury Offset Program. She said it might take up to 2 weeks to show up when I call the offset line, but my refund should be safe. Such a relief! She's also sending me an email confirmation, which I'll be saving forever as suggested. Thanks everyone for your help!
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Zara Khan
•omg thank u for updating!! im gonna try the same thing tomorrow. fingers crossed i get the same news!!
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Sean Fitzgerald
•Great update! This is exactly why it's so important to get official confirmation directly from UC. Glad you got it resolved and have peace of mind for tax season.
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