SSDI overpayment confusion after workers' comp offset - got partial refund but still showing $3900 debt?

This actually makes perfect sense. The $3,400 payment likely means SSA recalculated your offset and determined they had withheld too much from your SSDI benefits for that portion. The remaining $3,900 could still be valid if they determined you were overpaid during a different period. Workers' comp offset calculations are extremely complicated. They have to calculate a monthly average based on your lump sum settlement (if applicable), apply the 80% ACE (Average Current Earnings) threshold, and determine your correct SSDI payment after reduction. When you meet with the ALJ, bring documentation showing: (1) exact workers' comp payment amounts/dates, (2) your pre-disability earnings history, and (3) any settlement documents. They'll need to verify your ACE was calculated correctly.

i had something similar with my ssdi and workers comp but mine was like $4k they said i owed. fought it for almost a year and then one day got a notice saying overpayment was removed. no explanation just gone! the whole workers comp + ssdi thing is a mess. keep fighting it and make sure you request all your records from ssa because sometimes they dont even have the right info to begin with

This partial repayment actually strengthens your case before the ALJ. It shows Social Security has already acknowledged an error in their original calculation. You should immediately request a detailed, written explanation of: 1. Why the $3,400 was returned to you 2. What periods this covers 3. The specific calculation used for the remaining $3,900 alleged overpayment By law, they must provide this information. Use Form SSA-561-U2 (Request for Reconsideration) specifically requesting this breakdown. Also request your full file through a Freedom of Information Act request to see their internal notes. Based on what you've shared, it sounds like they may have applied the workers' comp offset incorrectly or used the wrong ACE calculation. The fact that they've already refunded part suggests their initial calculations were flawed.

THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!! They ALWAYS claim overpayments then quietly give back HALF hoping you'll just accept it and not fight for the rest!!! I've seen this EXACT SAME PATTERN with at least 4 people in my support group. They know most people can't afford lawyers to fight this stuff. They count on people giving up!!! DON'T accept partial payment as solving anything. They're hoping you'll be so relieved to get some money back that you won't fight for the rest. KEEP PUSHING for that ALJ hearing!!!!

have you tried calling ssa to ask whats going on with the partial refund? might be faster than waiting for the alj hearing

Just to clarify something important - when you receive both workers' compensation and SSDI, your combined benefits cannot exceed 80% of your average current earnings (ACE). This is called the offset provision. What likely happened is that SSA initially calculated your offset incorrectly, then partially corrected it with the $3,400 payment. The remaining $3,900 could be for a different time period or using a different calculation method. For your ALJ hearing, you need to: 1. Know your ACE amount (should be on your award letter) 2. Have documentation of the exact workers' comp payments by month 3. Calculate 80% of your ACE 4. Show that your combined WC+SSDI was below this threshold If you present this clearly at your hearing, you have a good chance of success based on what you've described.

Based on your additional comments, I strongly suspect there was an error in how they calculated your Average Current Earnings (ACE). There are actually three different ways SSA can calculate ACE, and they're supposed to use the highest one: 1. The average monthly earnings from your highest single calendar year in the 5 years before disability 2. The average monthly earnings from your highest 5 consecutive years 3. The average monthly earnings over the entire period you've worked under Social Security If they used the wrong method or had incorrect earnings records, it would explain both the original overpayment claim and the partial refund. It's not uncommon for SSA to correct part of an error while missing the full picture. For your ALJ hearing, I recommend bringing your tax returns from the 5 years before disability to show your highest earning year.

my cousin works for ssa (not saying where) and she says the workers comp offset errors are super common. they have different people handling different parts of your case and the left hand doesnt know what the right hand is doing half the time. that $3400 was probably processed by someone who saw part of the error but not all of it. keep pushing!

I'm dealing with something very similar right now - SSA claimed I had a $5,200 overpayment from workers' comp offset issues, and I've been fighting it for over a year. The whole system seems designed to confuse people into just accepting whatever they say you owe. One thing that helped me was getting a copy of my earnings record (Form SSA-7050-F4) to verify they had my pre-disability wages correct. Turns out they were missing an entire year of earnings that would have increased my ACE calculation significantly. Also, if you haven't already, document EVERYTHING - dates of all your workers' comp payments, the exact amounts, and when they started/stopped. The burden is on them to prove the overpayment is correct, not on you to prove it's wrong. That partial $3,400 refund is actually great evidence that their original calculation was flawed. Don't let them wear you down. The fact that you're still waiting for your ALJ hearing after 18 months is ridiculous, but it's unfortunately typical. Stay strong and keep all your documentation organized for when that hearing finally happens.

I went through almost the exact same situation about 3 years ago. SSA claimed I had an $8,500 overpayment from workers' comp offset, then suddenly sent me a $4,200 refund with zero explanation before my ALJ hearing. Just like you, I was left wondering what the partial payment meant. Here's what I learned: that partial refund is actually HUGE evidence in your favor. It proves SSA made calculation errors in their original determination. When I brought this up at my ALJ hearing, the judge was very interested in why SSA would refund money if their original calculation was correct. My advice: Don't accept that remaining $3,900 as legitimate just because they refunded part of it. In my case, the ALJ ended up dismissing the entire remaining overpayment because SSA couldn't adequately explain their calculations or justify why they'd made a partial correction. Also, request a "computation of benefits" printout from SSA showing exactly how they calculated your offset. This document will show their math and often reveals where they went wrong. You have the right to see this before your hearing. The fact that your workers' comp ended 2 years ago and they're still claiming overpayments from that period is a red flag. Keep fighting - that partial refund actually strengthens your case significantly.

The partial refund you received is actually strong evidence that SSA's original overpayment determination was flawed. I work in disability advocacy and see this pattern frequently - SSA makes calculation errors, then quietly corrects part of the mistake hoping people won't question the remainder. Here's what you should do immediately: 1. File a written request (Form SSA-795) asking for the specific reason behind the $3,400 refund and detailed calculations for the remaining $3,900 2. Request your complete claims file under FOIA to see their internal documentation 3. Get a certified copy of your earnings record to verify they calculated your ACE correctly The fact that they refunded money without explanation suggests they found errors in their offset calculation. At your ALJ hearing, emphasize that this partial correction proves their methodology was wrong from the start. If part of their calculation was incorrect, the entire determination should be questioned. Don't let the long wait discourage you - ALJ hearings have high success rates for overpayment appeals, especially when there's evidence of SSA calculation errors like in your case.

I went through something very similar last year! SSA claimed I owed $6,800 from workers' comp offset issues, and after months of fighting, they suddenly refunded $2,900 with no explanation - just like what happened to you. I was so confused about what it meant for my remaining "debt." What really helped me was contacting my local congressman's office for a "congressional inquiry" into my case. Their caseworker was able to get detailed information from SSA that I couldn't get through normal channels. Within 3 weeks, I had a complete breakdown of their calculations and discovered they had been using the wrong earnings year for my ACE calculation. The congressional inquiry is free and they deal with SSA problems all the time. It might be worth trying while you're waiting for your ALJ hearing - especially since you're having trouble getting through on the phone. My congressman's office was able to get answers that took SSA months to provide through regular channels. That $3,400 refund is definitely evidence in your favor. Document everything and keep pushing forward with your appeal. The fact that they corrected part of their calculation shows they know there were errors in their original determination.

I'm going through almost the exact same thing right now! SSA hit me with a $9,200 overpayment claim about 14 months ago, also related to workers' comp offset calculations. Like you, I immediately appealed and requested an ALJ hearing (still waiting...). The really frustrating part is they refuse to break down HOW they calculated the overpayment. Their notices just say "due to workers compensation offset" with no detailed explanation of which months, what amounts, or what ACE calculation they used. It feels impossible to defend yourself against something they won't even explain properly. Your $3,400 refund actually gives me some hope though. If they're admitting they made errors significant enough to warrant returning money, it really does call into question their entire calculation methodology. I'm definitely going to use some of the advice in this thread about requesting the computation of benefits printout and filing for a congressional inquiry. The waiting is the worst part - having this huge "debt" hanging over your head when you know their math is wrong. But reading everyone's experiences here makes me feel less crazy for fighting it. We shouldn't have to become experts in SSA offset calculations just to prove we don't owe money we never should have been charged for in the first place!

I'm new to this community but have been dealing with a very similar situation for the past 8 months. SSA claimed I had a $4,200 overpayment from workers' comp offset issues, and I've been fighting it ever since. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - especially learning about Form SSA-795 and the congressional inquiry option. What strikes me most is how common this problem seems to be. Multiple people in this thread alone are dealing with nearly identical situations: mysterious overpayment claims, partial refunds with no explanation, and SSA's inability or unwillingness to provide clear calculations. It really does seem like there's a systemic issue with how they handle workers' comp offset determinations. The advice about using that $3,400 partial refund as evidence of calculation errors is spot on. If their original math was correct, why would they need to refund anything? That partial correction essentially proves their methodology was flawed from the start. For anyone else reading this who's in a similar situation - document everything, don't give up, and use all the resources mentioned here (congressional inquiries, FOIA requests, Form SSA-795). The fact that so many people have successfully overturned these overpayments at ALJ hearings gives me hope that we can all get through this mess.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation and your story gives me hope! SSA claimed I had a $5,800 overpayment from workers' comp offset about 10 months ago. Like you, I immediately appealed and am still waiting for my ALJ hearing. What really resonates with me is your point about the partial refund essentially proving their original calculation was wrong. If they calculated everything correctly the first time, why would they suddenly owe you $3,400 back? That logic seems pretty straightforward to me. I've been following the advice in this thread about requesting detailed calculations and filing a congressional inquiry. The congressional route especially seems promising since so many people here have had success getting actual answers that way. The waiting is absolutely brutal - having thousands of dollars in alleged "debt" hanging over your head when you know something's not right with their math. But reading all these success stories where people got their overpayments completely dismissed at ALJ hearings keeps me motivated to keep fighting. Don't let them wear you down with their bureaucratic runaround. That $3,400 refund is solid evidence in your favor, and the fact that your workers' comp was relatively low compared to your prior earnings suggests their ACE calculation was likely wrong from the start. Keep pushing forward with your appeal!

This thread has been incredibly enlightening! I'm dealing with a similar workers' comp offset overpayment issue ($4,800 claimed debt from SSA) and had no idea about so many of these resources and strategies. The congressional inquiry approach mentioned by several people here sounds like a game-changer. I've been trying to get basic information from SSA for months with no success - their phone system is essentially useless and my local office just tells me to call the 800 number. Having a congressman's office intervene to get actual answers about their calculations makes perfect sense. I'm also going to request that "computation of benefits" printout that was mentioned. I had no idea this existed, but being able to see their actual math before an ALJ hearing seems crucial for building a strong defense. What really stands out to me is how many people here have had success getting these overpayments completely dismissed at ALJ hearings. The pattern seems consistent - SSA makes calculation errors, people fight back with proper documentation, and the ALJ sides with the appellant because SSA can't adequately justify their math. For anyone else reading this who's in a similar situation: don't give up! The advice in this thread provides a clear roadmap for fighting these questionable overpayment claims. Document everything, use every resource available, and remember that the burden is on SSA to prove their calculations are correct.