SSDI overpayment notice of $34,000 after Ticket to Work program - stuck in appeal limbo for 2 years

That's a NIGHTMARE!!! I'm in a similar situation but only owe $8500. Been waiting 11 months for my appeal. This whole system is BROKEN!!! They want us to work but then punish us when we try??!! SSA is totally overwhelmed and doesn't care who gets crushed in their machinery. Every time I call I get a different answer or they hang up on me. I cried for days when I got my overpayment notice.

The two-year backlog for appeals is unfortunately very common right now. Since you have documentation showing you reported your work activity and contacted SSA about the continued payments, you have a strong case for at least a partial waiver. The key regulatory support is found in the SSA POMS section DI 10505.015 regarding "without fault" determinations. A few suggestions: 1. Contact your local Congressional representative's office and request a Congressional inquiry. This can often expedite review of your case. 2. Request an in-person hearing at your local office specifically for the overpayment issue. 3. Ask for a copy of your complete file through a Freedom of Information Act request to ensure you have all documentation. 4. Consider requesting a payment plan of as little as $10/month while your appeal is pending to show good faith. The Ticket to Work program is supposed to have protections specifically for situations like yours, especially since you reported the work activity appropriately.

omg they did this to my uncle too!! he owed like $40k and fought it for 3 years and they finally dropped it. but he had kept all his pay stubs and had letters proving he told them about his job. do u have any proof u reported your work? thats what they care about

Have you filed Form SSA-632 (Request for Waiver of Overpayment Recovery)? This is different from a reconsideration. It sounds like you qualify under the "not at fault" provision since you reported your work activity and were even told by SSA representatives to keep the payments. For the immediate issue of getting your case reviewed after such a long wait, I'd recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual SSA representative. They'll connect you directly with minimal wait times. I was in appeal limbo for months until I used their service to get through to someone who could actually look at my file. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Also, make sure you request an itemized statement of the alleged overpayment amount. I've seen many cases where SSA's calculations were incorrect and the actual amount owed was much less.

just looked up clamyr and its actually real lol. gonna try it for my mom who's been trying to reach ssa for weeks

My sister went through this. It helps to know the buzzwords. Ask specifically about "administrative finality" (they can only go back a certain time) and make sure to emphasize the "without fault" part of your waiver. If the Ticket to Work counselor told you to keep the $, get that in writing somehow!!

I had a similar situation but with only $9,000 overpayment. It took 18 months, but they eventually approved my waiver. The key was documenting EVERYTHING. I sent in my waiver request via certified mail with return receipt, kept a call log with dates, times, and names of everyone I spoke with, and followed up every 30 days in writing. I think what finally pushed my case forward was when I contacted my Senator's office. They have caseworkers who specialize in helping constituents with federal agencies. Within 3 weeks of their inquiry, I suddenly got movement on my case. The most frustrating part was that I had done everything right - reported my work, called when payments continued, kept records - and STILL had to fight this battle. The Ticket to Work program is supposed to make returning to work easier, not create these nightmares.

i'm on ticket to work now and this scares me to death!!!! did u report ur work on the my social security website or just by phone?? i report online every month but now im worried thats not enough

Did anyone else notice how the SSA employees NEVER give you their employee ID when you call?? They're trained not to! That way you can't prove who told you what!!! It's a deliberate trap! ALWAYS ask for their ID number and write it down!!! I learned this the hard way.

I just wanted to update everyone - I followed the advice to contact my Congressional representative, and their office actually called me back the same day! They've assigned a caseworker who's going to send an inquiry to SSA on my behalf. She said they often see cases like mine and that having their office involved usually speeds things up significantly. Thanks everyone for your help - I'll post again when I have news!