Faced with SSDI overpayment!
I am at a crossroad. I have been on SSDI payments since 1998. I have been progressing well with my Bi-polar Disorder and have been told I am high functioning. The managers at work like me. I don't see my psychologist but every 6 months for my evaluation, blood tests, and prescriptions. I have been working part-time since 2003.
Here it is April 2014, and the Social Security has sent me a request for an updated evaluation. I reported my earnings as I had been "schooled" to by my SSDI worker and kept good records of the hours that I worked. My employer is known to be adaptive when scheduling, but it is a large company and management on another level is insensitive to the needs of the workforce. Meaning that it has been difficult to stay under my monthly income ceiling. Yet I did do it as prescribed by the my social security worker.
The problem that arose though, was that a year ago I started getting bonuses. My same Social Security worker had also told me that bonuses, holiday pay and sick pay weren't computed. Also, these bonuses are for the never projected or communicated more than a week before we are paid.
Long story short, Social Security contacted me and tells me that I was overpaid for a years worth of income. They also explained to me that it isn't the hours worked per month, but the money paid out during a given time period. To make matters worse, my nice considerate Social Security worker retired. Now, I am told I have 4 options:
1. Request a Reconsideration
2. Request a Waiver
3. Request Both
4. Pay the refund
Over the years I have been careful with my money and I have accumulated some small amount of assets. What would you suggest I do?
** Moderator's note - Post broken into paragraphs for easier reading. Many people with MS have visual difficulties that prevent them from reading large blocks of print. **
Here it is April 2014, and the Social Security has sent me a request for an updated evaluation. I reported my earnings as I had been "schooled" to by my SSDI worker and kept good records of the hours that I worked. My employer is known to be adaptive when scheduling, but it is a large company and management on another level is insensitive to the needs of the workforce. Meaning that it has been difficult to stay under my monthly income ceiling. Yet I did do it as prescribed by the my social security worker.
The problem that arose though, was that a year ago I started getting bonuses. My same Social Security worker had also told me that bonuses, holiday pay and sick pay weren't computed. Also, these bonuses are for the never projected or communicated more than a week before we are paid.
Long story short, Social Security contacted me and tells me that I was overpaid for a years worth of income. They also explained to me that it isn't the hours worked per month, but the money paid out during a given time period. To make matters worse, my nice considerate Social Security worker retired. Now, I am told I have 4 options:
1. Request a Reconsideration
2. Request a Waiver
3. Request Both
4. Pay the refund
Over the years I have been careful with my money and I have accumulated some small amount of assets. What would you suggest I do?
** Moderator's note - Post broken into paragraphs for easier reading. Many people with MS have visual difficulties that prevent them from reading large blocks of print. **