Social Security Administration Resumes Treasury Offset Program Collections After COVID-19 Suspension
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: March 26, 2025
The Social Security Administration (SSA) today announced the immediate resumption of debt collection activities through the Treasury Offset Program (TOP) for debts accrued prior to March 2020. This decision comes after a suspension of collections due to the economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Treasury Offset Program, administered by the Department of the Treasury’s Bureau of Fiscal Service, is a centralized program designed to collect delinquent debts owed to federal and state agencies by intercepting Federal and state payments. Since 1992, SSA has referred delinquent Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) debts to TOP as mandated by law.
Prior to the suspension in March 2020, SSA had successfully collected almost $2 billion in previously unrecoverable delinquent debt through TOP. The program is essential for maintaining the integrity of the OASDI and SSI programs.
“Resuming collections through the Treasury Offset Program is a critical step in our commitment to being good stewards of taxpayer funds and ensuring the integrity of our programs,” said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “We are dedicated to recovering overpayments while providing individuals with the necessary information and options to address their debts.”
The Department of Treasury has begun collecting debts SSA referred to Treasury before March 2020, impacting an estimated 280,000 individuals with a collective debt balance of $2.7 billion.
Did you find this Information helpful?
Tags: COVID-19, General Information
See CommentsAbout the Author
Social Security Administration
Social Security Administration
Comments
Leave a Comment
Please review our Comment Policy before leaving a comment. For your safety, please do not post Personally Identifiable Information (such as your Social Security Number, address, phone number, email address, bank account number, or birthdate) on our blog.
Barry P.
We can have USAID fraud but let’s make sure we collect that debt from hard working Americans right?
Cornelius H.
so what does this mean for monthly s.s. payments
Suzy
Why do you not explain that these debits owed were due to errors by SSA, and will be collected with consideration for the individuals impacted that likely are surviving on limited incomes?
JW
God forbid they should tell the facts.
MajJohn
COVID gave debters 5 years to repay what they owed. It’s about time that money is recovered.
Angie
From what money? From sick and disabled people?
Daniel D.
My Child Support to the State of AZ. Was completed in Oct 2024, The letter of Stop Garnishment was not received by SSA until Dec? SSA Still Sent, Oct $12.36, Nov $296.00, Dec $296.00, Jan $296.00, Feb $296, These Amounts were Still Deducted From My SSA and sent to AZ Child Support Enforcment, Since then AZ has returned these funds to SSA In Full! When will SSA Return These Overpayments Back To Me As Promised?
C.B.
Hi, Daniel. For security reasons, we do not have access to personal information in this venue. Please call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to discuss your situation. Our National 800 number is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Keep in mind, wait times to speak to a representative are typically shorter in the morning, later in the week, and later in the month. We hope this helps.
Bernie
Any comment regarding the court order preventing doge unfettered access to personal information from SSA without undergoing the training required of all SSA personnel prior to gaining access? Does anyone ever respond to these comments or is it just a canard to fool the public?
Bernie
Why when I click the see comment link it always says be the first to comment, but after I comment there’s already comments posted? Are you liars or stupid?
Shirley W.
I’m just going to say our life is not what it was before all of these people’s got into the white house i would not be Surprise if they cut social security completely out and leave us on our own. Even after
we have work for that money and now they want to take it and now they want to tell a lie about what’s going on up there in the White House
Sam w.
The Democrats are going to take the house and senate in 2026 because this administration is being cruel and abusive to the elderly and disabled with these policies.
Bernie
Heard the Justice Department and FBI revealed the social security numbers of some 200 people. Ain’t that waste, fraud and abuse? Let us know how you in SSA are protecting the US public again
Sam w.
Thank you. I agree
Debbie
Why good valid point. But no let’s just go after retirees and disabled because they couldn’t afford to pay their taxes and bleed them dry while the billionaire South African is sucking millions from the government’s teet. And at the same time telling US citizens what he deems is the best way to spend OUR hard earned money!! You can’t make this shit up!!
Craig
DOGE comes after us! We’re not criminals. Send Elon back to South Africa.
Sam w.
Thank you. I agree
BigBob
And how is DOGE coming after you? No one said you were a criminal. Everyone has roots. Maybe we should send deadbeats to debters prisons.
Joshua S.
Right, they’re only coming after “waste, fraud and abuse” – got it 😉
Not like this premise gets pushed to its limits daily when referring to Social Security recipients REGARDLESS of their “debt”… have you not seen the multitude of constituents advocating at town halls across the country?
Can we try the next I.T. guy as the SSA commissioner – I’m sure if we keep going through the laundry list of unqualified employees at SSA we’ll eventually get one that will work /for/ the people and not /against/ 🫠
Surely…
Angie
A lot of the overpayments were mistakes by Social Security themselves. The average check is $1200. People who are in this position need to be like Trump file bankruptcy. It can be done. Enough already.