If Uncle Sam accidentally overpaid you on Social Security and didn’t say anything about it for a year, a month, or even just a week, it would be understandable if you wanted to take the money and run — but is it worth the risk?

These situations can arise for a variety of reasons, from agency error to beneficiary fraud. In fact, the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Office of the Inspector General appreciated that it made $72 billion in improper payments between 2015 and 2022 — most of which were due to overpayments.

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But according to at least one financial expert, there’s a simple move that can set the stage for recipients who find they’ve been overpaid.

In one interview with The US Sun, Social Security Advisors CEO Matthew Allen said it is possible for retirees to have the overpayment removed. “People should know that if there is a small overpayment, there is often a way to waive it as long as the proper process is followed,” he told the outlet.

Here are the steps Allen recommended—and why overpayment is such a pervasive issue.

How bad is the situation?

So, how does this keep happening? A combination of inaccurate self-reporting of information and inadequate controls in automated and manual processes account for the majority of overpayments, the SSA reported.

Still, the actual number could be much, much higher than originally reported. In October, the sun was interviewed former attorney general Avram Sacks, who claimed that SSA recipients were overpaid by as much as $9 billion annually. He would know: he once tried to help the SSA recover billions of dollars.

Acting Social Security Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi told Congress in mid-October that the agency sent notices of overpayment to 1.03 million people in fiscal year 2022 and 987,000 people in 2023.

“We hold ourselves accountable,” she was quoted as saying, though when she learned that many of the overpaid recipients were on lower incomes and or living with a disability, she asserted that her employees “are working diligently to pay the right person the right amount at the right time.”

Read more: Economists weigh in on Donald Trump’s proposal to eliminate Social Security taxes for seniors – this is how you strengthen your pension fund now

What to do if you receive an overpayment notice

There are many stories of seniors being blindsided by SSA. A situation involved Maryland senior Everlon Moulton, who called out the SSA in April for cutting her monthly retirement benefits by $233 — all because of a decades-old error in her late brother’s account.

Moulton’s unfortunate experience is not unusual. SSA sends overpayment notices to about one million Americans each year — and according to KFF Health News, the agency has previously acknowledged that many overpayments were the result of mistakes by the government rather than the people – often the elderly, poor or disabled.

So if you receive an official notice, you don’t have to treat it with the same trepidation as an IRS audit because your paths to relief are more streamlined and don’t involve an agency appointment.

Allen told The US Sun that during a waiver, you can admit that the SSA claim is correct, but that you lack the funds to repay the government. You can start the process via form SSA-632BK.

Allen also suggested that overpaid recipients can fight an SSA “clawback” through request reconsideration. In this case, you can request a direct appeal because you believe the authority is wrong in its assessment claim. For this you can file form SSA-561.

If you fear retaliation, keep in mind that federal law guarantees your right to pursue one or both avenues for overpayment relief. That said, it’s important to follow the right process.

While visions of voicemail hell and hold time purgatory may be inescapable, the agency encourages people to contact their office at 1-800-772-1213. Be sure to tell the representative that you want to forgo reimbursement of overpaid benefits or have them reconsidered.

In March, SSA announced steps to make overpayment issues easier for beneficiaries – including extending repayment plans, removing the burden of proof of error and making it easier for people to claim exemptions.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.