Question: I received disability after having cancer while a working widow. But I didn’t know I had to give up widow’s benefits while getting employment disability. My lawyer never mentioned it. I don’t know what to do. They want $21,000 back. I sent in a check for a 60-month payment plan, but my local office has closed and I haven’t heard anything. Should I be OK as long as I’ve given them a payment plan?
Answer: Very sorry to hear about your troubles. I’m not sure I understand exactly what’s happened, but it sounds like you first applied for widow’s benefits at or after age 60 and then became disabled and applied for disability benefits. I’m very surprised that Social Security would send you both a widow’s benefit and a disability benefit rather than what they should send you — namely the larger of the two. But given the chaos in this overworked, underfunded and understaffed agency, I guess it’s possible. If Social Security provided you with a payment plan, your sending checks by certified mail should be fine. But if you established your own payment plan, don’t expect them to go for it. Try to call an office in a different town or city and see if you can find out what’s going on.
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