A woman in her mid-70s received a letter from the Social Security Administration (SSA) stating she owed the agency $35,000 in overpaid benefits. The woman, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retribution, said her monthly benefit was cut by about $600 in February, leaving her with approximately $2,700 per month after taxes, voluntary withholding, and Medicare deductions. She began reaching out to the SSA to understand the change. According to a letter obtained by CBS News, the SSA reduced her monthly payment to correct her benefit amount, but no further explanation was given. In August, the agency informed her that she had been overpaid for the past four years, which coincides with the time she began claiming her own benefits. The agency has not provided a detailed explanation for the overpayment, and the woman said she did not do anything wrong. The SSA told the woman she had 30 days to repay the full balance. If she could not, the agency would reduce her benefits by 50% for two years starting in December, leaving her with around $1,350 a month. A spokesperson for the SSA said the agency is committed to treating beneficiaries fairly in overpayment cases. Overpayments can happen due to missing or incorrect information, such as changes in income or marital status. Even if individuals report changes, delays in processing can lead to overpayments. One common reason for overpayment is beneficiaries claiming Social Security before reaching their full retirement age, which can result in an income cap that reduces their benefits. Earnings above the threshold can lead to overpayment if not reported promptly. The SSA can also make calculation errors, especially for individuals receiving multiple types of Social Security benefits. Recipients are required to repay the agency even if the overpayment was not their fault. Experts suggest challenging the overpayment through an appeal or requesting a waiver if the recipient cannot afford repayment and the overpayment was not their fault. Recipients have 60 days from the date of the notice to file an appeal, called a Request for Reconsideration (Form SSA-561-U2). They must file within 30 days to pause collection. A Request for Waiver of Overpayment Recovery (Form SSA-632-BK) can be submitted at any time. The SSA will not collect the overpayment while evaluating the waiver request and may waive recovery if the recipient is not at fault and repayment would cause financial hardship. Experts advise seeking assistance from legal aid groups or Social Security specialists. The woman in the case is working with an adviser to navigate the appeal process, which is keeping the SSA's collection process on pause. However, she is now uncertain about her future retirement plans.