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What if I get a notice of overpayment and I don’t have the money to repay it?

Produced by Veterans Legal Clinic Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School
Created August 2018

An overpayment occurs when get more benefits than you are qualified for. If you are responsible for the overpayment (for example, if you did not notify the VSO of a change in circumstance), DVS will ask you to pay it back. If you have to pay back the money, you can talk to the VSO to figure out a repayment plan so that you repay a small amount of money each month over a period of months.

If the overpayment was not your fault, or if repaying it would be a financial hardship, you can ask for the overpayment to be waived.  You must request a waiver within 14 days of the "Notice of Action". The overpayment can be waived in full or in part. If your waiver request is denied, you will get another "Notice of Action" and you can appeal the waiver denial within 21 days of the date of the notice.

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Chapter 115 Benefits for Veterans and their Dependents

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