DeKalb County

Woman left with repayment bill after Social Security mix-up

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A mother said she is facing problems over Social Security payments.

Shirley Nelson said the agency sent her husband checks after his death and someone cashed them.

Now, the agency wants the money back.

Nelson said she got a notice in the mail last month from the Social Security Administration telling her that she would have to repay hundreds of dollars in overpaid benefits that were made to her estranged husband who died years ago.

"It just isn't right," she said.

Nelson said her husband died in August of 2015, but Social Security checks continued for three months.

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"(I said), 'Well, baby, he's been dead for three months. Why are you still sending money? And where did you send the money to?'" she said.

Survivor benefits were eventually shifted to Nelson's daughter, Latosha. She is 37-years-old, in a wheelchair and dependent on Nelson, who is her payee.

Nelson said she went to the Social Security office in DeKalb County, but could not get a straight answer.

"She said they do have privacy issues. I said, 'Well he's past privacy,"" Nelson said.

Channel 2's Carl Willis looked into the issue and a representative told him they would review the file.

"She said they were going to expunge, takeaway the overpayment recovery efforts and they were going to reimburse her," Nelson said.

Nelson said she is glad she had the nerve to question the bill and urges those in similar situation to speak up.

Nelson said she was told that the office will seek the overpayment from her husband's payee, who is believed to be his caretaker at the time of his death.