The U.S. Treasury Department has reclaimed over $31 million in Social Security payments that were mistakenly sent to deceased individuals. This recovery is part of a five-month pilot program designed to tackle fraud and waste within federal programs.
Congress authorized the Treasury to access the Social Security Administration’s Full Death Master File in 2021 through the omnibus appropriations bill. This database holds more than 142 million records of deceased individuals dating back to 1899, enabling officials to identify improper payments.
Fiscal Assistant Secretary David Lebryk warned that this recovery is “just the tip of the iceberg.” Treasury officials believe they could recover more than $215 million by the end of the program in 2026, highlighting a much larger problem with government spending.
The revelation of these overpayments has raised serious concerns about the government’s oversight of taxpayer money. Critics argue that more robust systems should have been in place to prevent Social Security funds from being misdirected.
Lawmakers are now calling for permanent access to the SSA’s death records to help stop future improper payments. The Treasury’s success has sparked discussions about implementing stronger safeguards across other government agencies to prevent waste and fraud.
The Treasury plans to continue investigating improper payments for the remainder of the program, potentially saving hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars and improving accountability within federal programs.
