A change in the way Social Security handles overpayments could eliminate monthly benefits for some recipients, the agency announced last week.

On Friday, the agency announced it was reinstating a plan to take 100% of a beneficiary’s monthly check until an overpayment is repaid. Under the Biden administration, the cap for repayment was set at 10% of a beneficiary’s check.

“We have the significant responsibility to be good stewards of the trust funds for the American people,” Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security said in a statement. “It is our duty to revise the overpayment repayment policy back to full withholding, as it was during the Obama administration and first Trump administration, to properly safeguard taxpayer funds.”

The agency, which is required by law to seek reimbursements when overpayments occur, said the change in recovery payments will save about $7 billion over the next decade.

The agency began mailing notices about the new 100% withholding rate at the end of March. People who received overpayments before March 27 will remain under the old 10% rule; after March 27, a person’s entire Social Security check could be withheld until the deficit is paid.

The withholding rate for Supplemental Security Income overpayments will remain at 10%.

What can you do if you have an overpayment?

People have a right to appeal an overpayment amount or repayment decision, the agency said and can ask for the collection to be waived if they believe the error wasn’t on their part or they can’t pay it back. Any repayment withholdings are paused during an appeal or waiver, so a person would continue to receive their benefits.

Beneficiaries can also call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or contact their local office to request a lower rate but it’s not guaranteed.

Additionally, people have the right to appeal the overpayment decision or the amount. They can ask Social Security to waive collection of the overpayment, if they believe it was not their fault and can’t afford to pay it back. The agency does not pursue recoveries while an initial appeal or waiver is pending.