How to fill out SSA-632-BK, the overpayment waiver request

Form SSA-632-BK, Request for Waiver of Overpayment Recovery, asks Social Security not to collect an overpayment at all. SSA approves a waiver when you were not at fault for the overpayment and collecting it would either leave you unable to meet ordinary living expenses or be unfair for another reason (20 CFR 404.506; POMS GN 02250.001). This guide walks through the current edition, dated 06-2025, page by page.

Before you start: is this the right form?

The form's first page says to complete it if you think you were not at fault and either can't afford to pay the money back or the overpayment is unfair for another reason. It also lists when not to use it:

• The overpayment is $2,000 or less. Call 1-800-772-1213 or your local office instead; SSA can usually approve it by phone (POMS GN 02250.350).
• You think SSA made a mistake, or the amount is wrong. That's an appeal on SSA-561. You can file both.
• You only want to pay less each month. Use SSA-634.
• You were convicted of fraud relating to this overpayment.

There's no deadline for a waiver: you can ask at any time, even after SSA has collected everything (POMS GN 02250.001D). But ask within 30 days of the notice so SSA doesn't start collecting first.

Page 1: Section 1, who is asking

Question 1.A asks for the overpaid person's name, Social Security number and claim number. The claim number is only needed if your notice shows one that is different from the SSN. If you are filling it out for someone, such as a person you are representative payee for, put your name and relationship in 1.B, and answer every other question as if that person were answering.

Page 2: Section 2, the waiver request

• Question 2 asks whether the overpayment on your letter is $2,000 or less. If yes, stop and call SSA. If no, check one or more reasons: A, the overpayment was not my fault; B, I cannot afford to pay the money back; C, the overpayment is unfair for other reasons. Then explain in a sentence or two.
• Question 3 is the date printed on the overpayment notice, as MM/DD/YYYY.
• Question 4 asks whether you want SSA to waive the entire overpayment, including what you have already paid back or had withheld. Answering yes asks SSA to consider the whole amount, so an approval can cover money already collected (POMS GN 02250.310, GN 02250.001F).
• Question 5 is where you tell your side: why you think the overpayment happened, and why you didn't or couldn't report the change. Stick to facts SSA can check: dates, who you told, what you were told. If you need more room, use the Remarks on page 7 or attach a signed statement. Our guide to “without fault” explains what SSA weighs.

Question 6: needs-based assistance (the shortcut)

If you or a dependent household member currently gets SSI, TANF, a VA pension based on need, SNAP or Medicare Part D Extra Help, check Yes and the programs, then go straight to page 9 to sign. SSA treats repayment as unaffordable for these households without looking at your budget, as long as you weren't at fault (POMS GN 02250.110). Send proof of TANF, a VA need-based pension or SNAP that is no more than a year old; SSA checks SSI and Extra Help itself.

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Pages 3 to 7: your household's finances

If question 6 is No, SSA needs your household finances to decide whether repaying would leave you unable to meet ordinary living expenses.

• Section 4 (question 7): list your spouse and dependents. If someone lives with you who isn't a dependent, say what they pay toward the rent or bills.
• Section 5 (questions 8 and 9): cash on hand and every account, including IRAs and prepaid cards; vehicles if you own more than two; real estate you co-own; business interests and valuables. List everything. SSA then leaves out what it doesn't count, such as your home, two vehicles and retirement accounts (POMS GN 02250.100E).
• Section 6 (questions 10 and 11): monthly take-home pay and other income for you, your spouse and dependents: Social Security, pensions, child support, help from others, interest.
• Section 7 (question 12): monthly expenses, from rent to credit card minimums. Don't list anything already taken out of a paycheck. You don't need proof of expenses, and SSA doesn't question your standard of living (POMS GN 02250.100D). If you aren't paying some bills, say which in the Remarks.

SSA's test is simple arithmetic: if income is no more than $250 a month above expenses and your resources are within its limit, repayment “defeats the purpose” of your benefits. See the defeat-the-purpose test for the numbers.

Page 8: permission to check your bank records

Tick one box: you authorize SSA to get records from your banks, or you don't. If you refuse, SSA can't approve the waiver on the ground that you can't afford to repay (POMS GN 02250.100E). A competent adult signs this even if they have a representative payee; a parent or court-appointed guardian signs for a child or for an adult with a guardian.

Page 9: sign and add your contact details

Sign and date under the penalty-of-perjury statement, and add your phone numbers and mailing address. The form asks for an ink signature. Witnesses are needed only if you sign with a mark (X).

What to send with it

• A copy of the overpayment notice.
• Anything that shows you weren't at fault: proof you reported the change and when, letters from SSA, medical records if illness kept you from reporting.
• For the financial pages: recent pay stubs or benefit letters, bank statements and your latest tax return. The form asks for papers no more than 3 months old (POMS GN 02250.255).

Where to send it

• Online: upload it through your my Social Security account (“Upload Documents”).
• Fax or mail: to your local Social Security office (ssa.gov/locator). Keep the fax confirmation or a certified-mail receipt.
• In person: make an appointment and ask for a receipt.
• By phone: for an overpayment over $2,000, SSA can fill in the SSA-632-BK with you over the phone and mail you a copy (POMS GN 02250.001C).

What happens next

SSA stops collecting when it gets your request (20 CFR 404.506(c)). If it can approve the waiver from your papers, it sends you an approval. If not, it must first offer you a file review and a personal conference, face to face, by phone or by video, before it decides (POMS GN 02250.002C.2).