Joseph Shapiro

This is Kathleen Romig. When I spoke to her, she worked at a Washington think tank called the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Earlier this year, she went to work at the Social Security Administration. She's written about raising the asset limit or ending it altogether.

This is Kathleen Romig. When I spoke to her, she worked at a Washington think tank called the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Earlier this year, she went to work at the Social Security Administration. She's written about raising the asset limit or ending it altogether.

By Social Security's own reporting, one in six people on SSI got overpayment notices last year. So that's about one million people on SSI just in one year told they owed money back to Social Security. Now, we did reach out to Social Security, and we talked to Commissioner Martin O'Malley. He was appointed by President Biden, and actually, he just stepped down.

By Social Security's own reporting, one in six people on SSI got overpayment notices last year. So that's about one million people on SSI just in one year told they owed money back to Social Security. Now, we did reach out to Social Security, and we talked to Commissioner Martin O'Malley. He was appointed by President Biden, and actually, he just stepped down.

By Social Security's own reporting, one in six people on SSI got overpayment notices last year. So that's about one million people on SSI just in one year told they owed money back to Social Security. Now, we did reach out to Social Security, and we talked to Commissioner Martin O'Malley. He was appointed by President Biden, and actually, he just stepped down.

But when we spoke, O'Malley pointed out that he's done some things in the past year to try to make it easier for people to apply for SSI, also to follow some of these complex rules. And here's one of the most ridiculous rules.

But when we spoke, O'Malley pointed out that he's done some things in the past year to try to make it easier for people to apply for SSI, also to follow some of these complex rules. And here's one of the most ridiculous rules.

But when we spoke, O'Malley pointed out that he's done some things in the past year to try to make it easier for people to apply for SSI, also to follow some of these complex rules. And here's one of the most ridiculous rules.

If you are on SSI and, let's say, a family member took you out to lunch or invited you over to Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner, you were supposed to give Social Security the receipt for the cost of the meal, the cost of your turkey, the cost of how much ham you ate at Christmas. And Social Security was supposed to then deduct the cost of that meal from your benefit check.

If you are on SSI and, let's say, a family member took you out to lunch or invited you over to Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner, you were supposed to give Social Security the receipt for the cost of the meal, the cost of your turkey, the cost of how much ham you ate at Christmas. And Social Security was supposed to then deduct the cost of that meal from your benefit check.

If you are on SSI and, let's say, a family member took you out to lunch or invited you over to Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner, you were supposed to give Social Security the receipt for the cost of the meal, the cost of your turkey, the cost of how much ham you ate at Christmas. And Social Security was supposed to then deduct the cost of that meal from your benefit check.

So Social Security just ended that just this past September. And there was a wide consensus that this rule didn't make sense and that it should end.

So Social Security just ended that just this past September. And there was a wide consensus that this rule didn't make sense and that it should end.

So Social Security just ended that just this past September. And there was a wide consensus that this rule didn't make sense and that it should end.

Well, not the Social Security Administration. Commissioner O'Malley told us that he, too, thinks the asset limit is long out of date, that it needs to be increased. But that's up to Congress. And there has been legislation supported by Democrats and Republicans, but it hasn't gotten very far.

Well, not the Social Security Administration. Commissioner O'Malley told us that he, too, thinks the asset limit is long out of date, that it needs to be increased. But that's up to Congress. And there has been legislation supported by Democrats and Republicans, but it hasn't gotten very far.

Well, not the Social Security Administration. Commissioner O'Malley told us that he, too, thinks the asset limit is long out of date, that it needs to be increased. But that's up to Congress. And there has been legislation supported by Democrats and Republicans, but it hasn't gotten very far.

Right. Well, cost is a big hurdle. Social Security's actuaries estimate that raising the asset limit to $10,000 would add almost $10 billion to the program over 10 years. But policy experts like Kathleen Romig, who we just heard,

Right. Well, cost is a big hurdle. Social Security's actuaries estimate that raising the asset limit to $10,000 would add almost $10 billion to the program over 10 years. But policy experts like Kathleen Romig, who we just heard,

Right. Well, cost is a big hurdle. Social Security's actuaries estimate that raising the asset limit to $10,000 would add almost $10 billion to the program over 10 years. But policy experts like Kathleen Romig, who we just heard,