Effective Dates: 09/18/2025 - Present Previous | Next

TN 89 (09-25)

GN 02210.152 Collection of Title II and Title XVI Overpayments by Credit Card

A. Policy

Debtors have the option to pay their Title II and Title XVI debts by MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express or Diners Club credit cards. This option is available to debtors in both programs.

SSA does not have the capability to make debit transactions. Debtors should be advised that if they wish to use a MasterCard or Visa debit check card, the transaction can only be processed as a credit card payment.

NOTE: The Diners Club Card will only be accepted when it processes as a MasterCard or Discover transaction. Acceptable Diners Club Cards should have the MasterCard or Discover Card logo present on the card and meet the numerical requirements. (See chart in this section GN 02210.205B.1)

Debtors now have the option to pay their debts online through Pay.gov.

Pay.gov is an online remittance collection application developed and maintained by the Department of the Treasury (Treasury). The internet application offers Title II and Title XVI recipients, who are active in the Recovery and Collection of Overpayment Process (RECOOP) system, the option to repay their programmatic overpayments via credit card, debit card, or a debit to their bank account or automated clearinghouse (ACH).

Refer to The Recovery and Collection of Overpayment Process (RECOOP) System and Pay.gov for Programmatic Overpayments.

Treasury's Pay.gov application collects and processes the transaction and payment information on SSA's behalf.

Treasury's Pay.gov allows eligible individuals to make a one-time payment using their personal computer or mobile phone.

Treasury's Pay.gov accepts VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diner's Club, JCB, Union Pay, and debit of the individual's bank account via ACH.

For instructions on how to handle inquiries, see How to Handle Inquiries about Pay.gov for Programmatic Overpayments..

B. Overview of debtor credit card payment options

1. Initial overpayment notices

Initial overpayment notices request repayment of Title II and Title XVI overpayments from debtors or liable persons. The notices explain the debtor’s options for repaying, including repayment by credit card. Debtors who wish to repay by credit card can do so in person by visiting their local field office; or by mail, using their credit card information to complete the payment stub enclosed in the notice. SERS eliminates the FOs need to send all programmatic remittances from the FOs to the Mid-Atlantic Program Service Center (MATPSC), see GN 02403.006A.2. FOs will continue to process and send all other acceptable programmatic remittances to the MATPSC and administrative remittances to the Office of Finance, as applicable. Mail the received, completed payment stub to MATPSC using the refund envelope included with the initial overpayment notice to the following address:

Social Security Administration

MATPSC

PO Box 3430

Philadelphia, PA 19122-9985

Once the initial overpayment notice is sent, for a person that is in current pay status, the system automates collection activity for most overpayments. If the recipient is in non-pay status, the system transfers jurisdiction for collection of the overpayment to the Recovery and Collection Overpayment Process (RECOOP).

2. RECOOP billing notice

When a non-pay debt is not resolved as a result of the initial overpayment notice, the debt is then controlled by RECOOP, see The Recovery and Collection of Overpayment Process (RECOOP) System. RECOOP is a billing and follow-up system that operates as a component of the SSA Debt Management System (DMS). Part of the billing notice produced by RECOOP is a payment stub (or coupon) which includes the option to repay by credit card.

3. Other overpayment notices

SSA also sends the following overpayment notices that include the option to repay by credit card.

  • •

    Treasury Offset Program (TOP) pre-offset notices offer debtors the option to repay by credit card. For more information about the TOP pre-offset notices, see GN 02201.029C.

  • •

    Mandatory Cross Program Recovery (CPR) notices, see GN 02210.008 and How ROAR and the SSR Interface for Mandatory Cross-Program Recovery of SSI Overpayments from Monthly Title II Benefits;

  • •

    Notices for accepting or rejecting a compromise offer, see GN 02215.100;

  • •

    Employer administrative wage garnishment (AWG) debts notices, see GN 02201.040B.2.

For more information about the mandatory CPR notice, see SI 02220.020.B.3.

For more information about the contents of AWG employer package, see GN 02201.040B.

4. Telephone inquiry to Program Service Center (PSC)

A web page has been developed for use by the Debtor Contact Representative in the PSCs and by the remittance clerks in the MATPSC Remittance and Accounting Unit (RAU) for handling credit card payments. For more information about handling credit card payments over the telephone and entering the information into the web page, see GN 02210.205B.

Detailed field office instructions for handling credit card payments are outlined in GN 02403.006D. Specific PSC instructions for handling credit card payments are outlined in GN 02210.205.

C. Procedures for credit card security

Apply the following procedures for credit card security as instructed in GN 02403.006F:

  • •

    Do not list the remitter's credit card number anywhere in the remarks area of the DMS screens when preparing the automated receipt.

  • •

    Do not include the remitter’s credit card number in any documents retained in paperless or in the Claims File User Interface (CFUI).

  • •

    Do not photocopy the completed coupon (SSA-4588-OP) for office use or as a receipt. However, you may give the coupon to the debtor because the FO will send the DMS-generated payment coupon to MATPSC.

  • •

    Do not keep a copy of the coupon in the FO or mail it to the MATPSC. If the PSC completed the transaction by telephone, the coupon remains with the remitter.

D. References

POMS number

Title / subtitle

GN 02201.040B.2

Collection of Title II/Title XVI Overpayments by Administrative Wage Garnishment

SSA notifies debtors

GN 02210.153

Paying by credit card – Teleservice Center (TSC) procedure

GN 02210.156

Web page link for credit card payments over the telephone – for DCR use only

GN 02210.205

Paying by credit card – DCU procedure

GN 02403.006

Processing remittances received in the FO

GN 02220.100C.2

Pay.gov for programmatic overpayments

GN 02220.125

How to handle inquiries about Pay.gov for programmatic overpayments

GN 02201.029C.2

The Treasury Offset Program (TOP)

Notify SSA debtors

GN 02210.008

Cross Program Recovery (CPR) from monthly Title II, Title VIII, and Title XVI benefits to recover other program overpayments

GN 02215.100

Authority to make compromise settlements

SI 02220.020B.3

Cross Program Recovery (CPR) of SSI overpayments from monthly Title II benefits

System notifies debtors

SM 00616.001A.2

How ROAR and the SSR Interface for Mandatory Cross-Program Recovery of SSI overpayments from monthly Title II benefits, Cross-Program Recovery

SM 01311.700

The Recovery and Collection of Overpayment Process (RECOOP) system
To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0202210152
GN 02210.152 - Collection of Title II and Title XVI Overpayments by Credit Card - 09/18/2025
Batch run: 09/23/2025
Rev:09/18/2025