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SNAP CERTIFICATION MANUAL – SECTION 15000 15500 Overpayment Unit Responsibilities 15530 Collections

15530 Collections SNAP Manual 03/01/02 The Overpayment Unit is responsible for the collection of the overpayment. Overpayments may be repaid through: 1. Cash payment. 2. Offset of EBT SNAP benefits. 3. Reduction of the household’s SNAP benefits prior to issuance (recoupment). 4. Offset of state income tax refunds, federal income tax refunds, federal salaries due federal employees owing delinquent SNAP debts, and other monies payable by the federal government to individuals owing a delinquent SNAP debt.

15531 Initiating Collection SNAP Manual 07/01/00 Collection action will be initiated by sending a Demand Letter and Repayment Notice to the household (claim debtor). The Demand Letter will inform the household about the overpayment, the amount, time period, the reason it occurred, and the household’s right to an administrative hearing and how to request one. The Repayment Notice will inform the household how the overpayment is to be repaid. The Overpayment Unit will initiate collection action against the individual identified as the casehead on the DHS-199. However, every adult who was a member of the household during the overpayment period has liability for the debt. Therefore, if a change in household membership occurs, the Overpayment Unit may pursue collection action against any household with a member who was an adult member of the household that received the over issuance. The county office may offset restored benefits by the amount of the overpayment when restored benefits are owed to any household containing a member who was an adult member of the household that received the overissuance. See SNAP 13320 for instructions on offsetting claims. Under no circumstances may the Overpayment Unit collect more than the amount of the claim. Recoupment of SNAP benefits will be initiated if a household with a liable member is currently certified to receive SNAP benefits. If no such household is currently receiving SNAP benefits, the case head or other liable adult must make direct payments to the Agency unless he or she can repay the debt in full. The county office must send a copy of the authorizing document to the Overpayment Unit when the case head changes on a case with an overpayment.