It’s a horror story that almost sounds too terrible to be true. But for one widow, this nightmare is a reality.

You may have read the story we published recently on SSA overpayments, an error that has caused a great deal of backlash from citizens and lawmakers alike.

But said backlash hasn’t stopped these overpayment problems from plaguing countless people. Take this story of a widow who was overpaid by mistake. Now she has to return the money, even though she wasn’t aware of the problem at the time — and if she doesn’t, she could lose her benefits for a year!

It’s understandable that mistakes need to be corrected. But many would say this seems like a situation where citizens are being punished for the mistakes of bureaucracy.

What are your thoughts? How should cases like this be handled? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and share your opinion on this important matter.