Federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income; Collection of Overdue Program and Administrative Debts Using Administrative Wage Garnishment

We are modifying our regulations dealing with the collection of program overpayment debts that arise under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act) and administrative debts owed to us. Specifically, we are making some changes and establishing new regulations on the use of administrative wage garnishment (AWG) to collect such debts when they are past due. AWG is a process whereby we order the debtor's employer to withhold and pay to us up to 15 percent of the debtor's disposable pay every payday until the debt is repaid. The employer is required by law to comply with our AWG order.