Which types of Federal payments are typically subject to Reclamation?

Reclamation refers to the process by which federal agencies can recover funds from payments that have been made, particularly in cases where the recipient is not entitled to those funds or the payments were made in error. When it comes to types of federal payments that are subject to reclamation, recurring benefits such as Social Security are typically included.

Social Security payments are designed to be disbursed on a regular, ongoing basis, and if an overpayment occurs—due to events like a change in the recipient's eligibility or income—those amounts can be reclaimed by the government. This mechanism ensures that funds are managed properly and are distributed only to those who are eligible.

In contrast, one-time payments, payments for goods and services, and federal tax refunds have different operational and legal frameworks that often do not involve the same reclamation processes as recurring benefits like Social Security. For example, one-time payments may not contain the same provisions for reclamation since they do not rely on ongoing eligibility, and tax refunds have other associated procedures for recovery if they were issued in error.