Why do I have to pay back the Social Security benefits I received while I was in jail when I did not know I was supposed to tell Social Security I was in jail?
When you applied for Social Security benefits, you were told of the changes or choices that you might make while receiving Social Security benefits that could affect your ability to continue to get payments. Social Security told you that you are responsible for reporting these changes. You were also given a copy of those conditions or reporting requirements for your own records. Social Security has a record of your agreement that you understood these reporting requirements and that you received a copy of these materials. This makes you responsible for paying back any money you should not have gotten because you did not report to Social Security.