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Emergency

Repay citizen's benefit? Checking the job center's reimbursement notice

A reimbursement notice demands that you repay benefits received, for example because income is credited afterwards or the decision was revoked. Such notices are often faulty. You can file an objection within one month and limit the offsetting.

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Your chances of getting your money back

Against a reimbursement or revocation notice you can file an objection within one month (§ 84 SGG). Many reclaims are incorrectly calculated or insufficiently justified.
Offsetting against ongoing citizen's benefit is only permissible to a limited extent (as a rule at most 10% of the standard need for simple reclaims). Your subsistence minimum remains protected.

What you should do now

  1. 1

    1. Read the notice carefully

    Check for which period and why reimbursement is demanded and whether the calculation is comprehensible.

  2. 2

    2. Object within the deadline

    File an objection in writing within one month and demand a comprehensible justification and calculation.

  3. 3

    3. Limit the offsetting

    If offsetting is done against the ongoing standard rate, check the amount; no more than the legally permissible share may be withheld.

  4. 4

    4. Check installments/waiver

    If the claim is justified, agree on affordable installment payments and check a waiver in cases of particular hardship.

How to spot the scam

  • The reclaim is not calculated comprehensibly.
  • More than the permissible share of the standard rate is withheld.
  • The notice comes for a period long in the past.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to pay the reclaim immediately?

No. You can file an objection within one month (§ 84 SGG). If the claim is justified, an installment payment can usually be agreed. Your subsistence minimum remains protected during the offsetting.

May the job center simply deduct from citizen's benefit?

Only to a limited extent. An offsetting against the ongoing standard need is limited in amount (often 10%). If more is withheld, you should contest it.

What if I did not cause the overpayment?

Even then a reimbursement can be demanded, but the exact legal basis and calculation must be correct. In cases of particular hardship, a waiver or a low installment comes into consideration. Check the notice carefully.

Take action now

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General information for self-help, not legal advice (RDG). In case of a high loss or uncertainty: contact a consumer advice center or a lawyer.