Jim Coulston v. Kenneth S. Apfel, Commissioner of Social Security

Occasionally, the Social Security Administration (the Administration) sends a benefit check to the wrong person. When this occurs, the Administration is entitled to recover the money unless the recipient of the check was without fault and recovery would subvert the purpose of social security or be against equity and good conscience. See 42 U.S.C. § 404.

In this case, the Administration erroneously sent a $20,658 check to Jim Coulston, a man who receives benefits be*899cause of an intellectual impairment. Coul-ston, who has trouble reading, thought the check was a back payment for medical expenses…