SOCIAL SECURITY Q & amp;A

Q. I got a letter from the Treasury that said they will be withholding money from my Social Security check to collect my student loan debt. Can they do this?
A. Yes. With the exception of tax-debt, if you owe money to the government and you are not making payments, the Treasury can withhold up to 15 percent of your monthly check to collect the debt. The agency you owe money to must first send you a letter about the debt. Then, the Treasury must send you a letter. After that, they can collect the money you owe from your monthly Social Security checks. For more information, call us at (800) 772-1213 or contact your local Social Security office.
Knight Ridder Newspapers