$186 Billion Down the Drain: Inside the Federal Government’s Improper Payments Problem

Every year, the U.S. government sends out trillions of dollars — Social Security checks, Medicare reimbursements, unemployment benefits, tax credits, disaster aid. Most of it goes exactly where it’s supposed to. But a significant chunk doesn’t. It goes to the wrong person, in the wrong amount, or with no proof it should have been paid at all. Auditors call these “improper payments,” and they’ve quietly become one of the largest, most persistent sources of waste in the federal budget. The Number: $186 Billion in One Year. Read More