WASHINGTON — Hundreds of retired D.C. firefighters, police officers and teachers are facing financial ruin over a decades-old accounting error.
Two months ago, retired D.C. firefighter Charles Beale, a 27-year veteran, received a letter from the U.S. Treasury Department saying he owed nearly $27,000 due to an “administrative error,” WJLA reported.
“I almost fell out of my chair,” Beale said. “This is almost forcing families to fail. It was not my fault. I had no knowledge of it.”
The letter informed Beale his annuity would be adjusted down and he would have to pay back the overpayment of $26,558.
The administrative error is not only affecting Beale, but another 570 retired firefighters, police officers and teachers — some with overpayments of $60,000.
The mistake in Beale’s case occurred when he retired in 1995.
“For them to be held responsible for that all these years later — it’s absurd,” Ed Smith, the president of the DC Fire Fighter’s Association, said. “They have the authority to wave the back money. And they should.”
However, if nothing changes by Aug. 1, Beale must being repaying that money back.
“If I fail, everything below me fails,” Beale said. “It’s much bigger than $800 a month. And it would be devastating.”