20 USC § 7712 - Forgiveness of overpayments

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t20/s7712"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "20 USC § 7712 - Forgiveness of overpayments"
title_number: 20
title_name: "EDUCATION"
section_number: "7712"
section_name: "Forgiveness of overpayments"
chapter_number: 70
chapter_name: "STRENGTHENING AND IMPROVEMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS"
subchapter_number: "VII"
subchapter_name: "IMPACT AID"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 89–10, title VII, § 7012, formerly title VIII, § 8012, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, § 101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3769; amended Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title XVIII, § 1815], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–387; renumbered title VII, § 7012, Pub. L. 114–95, title VII, § 7001(c)(2), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2074.)"
---


# § 7712. Forgiveness of overpayments

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may forgive the obligation of a local educational agency to repay, in whole or in part, the amount of any overpayment received under this subchapter, or under this subchapter’s predecessor authorities, if the Secretary determines that the overpayment was made as a result of an error made by—

**(1)** the Secretary; or

**(2)** the local educational agency and repayment of the full amount of the overpayment will result in an undue financial hardship on the agency and seriously harm the agency’s educational program.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 89–10, title VII, § 7012, formerly title VIII, § 8012, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, § 101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3769; amended Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title XVIII, § 1815], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–387; renumbered title VII, § 7012, Pub. L. 114–95, title VII, § 7001(c)(2), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2074.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2000— substituted “under this subchapter’s predecessor authorities” for “under the Act of  (Public Law 874, 81st Congress) or the Act of  (Public Law 815, 81st Congress) (as such Acts were in effect on the day preceding )” in introductory provisions.