Federal agencies made about $247 billion in payment errors in fiscal year 2022, but some agencies are reducing improper payments.
Improper payments either should not have been made or were made in the wrong amount, according to a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Improper payments have been a longstanding problem for federal agencies. Since 2003, cumulative executive agency improper payment estimates have totaled almost $2.4 trillion, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.