Original Article Posted By: Mercedes44, 6/9/2026 10:26:45 PM Federal agencies paid out an estimated $186 billion by mistake in fiscal year 2025 alone and without better oversight, taxpayers could keep losing money at that level, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office. Since 2003, these payment mistakes have added up to about $3 trillion, touching everything from Medicare and Medicaid to unemployment benefits and tax credits.