The department has five years to recover overpayments or obtain court judgments. Frequently, individuals use an installment payment plan; they make weekly or monthly payments until they have repaid all of the overpaid benefits.  Overpayments can also be recovered by offset from future benefits when the claimant files another claim for unemployment insurance.  In such situations, weekly benefit checks are withheld and the claimant is credited for a payment in the amount of each check.  In some cases, where an individual is not filing for unemployment insurance, the department may seize State of Vermont income tax refunds or obtain a judgment and garnishment order to attach wages from current employment.  All judgments are a matter of public records, such court records being routinely accessed by credit reporting agencies.