(a) If at any time during the continuance of assistance to any person, the recipient thereof becomes possessed of any property or income in excess of the amount ascertained at the time of granting assistance, or if any of the recipient’s circumstances which affect eligibility to receive assistance change from the time of determination of eligibility, it shall be the duty of the recipient to notify the secretary immediately of the receipt or possession of such property, income, or of such change in circumstances affecting eligibility and the secretary may, after investigation, cancel or modify the assistance payment in accordance with the circumstances.

(b) Any assistance paid shall be recoverable by the secretary as a debt due to the state. If during the life or on the death of any person receiving assistance, it is found that the recipient was possessed of income or property in excess of the amount reported or ascertained at the time of granting assistance, and if it be shown that such assistance was obtained by an ineligible recipient, the total amount of the assistance may be recovered by the secretary as a fourth class claim from the estate of the recipient or in an action brought against the recipient while living.

(c) The total amount of any assistance that is sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of to others by a recipient or any other person, or the total amount of any assistance that is knowingly purchased, acquired or possessed by any person, except as authorized in state and federal law, rules and regulations and agency policy of the department for children and families or the department of health and environment is a debt due to the state and the total amount of such assistance that was improperly sold, transferred, disposed, purchased, acquired or possessed shall be recoverable by the secretary for children and families or the secretary of health and environment. Such debt may be recovered during the life or upon the death of any recipient or person who sold, transferred, disposed, purchased, acquired or possessed such assistance and may be recovered as a fourth class claim from the estate of the person or in an action brought against the recipient or person while living.