Social Security Disability Attorney’s Fees
Social Security Disability Attorney’s Fees
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How much do Social Security Disability attorneys charge?
Here is what you need to know:
- You do not have to pay any upfront fees for representation by one of our attorneys. Social Security Disability attorneys work on a contingency basis — we only get paid if you win your case.
- If your case is approved and you are owed a lump-sum back payment, we will be paid a percentage of your retroactive benefits once they have been awarded to you.
- We receive either up to 25% of your back pay or $9,200 — whichever is lower — as set by the Social Security Administration.
- All of your future benefits are yours. We will never take any fee or percentage of your future monthly benefits.
- We typically pay upfront for any additional fees related to your case, such as medical record retrieval, and will only bill you once your benefits have been awarded to you, meaning you will have no out-of-pocket expenses during the claim process.
The Social Security Disability legal fee payment process
Attorney’s fees are 25% of your first retroactive payment; however, fees are capped at $9,200 after November 30, 2024, regardless of how much money you are owed by the Social Security Administration (SSA). It should be noted that there is no upfront fee when you start the Social Security Disability claim process and no ongoing fee after you’ve won your case. As the SSA can take several years to adjudicate a disability claim, disability claimants are often entitled to a large check for retroactive benefits for the period in which they were waiting for their claim to be decided. Our fees automatically come out of that first retroactive check, meaning our clients never have to pay us directly.
In Social Security Disability cases, a contingency fee agreement is particularly important for people who are dealing with physical and emotional problems in addition to suffering the financial hardships imposed by medical bills and the inability to work due to disability.
How it works:
- Complete the form so we can learn more about your situation.
- We will reach out within 48 hours to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation with an attorney.
- If your case can be pursued, we’ll start working on it.
- We only get paid if your case is approved.
How we can help:
- Free case evaluation by an attorney
- Social Security Disability Insurance application
- Social Security Disability Insurance appeal
- Disability hearing preparation
NO FEES UNLESS YOU WIN.
At LaPorte Law Firm, we only receive a fee if you win your case – so you have nothing to lose. We’re with you every step of the way.
Frequently asked questions on Social Security Disability attorney’s fees
No, there is no upfront fee, as Social Security Disability attorneys work on a contingency basis. This means they only get paid when you win your case.
When hiring a disability attorney, a fee agreement is usually signed on a contingency basis, placing a limit on the attorney’s fee and allowing the SSA to pay the attorney if the case is approved.
While being represented by an attorney, there are often costs involved relating to documentation that needs to be requested, such as medical, work, and other required records. Certain legal representatives require their clients to pay for these costs in addition to the fee they will receive from the client’s back pay, and sometimes require the costs to be paid upfront. However, it is more common for attorneys to front these costs for their clients and then bill them for these costs once the case has been closed.
At LaPorte Law Firm, for the vast majority of cases, we pay upfront for any additional costs and bill clients at the end of the case once they get their award, ensuring no out-of-pocket expenses will be required from clients during the claim process.
When hiring legal representation for a Social Security Disability claim, it’s important to clarify whether you will be responsible for out-of-pocket expenses on top of the attorney’s fee and what types of expenses will be included.
Attorney’s fees automatically come out of the first retroactive payment of a disability award received by a client.
As mandated by the SSA, attorney’s fees are capped at US$7,200. After November 30, 2024, the maximum attorney’s fees are capped at $9,200.
The amount of back pay owed to clients differs for SSDI and SSI. For SSDI, back pay includes retroactive benefits owed to the client from the date their benefits were approved up to the date their disability began (limited to 12 months prior to the application date), as determined by the SSA. However, for SSI, benefits are calculated from the date of approval of benefits to the month after applying for benefits.
No, there are no ongoing fees after your case has been approved. Once the attorney has received their portion of the back pay benefits, no additional fees are required.
No, your attorney will not be able to charge a fee unless your case is successful, as Social Security requires disability cases to be done on a contingency basis.
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