what happens if ssdi did not pay my attorney for winning my case

by Georgette Reichel III 4 min read

If you haven’t received any back pay after three or four months of getting approved, contact Social Security to make sure it is being processed. Attorneys get paid directly out of the award. If a Disability attorney handled your case, their fee will be deducted by the Social Security Administration out of your back payment.

Full Answer

Do disability attorneys get paid if there is no back pay?

Luckily, Social Security representatives do not charge their fees up front; instead there is a binding agreement between the representative and their client that stipulates what the representative can charge as a fee in the event that a disability case has been won (in other words, if the case is not won, there is no fee).

What happens if you don’t receive Social Security disability back pay?

Under current Social Security Disability regulations, a disability lawyer is generally only allowed to charge 25% of a claimant s back pay up to $6,000. In fact, prior to receiving payment, the SSA must approve the fee agreement, which allows the SSA to send a portion of your back pay directly to the lawyer before you are paid.

Will Social Security deduct my disability attorney’s fees?

A disability attorney or non-attorney rep cannot be paid a fee if there is no back pay. This is specifically because of the way that they are paid, which is strictly regulated by the Social Security Administration. This is how individuals who represent disability claims are paid: 1/4 of the back pay up to a max of $6000 (this is the maximum fee payable as of 2016.

What happens if my lawyer is denied disability benefits?

Disability lawyers work on a contingency fee basis which means they will only take a case if they think they have a chance to win; otherwise, they do not get paid. So, before you decide whether to file an appeal on your own you need to find out why you were denied and why the disability lawyer refuses to help you.

What is the most a disability lawyer can charge?

$6,000First, the basics: Federal law generally limits the fees charged by Social Security disability attorneys to 25% of your backpay, or $6,000, whichever is lower. Back payments are benefits that accrued while you were waiting for Social Security to approve your case.

What happens after fully favorable decision?

If you receive a fully favorable decision, the SSA approved your application with the onset date of disability that you originally noted. You will then start receiving disability benefits as soon as your elimination period or waiting period has ended.

How often is a fully favorable decision overturned?

Usually cases are reviewed every three years; but some cases are reviewed more often. Sometimes the decision will direct the Social Security Administration to conduct a review at a certain time. Often the Notice of Award will tell you when to expect a review.

How long does it take SSDI to pay back pay?

Once you begin receiving benefits, it takes another one to two months to receive your SSDI back pay. At this point in time, you will receive a lump sum containing the full amount of your SSDI back pay and retroactive benefits.Mar 22, 2021

Do you get back pay for the 5 month waiting period for SSDI?

SSDI benefits are subject to a five-month waiting period. If your application is approved, you will not receive benefits for five full calendar months. This policy also affects your back pay. For example, if your claim was approved within five months of applying, you will not receive any back pay.May 13, 2021

How do I check my disability back pay?

Call the national Social Security Administration's toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213, to receive information about your retroactive payment. The line is open 24 hours a day for you to find out your claim status and if your back payment has been processed.

How long after I receive my award letter will I get my money?

You can usually expect your back pay and first monthly check to start 30-90 days after the award letter.Feb 1, 2022

Can an ALJ decision be overturned?

ALJ decisions are not binding legal precedent. Courts or federal agencies can overturn their decisions under certain circumstances such as where those decisions are unsupported by substantial evidence in the record.Nov 5, 2020

Who makes the final decision on Social Security Disability?

An applicant can receive payments for up to 6 months while the Disability Determination Services (DDS) reviews the claim and makes the final decision.

Why is my SSDI back pay taking so long?

There is a 5-month waiting period dated from the date of your application, or your Established Onset Date (EOD), which, according to the SSA, is the date on which you became disabled. The SSA has created this delayed payment structure to filter out any claims that are not truly long term cases of disability.Jun 18, 2020

How does Social Security calculate back pay?

The calculation is rather simple. The SSA takes the months between your application date and your approval date and multiples it by your monthly payment. If you receive the maximum payment of $735, and it took the SSA eight months to approve your claim, you would be entitled to $5,880 in back pay.

Do I have to spend my SSDI back pay?

Retroactive SSDI Benefits If the SSDI beneficiary is only receiving SSDI benefits, (and not SSI ), the SSDI beneficiary does not have to “spend down” this Retroactive payment because there are no resource limits for SSDI benefits; therefore, Retroactive payments will not affect ongoing SSDI eligibility.

Why won't disability lawyers help me?

Recently on our forum we had a user ask, “What if I need to appeal my Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) application denial but disability lawyers will not help me? Can I make the appeal on my own?” This is a great question, but the better question is should you appeal the denial. We will discuss this question below.

Why would a disability lawyer not take my case?

Disability lawyers work on a contingency fee basis which means they will only take a case if they think they have a chance to win; otherwise, they do not get paid. So, before you decide whether to file an appeal on your own you need to find out why you were denied and why the disability lawyer refuses to help you.

Can I file the Reconsideration appeal on my own without disability lawyers?

Yes, you have 60 days to file the Reconsideration paperwork to the Social Security Administration (SSA). If you do not file the paperwork in time, under most conditions, you will have to file another SSDI disability application and start the process again.

What is back pay for SSDI?

Back payments are benefits that accrued while you were waiting for Social Security to approve your case. The amount of your backpay depends on your onset date of disability, when you filed for benefits, and whether you're applying for SSDI or SSI. (To learn more, see Nolo's article on how SSDI back benefits are calculated .)

What is a fee petition?

A fee petition must contain an itemized list of the attorney's activities on the case. Your attorney will send the fee petition to Social Security after your case is complete, and will send a copy to you as well. Social Security will approve the petition only if the fees requested by the attorney are reasonable.

How long does it take to get Social Security benefits?

Once this is done, the claimant can expect payment within 30-45 days. The attorney representative, on the other hand, waits longer to receive attorney’s fees which currently are 25% of back due...

How long does it take to get back my unemployment benefits?

Back due benefits, except for any fee due attorneys, goes directly to the client. This can be as short as 10 to 14 days; normal is 30 to 60 days. If there are other issues (like workers' compensation offset, or SSDI and SSI offset) then it can take longer than 60 days...

When do you get your first Social Security check?

According to the Social Security Administration, claimants who win Social Security disability approval get their first payment during the sixth full month after the date their disability began . For example, if your disability started on June 1, you should get your first check in December – six full months after the condition’s onset.

Does Medicare cover older people?

The federal government manages Medicare to specifically cover individuals aged 65 and older. In addition, Medicare also provides healthcare coverage for younger people with qualifying disabilities.

Is disability insurance difficult?

For many Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) applicants, the claim process can be challenging. But upon receiving your Social Security disability approval, it’s important to have a good understanding of next steps. From knowing when your benefits will begin to knowing what types of medical coverage you may receive, ...