Many attorneys will charge an up-front fee or retainer when they agree to represent you; this is not the case for a Social Security disability attorney in Missouri. When disability attorneys take a case they do so based on contingency, if they win on behalf of their client they get paid, if they don’t win they don’t get paid.
Fee agreement:
When you first engage a Social Security disability attorney you will be asked to enter into an agreement that gives the Social Security Administration the authority to pay the attorney once your claim for benefits is approved. The agreement ensures that you pay in accordance with the guidelines set by the SSA. In the majority of cases the attorney’s fee is paid direct from your disability back pay.
What is the allowable fee?
The fee that can be charged by a Social Security disability attorney in Missouri is set by federal law. The fee is limited to $6,000 or 25 percent of the back pay you are granted. The attorney is only paid from the back pay, if you are not granted back pay the attorney will not be paid; rarely would this situation arise.
When you first hire the attorney there is no demand for anything up front. Although the attorney’s fee is paid from the back pay he or she may bill you for certain incidentals which would rarely exceed a couple of hundred dollars at most.
Calculation of back pay:
Once your application for disability benefits is approved, the SSA will calculate your back pay. The back pay begins to accrue from the date the administration agrees your disability began and runs to the date of approval.
As noted, the attorney’s fee is 25 percent of the back pay up to a maximum of $6,000. If, for example, you were granted a back pay of $12,000, your attorney would collect a fee of $3,000 and you would receive the balance of $9,000. This is the full extent of your legal costs; your attorney has no claim on all future monthly benefit payments.
If you are disabled and unable to work you can apply for disability benefits. You are well advised to hire a seasoned Social Security disability attorney in Missouri to help you. You are invited to discuss your claim with the Grundy Disability Group. Follow us on our Google+ page.
