Blog
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You knew it was coming given the cutbacks in other parts of the Social Security Agency. President Trump’s efficiency guru, Elon Musk has plans to cut back 7,000 of the 60, 000 SS employees. This means that the wait time to answer the phone and process hearings and appeals will likely get longer. Employees have…
a week+ ago -
More fall out from special government employee, Elon Musk’s Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE). Acting SS Commissioner, Michelle King, has resigned in protest of access being denied DOGE. President Trump has named Leland Dudek, a long-term SS employee, as Acting Commissioner. Frank Bisigano has been nominated by the President to be permanent Commissioner.
2+ weeks ago
News
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Summer 2021 Newsletter STILL STANDING…AND PRACTICING I published the first issue of Social Security & You in Spring of 1993. Some years I’ve published more issues than others. The most recent issue was dated Spring 2019: over 2 years ago. The world was a much different place then. Especially for me. Read the full newsletter…
3+ years ago -
Spring 2019 Newsletter An Opioid Story I’ve changed his name. Let’s call him Gerald. He was a laborer. And by that I don’t mean that he just did physical work. He was a card-carrying member the Labor’s Union local. And that meant a lot to him. I represented him for Social Security disability and Michigan…
5+ years ago
SOCIAL SECURITY RAISES REPRESENTATIVE FEE CAP
Social Security uses what is called the “fee agreement process” to pay representatives who help Claimants. For those signing an appropriate fee agreement Social Security will approve the agreement and pay the representative up to 25% of a retroactive fee.
Since November 2022 that retroactive fee could not exceed $7,200. Sometime this fall the cap will be raised to $9,200. Future increases will be more regular and tied to the annual cost of living adjustment (COLA).
The Commissioner of the Social Security administration, Martin O’Malley, states the fee increase is necessary to incentivize representation. “Our programs can be complex and quality representation-from initial claims to appeals-helps people navigate the process.”, according to the Commissioner.
Social Security is experiencing growing backlogs. The average wait for an initial decision is 8 months, for a reconsideration, 7 months. The long term goal is to reduce the wait for both to 4 months. Representatives speed up the process by assisting in the gathering of medical evidence.
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