Are there any costs to me during the appeals process?
Home » Applying for SSDI » Frequently Asked Questions: Applying
Are there any costs to me during the appeals process?
Your advocacy team will only charge you if your application is approved and you receive back pay. At Citizens Disability, if you don’t win, we don’t get paid.
In the Social Security Act, the government sets the fee that a representative can charge for helping a client through the application and appeals processes. In the vast majority of cases, the fee is 25% of the back-pay awarded to the claimant, up to a maximum of $9,200.
This government-set rate is the standard for disability advocates, and in the vast majority of cases we handle, it is what Citizens Disability charges for the services we provide. Of course, if you don’t win your claim, you will not be charged.
Should you need to carry an appeal to the Federal Court level, you will need to pay your outside counsel their fees, as well as court fees, although court fees may be possibly be waived for financial hardship reasons.
More Important Information about The Application Process
Other Applying For SSDI FAQs:
- Do I need an advocate from Citizens Disability to help with my application?
- Does this process take as long as I’ve heard about?
- What is the “Compassionate Allowance” for SSDI?
- Can I receive both Medicare and Social Security disability benefits?
- Do I receive compensation while I wait for my approval?
- If I am denied, should I reapply?
- Are there any costs to me during the appeals process?
- What is Form SSA-827?
- What is Form SSA-1696?

Linda Cosme formerly served as a Member of the Appeals Council (AC) for the Social Security Administration (SSA), and Program Expert for the Social Security Administration and Disability Quality Branch (DQB). Ms. Cosme also served as a Quality Assurance (QA) Reviewer, Initial Disability Examiner, Reconsideration Disability Examiner, and Continuing Disability Examiner (CDR) for the Disability Determination Services (DDS). She is admitted to practice law in Arizona, Georgia, and the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
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It is easy to get started. No upfront costs – You only pay if we win!
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