Controls over Payments Made to Claimant Representatives at the Hearings Level

Individuals claiming Social Security benefits or Supplemental Security Income payments may appoint a representative to act on his or her behalf in matters before the Agency, including the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR). An authorized representative may seek SSA’s authorization for the fee he/she wants to charge and collect by following one of two mutually exclusive processes: (1) a fee agreement filed before the favorable decision is rendered or (2) a fee petition, generally filed when services have ended.