Fee cap increase confirmed for 2024

On February 21, 2024, we brought together NOSSCR and NADR leadership to meet with Commissioner Martin O’Malley at his office in Baltimore. We had a productive discussion with the Commissioner about pressing issues, including the fee cap, and we’re pleased to announce that we achieved general agreement: the Social Security representative fee cap will soon increase to $9,200, and thereafter will increase again annually!

Raising the representative fee cap is always a top advocacy priority for us. High quality advocacy for disabled claimants requires that representatives earn reasonable fees that keep pace with economic realities. We know this issue is important to our members, and we included it within a list of pressing items that we presented to the new Commissioner in December.

Unlike many other topics, the fee cap can be addressed by Commissioner O’Malley’s announcement and doesn’t require significant operations changes. Social Security’s Commissioners raised the fee cap three times since 1990, including most recently in 2022, but in the intervening years, inflation hit hard, reducing access to representation. That is why we met with Commissioner O’Malley at SSA’s Headquarters in February to discuss the importance of adequately compensating representatives.

In the weeks since the February 21 meeting, we have clarified three key points. First, the fee cap will be raised to $9,200 (the highest figure allowed by the statute). Second, it will be effective this fall. Third—and this is a big one—SSA will add this increase to the annual schedule of other COLA-based increases.

This is a significant victory for our members, their clients, and those seeking representation. It is also a victory for Social Security, which benefits from the work done by claimants’ representatives. Representative fees do not come from Social Security’s budget, our work saves Social Security time and money, and claimants need professional representation instead of discounts. NOSSCR works with Commissioner O’Malley’s team daily on improvements for the disability claims process, and we can confirm that more good news is on the way.

By now you realize that the fee cap would not be increased if representatives had not created and supported this association. We are organized, and we are effective because of it. We are grateful for your membership, and your participation in our events and services. If you would like to provide more support for NOSSCR’s vital work, please consider upgrading your membership to sustaining (just give us a call!) or joining us and Commissioner O’Malley in Nashville in May to learn about the ongoing work to improve Social Security.

*Not pictured: NOSSCR Board Member Crysti Farra and NOSSCR President Rick Fleming, both of whom provided crucial support in these discussions