Average Social Security attorney fee per case by year:
- 2010 -- $3,492.40
- 2011 -- $3,196.81
- 2012 -- $3,036.62
- 2013 -- $2,923.30
- 2014 -- $2,944.49
- 2015 -- $3,040.05
- 2016 -- $3,110.89
- 2017 -- $3,239.28
- 2018 -- $3,309.93
5 comments:
Maybe the fees are lower more recently due to decrease in backlog resulting in faster decisions.
to 1:46
The numbers don't show a decrease. What they show is mostly a steady level.
The decrease in the back log would not be reflected in the numbers which end as of 9/30/18, the 2018 fiscal year.
What is also not reflected, and is extraordinarily difficult to suss out is the difference between cases decided at initial and recon as opposed to those at hearing level. It is only at hearing level where the decrease in the backlog would matter.
My understanding is that for some reason, SSA will not do that breakdown.
@1:46
Certainly that could be part of it. I've never understood exactly why some (not saying 1:46 does) believe attorneys or representatives would be against faster decisions. If a case resolves in 6 months, we take another case. If a case resolves in 3 months, we take another case. Faster case resolution helps the claimant, but it isn't like we lose out on a fee. if anything, faster cases are more fee-efficient due to retroactivity. Slower cases means more labor costs, complex issues developing which require more development of the record, and other expenses.
I'm assume the total amount of fees released by SSA is documented on an annual basis? Assuming 1:46 is right, I would expect the total fees paid would be increasing with inflation (since COLA basically supports that).
Where are these numbers from?
The $6,000 fee cap on a standard fee agreement has not kept up with inflation. In the past 25 years, the cap went from $4,200 to $5,300 to $6,000. If the cap kept up with inflation, the amount would now be about $7,300. Many hearing level cases will hit the fee cap but there is now a lot more work. When I started in this practice area, we rarely saw expert testimony in cases in NY. Now there are many cases that have MEs and VEs. I agree that I would prefer faster decisions, though. In fact, they result in more business referrals.
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