Procedures applicable; prohibition on assignment of payments; representation of claimants; maximum fees; penalties for violations

(A) The provisions of section 406 of this title (other than subsections (a)(4) and (d) thereof) shall apply to this part to the same extent as they apply in the case of subchapter II, except that such section shall be applied— (i) by substituting, in subparagraphs (A)(ii)(I) and (D)(i) of subsection (a)(2) 1 1 So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma. the phrase “(as determined before any applicable reduction under section 1383(g) of this title , and reduced by the amount of any reduction in benefits under this subchapter or subchapter II made pursuant to section 1320a–6(a) of this title )” for the parenthetical phrase contained therein; (ii) by substituting, in subsections (a)(2)(B) and (b)(1)(B)(i), the phrase “paragraph (7)(A) or (8)(A) of section 1383(a) of this title or the requirements of due process of law” for the phrase “subsection (g) or (h) of section 423 of this title ”; (iii) by substituting, in subsection (a)(2)(C)(i), the phrase “under subchapter II” for the phrase “under subchapter XVI”; (iv) by substituting, in subsection (b)(1)(A), the phrase “pay the amount of such fee” for the phrase “certify the amount of such fee for payment” and by striking, in subsection (b)(1)(A), the phrase “or certified for payment”; (v) by substituting, in subsection (b)(1)(B)(ii), the phrase “deemed to be such amounts as determined before any applicable reduction under section 1383(g) of this title , and reduced by the amount of any reduction in benefits under this subchapter or subchapter II made pursuant to section 1320a–6(a) of this title ” for the phrase “determined before any applicable reduction under section 1320a–6(a) of this title )”; 2 2 So in original. Closing parenthesis after “title” probably should not appear. and (vi) by substituting, in subsection (e)(1)— (I) “subparagraphs (B) and (C) of section 1383(d)(2) of this title ” for “the preceding provisions of this section”; and (II) “subchapter XVI” for “this subchapter”.

(B) Subject to subparagraph (C), if the claimant is determined to be entitled to past-due benefits under this subchapter and the person representing the claimant is an attorney, the Commissioner of Social Security shall pay out of such past-due benefits to such attorney an amount equal to the lesser of— (i) so much of the maximum fee as does not exceed 25 percent of such past-due benefits (as determined before any applicable reduction under subsection (g) and reduced by the amount of any reduction in benefits under this subchapter or subchapter II pursuant to section 1320a–6(a) of this title ), or (ii) the amount of past-due benefits available after any applicable reductions under subsection (g) and section 1320a–6(a) of this title .

(C) (i) Whenever a fee for services is required to be paid to an attorney from a claimant’s past-due benefits pursuant to subparagraph (B), the Commissioner shall impose on the attorney an assessment calculated in accordance with clause (ii). (ii) (I) The amount of an assessment under clause (i) shall be equal to the product obtained by multiplying the amount of the representative’s fee that would be required to be paid by subparagraph (B) before the application of this subparagraph, by the percentage specified in subclause (II), except that the maximum amount of the assessment may not exceed $75. In the case of any calendar year beginning after the amendments made by section 302 of the Social Security Protection Act of 2003 3 3 See References in Text note below. take effect, the dollar amount specified in the preceding sentence (including a previously adjusted amount) shall be adjusted annually under the procedures used to adjust benefit amounts under section 415(i)(2)(A)(ii) of this title , except such adjustment shall be based on the higher of $75 or the previously adjusted amount that would have been in effect for December of the preceding year, but for the rounding of such amount pursuant to the following sentence. Any amount so adjusted that is not a multiple of $1 shall be rounded to the next lowest multiple of $1, but in no case less than $75. (II) The percentage specified in this subclause is such percentage rate as the Commissioner determines is necessary in order to achieve full recovery of the costs of determining and approving fees to attorneys from the past-due benefits of claimants, but not in excess of 6.3 percent. (iii) The Commissioner may collect the assessment imposed on an attorney under clause (i) by offset from the amount of the fee otherwise required by subparagraph (B) to be paid to the attorney from a claimant’s past-due benefits. (iv) An attorney subject to an assessment under clause (i) may not, directly or indirectly, request or otherwise obtain reimbursement for such assessment from the claimant whose claim gave rise to the assessment. (v) Assessments on attorneys collected under this subparagraph shall be deposited as miscellaneous receipts in the general fund of the Treasury. (vi) The assessments authorized under this subparagraph shall be collected and available for obligation only to the extent and in the amount provided in advance in appropriations Acts. Amounts so appropriated are authorized to remain available until expended, for administrative expenses in carrying out this subchapter and related laws.

(D) The Commissioner of Social Security shall notify each claimant in writing, together with the notice to such claimant of an adverse determination, of the options for obtaining attorneys to represent individuals in presenting their cases before the Commissioner of Social Security. Such notification shall also advise the claimant of the availability to qualifying claimants of legal services organizations which provide legal services free of charge.