Answers about fees, deadlines and the wait

Nothing up front, and nothing at all unless you're awarded past-due benefits. On a Social Security claim, the fee is a share of your back pay, capped by law and approved by Social Security before I'm paid. On a VA claim, the fee is a share of past-due benefits in a written agreement filed with the VA. You may still owe small costs, such as copying fees some doctors charge for records.

Then you owe no fee. You'd still owe any small costs we agreed on in writing, such as a doctor's fee to copy records, and I'll always tell you before one comes up.

It depends on the benefit. SSI is affected by other income and savings; SSDI and VA compensation mostly aren't. We'll go over yours on the first call.

You can, and many people do. If you'd like help from the start, call before you file. The answers you give on the first forms follow you through the whole claim.

Yes. They're separate programs with separate rules, and a VA rating doesn't decide a Social Security claim, though the records from one often help the other.

The truth about your worst days, not just how you feel in the exam room. Bring a list of what you can't do anymore. I'll send your doctor a short form to fill in.

For Social Security, the general rule is 60 days from the date you receive the letter. For the VA, it's usually one year from the decision. The letter itself states your deadline, so keep it and call soon.

Call right away. A late appeal can be accepted for good cause, and the sooner we explain what happened, the better.

No. Most of the work happens by phone and mail. If you'd rather sit down in person, the office is on East Main Street with parking out back, and I'm glad to come to you if getting out is hard.

Yes, once you've told me it's all right in writing. Many clients have a spouse or grown child who keeps track of the letters.