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Representation

Your Right to Representation

You can choose to have a representative help you when you do business with Social Security. Social Security will work with your representative, just as they would with you. Both you and your representative are responsible for providing Social Security with accurate information. It is wrong to knowingly and willingly furnish false information. If you do, you may be prosecuted criminally.

What a Representative Can Do

Once appointed, your representative can act for you in most Social Security matters.

• Get information from your Social Security file.
• Help you get medical records or information to support your claim.
• Come with you, or for you, to any interview, conference, or hearing you have with Social Security.
• Request a reconsideration, hearing, or Appeals Council review.
• Help you and your witnesses prepare for a hearing and question any witnesses.

Your representative will also receive a copy of the decision(s) Social Security makes on your claim(s).

Choosing a Representative

You can choose an attorney or other qualified person to represent you. You can also have more than one representative. Once you choose a representative, you must tell Social Security in writing as soon as possible. To report, use Form SSA-1696-U4, Appointment of Representative, which you can obtain from any Social Security office or online at www.socialsecurity.gov.

For More Information

Click here for more information about your right to representation or call the toll-free number 800-772-1213.