6 plain-English guides on representatives & payees, written from public Social Security Administration sources: SSA.gov, the Listing of Impairments, POMS and 20 CFR. Every figure carries the year it applies to, because these rules change and an undated number is worse than no number. Start anywhere in the list below, or use the navigation above to move to a different stage of the process.
- How to Change Your Disability Representative
Learn how to change or remove an SSDI representative mid-claim, revoke Form SSA-1696, notify Social Security in writing, and handle prior fee claims properly.
- What Is an EDPNA Non-Attorney Disability Representative?
Learn what an EDPNA non-attorney disability representative is, how SSA credentials them, their fee rights, and how they assist SSDI claimants in 2026.
- Form SSA-1696: Appointing a Representative on Your Claim
How to use Form SSA-1696 to appoint a representative for your SSDI claim, what the appointment authorizes, how fee rules work, and how to revoke it.
- Form SSA-1696-SUP1: Withdrawing or Changing a Representative
Understand how Form SSA-1696-SUP1 works to revoke or update your disability representative with the Social Security Administration in 2026.
- Do You Need a Lawyer or Advocate to Apply for SSDI?
No, you do not need a lawyer to apply for SSDI. Learn who may represent you, what a representative can actually do at the filing stage, and how fees work.
- Does Your Representative Carry Over to a New Claim?
Learn when a prior disability representative's appointment may end, when a new Form SSA-1696 may be needed for a new SSDI application, and how to submit an appointment.