“It is such a scam. You have to get an attorney to get it through. Cant remember who pays lawyer. Does it come from the benefit or does SS pay for it.”
You pay for it.
The lawyer files the papers and makes a call or two to the appropriate people.
When your claim is approved the lawyer gets a percentage of the initial lump settlement (the Back pay to the date you first applied) and everyone is happy.
You finally get some money coming in.
The lawyer gets a check.
The SS worker can say they forced the claimant to get a lawyer.
It has become, to them, a well known, finely choreographed dance.
I would like to see Trump try to change this. It has been going on for decades.
There is something inherently wrong with that system.