Attorneys and non attorney reps are always paid out of backpay by law. Let's say you receive $40,000 in backpay after a long battle trying to get approved. Your attorney would receive the $6000 maximum off the top directly from SS and then you would receive the balance of $34,000 which you'd need to give to your LTD company. It's a loophole I figured out for a friend. She was able to confirm that her LTD company was only entitled to the balance. YMMV of course.

It's always better to work or run a business if you're able for both emotional and financial reasons. I'm not trying to discourage you, but many people read the rule about SGA and figure SS will not review them if they fly just under the radar and make around $1000 per month.

The rules for running a business aren't just based on SGA, unfortunately. Let's say you spend 40 hours a week and only make $500 per month, then you definitely are capable of making the SGA amount and may lose your SSDI benefits. Take a look at this link: http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/res...ess-and-still-

The easiest (relatively speaking) and fastest way to be approved for SSDI is with an Impaired Listing. http://www.ssa.gov/disability/profes...ltListings.htm

About 1/3 of beneficiaries are approved that way, about 1/3 are approved via the Grid Rules (applies to applicants that are 50 or older), and about 1/3 through the 5 step process.

link for SS's internal Sequential Evaluation Process for Determining Disability:
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/oidap/...Evaluation.pdf

You may pm me if you want a non expert opinion about how difficult your road to approval might be.