KEVIN NATHANIEL FOX, Magistrate Judge.
In this action, the plaintiff challenged, successfully, a determination by the Commissioner of Social Security ("Commissioner") that the plaintiff was not entitled to receive disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. Before the Court is a motion by the plaintiff for an award of attorney's fees, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 406(b)(1).
In support of the application for attorney's fees, counsel to the plaintiff submitted an affirmation to the Court. In that document, counsel explains that he and the plaintiff entered into a retainer agreement through which counsel would be paid 25% of any past due benefits awarded to the plaintiff, should he be successful in challenging the Commissioner's previous denial of his request for benefits. Counsel to the plaintiff also explained through his affirmation that, in June 2018, he was advised that the Social Security Administration was withholding $9,393.25 from its award to the plaintiff for past due benefits as a payment for the plaintiffs legal fees. That is the amount that the plaintiff is seeking through the instant motion. Furthermore, counsel has advised the Court that he will remit to the plaintiff $3,642.37, "the balance of the awarded EAJA fee" should the instant motion be granted by the Court.
In contravention of Local Civil Rule 7.1 (b) of this court, the defendant responded to the plaintiffs motion via a letter dated August 22, 2018. In that writing, the defendant explains that it does not oppose the fee award of $9,393.25 to the plaintiffs counsel, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 406(b), as that amount "is not greater than 25% of plaintiffs past due social security disability insurance benefits and Supplemental Security Income Benefits," so long as the plaintiffs counsel refunds to the plaintiff $3,642.37, the attorney's fee award granted pursuant to EAJA.
Attorney's fees may be awarded pursuant to both 28 U.S.C. § 2412 and 42 U.S.C. § 406. However, in such a circumstance, the Supreme Court has made clear that the attorney for a plaintiff must refund to his or her client the amount of the smaller fee.
Based on the motion record, the Court has determined to grant ·the motion appearing at Docket Entry No. 29. Accordingly, the defendant shall pay to the plaintiffs counsel $9,393.25, and the plaintiffs counsel shall remit to the plaintiff $3,642.37.
SO ORDERED.