Prepaid Legal Advice
From Adviceopedia
Think of prepaid legal advice like an insurance policy of sorts.
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Prepaid Legal Advice
With prepaid legal advice you pay into the plan regularly so that when you need to consult with an attorney, you will be covered for these expenses. Prepaid legal plans are designed to cover a number of types of legal expenses, including:
Meeting with an Lawyer
- Personal consultations with an attorney
- Telephone conversations and written correspondence
- Review of contracts and documents
- Warranty issues
Wills and Estates
- Preparation of a will and/or power of attorney
- Settling an estate
Consumer Protection
- Assistance with getting a company to honor a warranty (either written or implied)
Landlord and Tenant Matters
- Review of lease before you decide to rent
- Legal advice if you have problems with the landlord failing to make necessary repairs or provide other services
Some Litigation Services
- Legal advice if you want to start a Small Claims Court action or are the defendant in a Small Claims Court action
Services
The services you receive under a prepaid legal advice plan vary depending on the state where you live.
If you are considering buying a prepaid legal advice plan, find out what the plan available for your region covers. Make sure it is flexible enough to cover a variety of circumstances. You may never be arrested; but if you do face criminal charges later, finding a plan that covers the defense costs in a trial will be money well spent.
Canadian residents: prepaid legal advice plans are available in your country as well.
Coverage
Prepaid legal advice plans can provide coverage for both you and your family for one price.
Make sure you ask what other family members are covered under the plan. It may be possible to get coverage for yourself and
- Your spouse
- Your children who are still living at home (age limits may apply)
- Your children who are attending college or university (age limits may apply)
- Adult children who are disabled and who rely on you for financial support (disability may be due to a physical or mental condition)
Discounts
Ask whether purchasing the prepaid legal advice plan will entitle you to other discounts.
Some plans entitle you to a discount on the lawyer's usual hourly rate for other legal matters excluded from your prepaid plan. You may be able to save up to 25% over the lawyer's normal hourly rate.
Benefits Through Work
Some employers offer prepaid legal advice plans as part of their benefit package.
If someone is worried about a pressing problem, he or she may not be able to work effectively until the situation is resolved. The person may be spending part of his or her work hours making phone calls or keeping appointments with lawyers. It is to an employer's advantage to have personal legal matters involving employees resolved quickly.
Employer-provided prepaid legal advice can be included as part of an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). With this type of benefit, the employee can call a number to speak with a lawyer and get advice over the phone. If necessary, the employee can be referred to a lawyer for a face-to-face meeting (at a further cost to the employee).
One advantage to this employee benefit is that the person can get some basic information about such common legal issues as adoption, child custody, or divorce without having to wait several days to meet with a lawyer. If a meeting with an attorney is necessary, the client will already have some basic information, which should decrease the time he or she will need to spend meeting with the lawyer (and reduce the legal expenses as well).
