During this constantly evolving situation, presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, we want to assure you that Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services is fully operational and well positioned to navigate this challenge and will continue providing the services you have come to count on from us. We are available by phone or email.

Articles Posted in Group Legal plans

by

1Working from home does have great benefits. Commuting and daycare costs are drastically reduced, and irritating office politics is gone. Organizations are noticing increased productivity but that could be temporary. Some intangible benefits of the office are missing and need replacement.

 

The Informal Communications Network

 

People chat and share information in the office. Experiences one employee has are shared with another and that can help the second person. These informal communications include how to deal with government agencies. Loss of break room sharing takes away an essential source of information. An individual does not know how to work with bureaucrats and fellow employees are there to give advice. The stress of not knowing what to do can affect performance. Group legal plans might offer help and Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services provides guidance on how to deal with the government. Continue reading

by

stockfresh_181218_last-will-and-testament_sizeS_72a2cb-300x225Stoics will talk about “memento mori.” (remember death) to remind people to make the most of living. It is taking a more dramatic meaning to the era of coronavirus. Employees recognize that mortality could come with a sneeze. More want to take precautions to protect their loved ones. Group legal plans offer to draft simple wills as a benefit option. It is an excellent pre-paid legal services benefit.

 

Protecting the Estate

 

Folks may think they have little to leave behind and they are usually wrong. Anyone who owns a house or has a company-provided life insurance policy has reportable assets. Probate court moves quickly if there is a will. Everything slows to a crawl when there is no will. Continue reading

by

stockfresh_356578_hand-with-help-flag-sticking-out-of-papers_sizeL-201x300Everyone loves the idea of working from home. The pandemic has convinced management that more people can be remote workers and do not need to be at the office physically. It is great until the honeymoon is over. Situations change after that.

 

Stress and Depression Issues

 

Working from home means the individual creates the work structure. That is radically different from workplaces with clearly defined borders. Schedules are no longer set, and everything is fluid. It can take a while to get used to the new normal.

 

Remote employees have the stress of creating their workspace and hours. They do not have the traditional human contact of the office and feel isolated. It can result in depression that can affect work quality. Continue reading

by

stockfresh_3091602_good-service-makes-the-difference-chalk-illustration_sizeS-300x168The quarantines imposed by the coronavirus pandemic have  given everybody a chance to reflect on their lives and changes needed. Some legal issues that have been placed on the back burner for too long are now becoming urgent. There is a mood of unfinished business among many employees. Group legal plans provide services to help.

Some of the Issues

A group legal plan can successfully resolve several situations that are everyday legal matters. Continue reading

by

stockfresh_3802975_legal-advice-road-sign-illustration-design-over-a-white-backgrou_sizeXS-300x140The coronavirus pandemic is an emergency that is causing citizens to turn to government agencies for help. The anxiety these folks have is only increased by the frustration they experience in dealing with public bureaucracies.

Attempts were to make things easier and the CARES Act is helping with unemployment compensation filing. However, there are still rules and regulations that government agencies are required to follow. Public servants are not deliberately unresponsive, but they must follow mandated procedures. Group legal plans need to be able to help people deal with the red tape. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services offers help with government agencies as a benefit option.

Dealing with Delays

Continue reading

by

vacation-rental-home-warranty-300x300-300x300Appliances such as refrigerators or washing machines are expensive to buy and expensive to fix. People will purchase warranties from the manufacturer to protect their wallets from repair expenses. When one of those appliances breaks down, the warranty ought to cover most, if not all, of the repairs. It does not always happen.

 

Some manufacturers are not willing to follow the terms of the warranty, while others provide horrible customer service. Group legal plans cover a range of services, but not all of them are going to help with warranty disputes. Countrywide Pre-Paid legal services include help with warranties as a benefit for group legal plan members. Continue reading

by

fmIt would be nice to think that being together during a quarantine would make a married couple closer. Sadly, this is not the case for all people. The enforced isolation can put a severe strain on a relationship and lead to divorce. Experts in domestic social behavior are predicting there will be a significant increase in divorce filings because of the enforced isolation. People can use some help in these cases, but many group legal plans do not take into consideration the need for divorce counsel.

 

Taking Care of the Ordinary

 

Understandably, a group legal plan might not include the help of a divorce attorney. The pre-paid legal services benefits are intended to help with ordinary situations such as consumer protection. Divorce is a different breed of cat. Moreover, divorce attorneys do not come cheap and their rates are expected to rise because of the sudden demand for their expertise. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services knows that a basic group legal plan cannot cover all areas of law. Consequently, we provide a benefit option that helps a person get reduced rates. Continue reading

by

stockfresh_1532919_senior-couple-medical-bills_sizeS-300x200COVID-19 has presented unusual challenges to the judiciary system and the public. What used to be routine administrative work for the courts is being adjusted because of lockdowns and efforts to keep law courts and judiciary buildings safe. Conservatorships are means of protecting someone who can’t adequately care for himself/herself. Group legal plans have a reputation for providing advice and guidance to plan members on all kinds of legal issues. These programs must be able to help with conservatorship matters.

 

Protecting the Elderly

 

The primary beneficiaries of the conservatorship are the elderly. This demographic may be dealing with both physical and mental health conditions. They can be easily deceived by scams and false promises. The old are also the primary targets of coronavirus. They may not be able to do simple errands or visit banks and financial institutions. A conservator is someone who can perform necessary duties on behalf of an older person. Continue reading

by

stockfresh_709412_problems-and-solutions_sizeS-300x272The coronavirus quarantines forced families to pay a terrible price. Strained relationships finally snapped under the lockdowns and led to divorce. This is not the only domestic damage due to COVID-19. Children whose parents divorced are now caught in limbo regarding custody and visitation. An already emotional situation has escalated with even more significant problems that group legal plans must be able to address. Child custody and visitation are primary issues.

Custody and Visitation in a Pandemic

Courts have already decreed what the custody arrangements will be and who gets the custody of a child. Quarantine or not, the courts are not going to suspend visitation rights. Refusal to permit visitation based on social distancing is unacceptable; contempt of court proceedings are not out of the question for ignoring court instructions. Nevertheless, there may be situations where the child’s health could be placed in jeopardy, particularly if a former spouse has been exposed to coronavirus.

Continue reading

by

stockfresh_8439488_keyboard-with-blue-keypad-consumer-protection-3d-illustration_sizeS-300x200The coronavirus pandemic has created a disaster for many small business establishments. They were not able to survive the quarantine lockdowns and are being forced into bankruptcy court. This creates a problem for those who have claims against any of those companies. These can include consumer protection and violation of warranties. Group legal plans need to help those with legitimate grievances against companies, even if those businesses are in bankruptcy.

 

Bankruptcy Law

 

Everyone thinks that Chapter 11 is the only type of bankruptcy filing. It is not. Chapter 7 is the part of bankruptcy law that a business will ordinarily file under. It permits a company to liquidate its assets to pay as much debt as possible. Chapter 11 will enable a firm to reorganize to continue operations. A consumer needs to know under which chapter a company filed for bankruptcy. Continue reading