Articles Posted in Group Legal Services

Anyone who pays taxes has a right to request those government services they are entitled to receive. These might not be significant issues like immigration visas or housing assistance, but perhaps transportation allowances or help with assisted care for elderly parents. Employees will now and then need the help of the government, especially local agencies. It is very frustrating when there are delays or misunderstandings, and these will happen, sometimes regularly.

 Doing the Right Thing

It has less to do with integrity than filing accurate information with the right agency. The government relies on data, much of it personal, to do its job. Mistakes are what cause the most delays. Incorrect data will put a person back to square one, and everything must be resubmitted. Continue reading

We want to think that family reunions are a time of love and sharing, a chance to recall fun days and sentimental times gone by. But unfortunately, it is a nice thought that does not always happen. Instead, family gatherings might be a scene of anger where accusations fly and hurt feelings are exposed. One reason for this hatred is a contested estate where there was no last will and testament.

People lead busy lives and will forget about some important matters. Drafting a will is one of those tasks that are exceptionally low on the bucket list. No one wants to think about death, and, sadly, some are not thinking about the consequences of dying intestate (without a will). Therefore, the probate court is left to decide how the estate is distributed, and that is a long process that allows survivors to argue over what each feel entitled to a portion of the estate assets. Continue reading

There are many actors on the legal stage, and each plays an important part. The main objective is often protecting someone else or seeing that a person’s wishes are respected and carried out. The executors of an estate come to mind immediately, and there is a designated person who will take on what is nearly the same type of responsibility. That individual is granted medical powers of attorney.

Expecting the Unexpected

Medical powers of attorney are part of a living will. It is a document that addresses a medical emergency that may come from out of nowhere and generate unanticipated consequences. An accident or a cardiac arrest may leave the victim unresponsive. It is critical to have someone designated to represent the victim, and that individual is authorized with the medical powers of attorney. Group legal plans will combine writing a living will and medical powers of attorney into one service. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services offers this kind of two for one benefit option. Continue reading

We talked about Identity Theft and Credit Monitoring Plans for individuals a few weeks earlier. We would like to bring to your attention the group plan we offer. Identity theft is a serious problem and high-tech employees are justifiably nervous about their security being hacked. An employer has a chance with Countrywide to assist those employees, and even use identity theft and credit monitoring as a recruiting incentive.

Identity theft is a significant crime that uses many strategies to get to personal information. Hacking is a common means of breaking through security to steal your data. It is not the only avenue the thieves will walk down, Phishing, robocalls, and bogus warning are employed. The damage is horrific. Continue reading

Everyone wants to have things simple and uncomplicated. The idea of paying hefty fees to professionals does not make sense if you can do it yourself. That same notion will tempt folks to make risky decisions that can cause serious trouble later. You do not want to try writing a will without the help of a lawyer.

 It is not a DIY Project

The last will tells what you wish to have done with those investments, properties, and personal possessions your hard work and sacrifice permitted you to have once you are gone. It seems easy enough to write down your wishes on a piece of paper. It is not, and anyone who understands probate law appreciates the hurricane that might begin within days of the funeral. Continue reading

Forward thinking organizations know the value of good benefits for morale. Hardworking employees appreciate the programs and incentives that make the quality of working life better. However, employers must be careful when new services are being selected. There must be more than just a catchy title.

The new benefits must meet a real need and provide solutions. Moreover, all employees must be able to take advantage of the programs. Group legal plans are becoming more critical in a society that increasingly relies on legal help. The extra assistance that backs up any services must be efficient and practical at the same time. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services offers a group legal plan that meets employees’ expectations and provides high quality. The secondary features of the benefit are primary reasons. Continue reading

No one can entirely escape the government, not even hermits up in the mountains. You will sooner or later have to work with a public agency or an official’s office to get things done. It is essential to know how to deal with public agencies to get the services you need.

The public sector intends to help citizens, but the average person does not effectively work with a public bureaucracy. There often appears to be so many forms to fill out or data to submit. This happens because the government must have the correct information to get the job done. Moreover, government entities are themselves governed by various regulations. Errors of omission on forms or missed deadlines will cause lengthy delays. A perceived inability to get things done will cause the average citizen to be reluctant to work with the government. That should never be the case. Continue reading

The Biden Administration declared February 28 through March 6 as National Consumer Protection Week. It recognizes that COVID-19 did more than release a deadly virus. It created the opportunity for considerable amounts of consumer fraud.

Consumers lost billions last year in all kinds of scams. Identity theft in the form of phishing emails and robocall led the list. People who were quarantined were at home during the day and put at the mercy of unsolicited phone calls and pressure tactics. Older people have always been a target and were primary victims. Continue reading

The Colonial Pipeline scare introduced many of us to ransomware and that is just one of the tools used to hack into computer privacy. Hacking is a simple concept. Thieves break through the security walls surrounding data and have the software to conduct lengthy and thorough raids on the information. The victim suffers devastating consequences. The standard hacker habits include wiping out bank accounts, maxing out credit cards, and other forms of mischief.

A successful person has a right to worry about these attacks on privacy. It takes cyberpiracy to a whole new level. There must be a means of protecting a person’s private information and assets. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services has offered a group legal plan benefit for organizations since 1987. In addition, we do something else that many group legal plans do not. We provide individual identity theft and credit monitoring plans. Continue reading

We have talked about the importance of living wills and how a person’s wishes for medical care are safeguarded if that person becomes unresponsive. It is essential to look at a companion legal document that supports the living will: medical powers of attorney. Group legal plans should include medical powers of attorney with any offering of a living will. It is the active agent.

The Power to Direct

The intent is to name a trusted individual to be the agent of the unresponsive patient in matters dealing with medical care. It includes making sure that religious considerations are honored, and specific treatments are used. Medical powers of attorney can relieve family members of decision-making burdens. It is hard enough emotionally to deal with the possibility of a loved one dying. Giving instructions on when to turn off the life support system is excruciating for a child or a spouse. A trusted third party makes the grieving process easier to bear. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services offers medical powers of attorney as an option for our group legal plan benefit. Continue reading