What Is a Legal Services Plan?
I have had a legal services plan for nearly twenty years and it has been a godsend. If you aren’t familiar, essentially it is akin to what health insurance used to do for medical care. I say “used to” because the cost of health insurance is now out of control, but I digress.
With a Legal Shield plan, members pay a low monthly fee to have access to a host of legal services, which includes unlimited legal consultations, among other benefits. You might think, “I don’t need a lawyer”, but if you think about it, every agreement you sign was written by a lawyer that had the best interest of the other party in mind. Typically, we sign those agreements all the time, either in person or digitally, and usually without getting a lawyer to look it over. The way one of my friends puts it (regarding those agreements) is, “The big print giveth, but the fine print taketh away.” Wouldn’t it be nice to have access to a lawyer who would review documents for you before you sign them? Could that potentially save you money?
Why People Typically Don’t Use Lawyers
The answer here is obvious; lawyers are expensive. No one wants to reach out to a lawyer who may charge them $350 per hour or more to ask a simple question or write a letter on their behalf. And we certainly don’t want to look cheap and ask for a free consultation.
Due to the power of collective buying, joining Legal Shield gives you access to some of the best lawyers on the market. How can this be, you ask? It’s quite simple. Most months, every member is not going to need the services of the law firm. This allows the firm to collect money and get paid while providing service to the members who request it. If I think back, there were probably periods of a year or more when I never called the attorney, but I kept the service because I knew its value.
What is Included in a Legal Shield Legal Services Plan?
The company offers plans for individuals, families, those who run home-based businesses, and those who run traditional businesses, all with different features.
Here is what is included in the personal plans:
- Unlimited consultation on legal matters
- Phone calls made or letters written on your behalf by an attorney
- Legal document review
- Trial defense time (if you have to go to court)
- Free standard and living will preparation (and annual update)
- Legal defense for accidents and moving violations
- IRS Audit assistance
You would probably think that you would pay hundreds of dollars per month for this level of access and service, however, the cost is less than a cup of coffee per day. In most states, it is around $29.95 per month, however, coverage and fees do vary by state. You can visit the Legal Sheild site to learn more.
You can also choose add-on coverage such as:
- Gun Owner Supplement
- Home Business Supplement
- Rideshare Delivery Supplement
The Legal Shield business plans offer services that businesses typically need such as:
- Legal consultations
- Document review
- Debt collection assistance
- Phone calls and letters written
Business legal plans start at $49 per month, and the price depends upon the options that you choose. These plans are designed for privately held US-based companies.
How Legal Shield Has Saved (or Made) Me Money
Since I have had my plan for a long time, I have lots of amazing stories of how the company has helped me. I will share a few:
- I got a ticket and the attorney showed up in court (at no cost to me), spoke with the judge, and the ticket went away. I just had to pay a small fee for court costs, and most of all, no points on my license.
- Years ago, I worked for a Fortune 500 company. Due to the settlement, I can’t name them, but they tried to not pay me my last paycheck of $3,106. The attorney wrote a letter and walked me through filing a suit against them (at no cost to me other than a $40 filing fee). Their attorney called me and asked how I wanted to settle it. I settled for $2,000, however, I would not have had the know-how to fight them if I did not have a lawyer.
- Preparing my will. Having an attorney prepare your will could cost hundreds of dollars and depending on how complex your situation is, it could cost over $1,000. This alone is worth the cost of membership. They will create a Standard Will and a Living Will and update them annually as well as our situations often change. As of July 2023, over 65% of Americans don’t have a will;don’t be that person!
- I had a customer not pay his bill with me in my digital agency. The attorney wrote a collection letter (at no cost to me) and I settled with the client who very soon after brought me a cashier’s check to resolve the matter.
- I was in an accident and was not at fault. I called the attorneys and they walked me through everything (at no cost to me). In the end, my chiropractor said we got one of the largest personal injury settlements he had seen for someone who was not hospitalized. I could not have done that on my own because I did not know the law or the insurance games when it comes to accidents.
Those are the ones that stick out, but there have been many more. The successes I have gained through the legal shield attorneys have more than paid for my plan for years to come. If I ever have a legal question, I don’t hesitate to just call and ask because I can. A phrase that I heard from one of my Legal Shield colleagues is, “if you don’t know your rights, you don’t have any.”
How You Can Get A Legal Shield Plan
If you are interested in enrolling in Legal Shield (formerly known as Pre Paid Legal Services), you can simply visit my Legal Shield rep site and you will find more info on each of the plans as well as pricing by state and the ability to enroll. I have a rep site because I believe in the service so much that I became a rep so I could help protect families and businesses as a part of my financial coaching practice.
If you have any questions, you can visit the Legal Shield site. Also, don’t hesitate to reach out to me to ask any questions as I have been a member for over 15 years as well as a rep. If I don’t know the answer, I can get it for you.