Comments on: An Idea To Help Military Wives Make Extra Money – By Gyneth McAllister

By: Ken Folberg

Ken Folberg — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:02:48 +0000

Prepaid Legal is legitimate company with an OK product. It’s not insurance. Rather, it is, as the name suggests, prepaid legal service – akin to a retainer. If the actual legal service you need in a particular service exceeds the designated amount for that service, you have to pay more. I also noted in a couple of examples I’ve heard of, that because of the limited nature of the fees, lawyers have incentive to do as little for you as possible, so some may do an inadequate job.
My father and 2 sisters sell these plans and I’ve looked into them in-depth, finding little value for my personal situation. As multi-level marketing (MLM)schemes go, this is one of the better ones. So, is it something that a sales-oriented military family member may want to do to make a little extra income? It seems to be.

I’m not surprised at the legal profession’s support for such plans, including some state attorneys general. The plans themselves encourage the use of legal services.

By: Gyneth McAllister

Gyneth McAllister — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:41:16 +0000

For more information, from Colonel Stanley Johnson, a Pre=Paid Legal Independent Agent in Washington D.C. go to his web site http://www.prepaidlegal.com/go/stanleyjohnson

By: Gyneth McAllister

Gyneth McAllister — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:53:23 +0000

Sponsored By:
Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson
Adopted
Summer Meeting
June 17-19, 2008
Providence, Rhode Island
RESOLUTION
IN SUPPORT OF THE CONCEPT OF PREPAID LEGAL SERVICES PLANS
WHEREAS the National Association of Attorneys General is an organization of the
chief legal officers of all the fifty states and additional territories, including the District of
Columbia; and
WHEREAS all Attorneys General have a deep interest in the legal welfare of the citizens
of their respective jurisdictions; and
WHEREAS Attorneys General have a particular interest in consumer protection issues
and are keenly aware of the victimization of consumers in their respective jurisdictions
by unscrupulous practices and intentional fraud; and
WHEREAS while Attorneys General are able to assist many citizens with consumer
issues, many others are directed to private counsel because their situation does not fall
within the jurisdiction of the A.G., and many of those, unfortunately, do not have private
counsel available to them; and
WHEREAS those individuals who have access to prepaid legal services plans are able to
access an attorney in time of need and are further able to access the advice and counsel of
an attorney in advance of need and thus are able to practice “preventive law” in the same
manner as “preventive medicine”; and
WHEREAS the American Bar Association has long supported prepaid legal services
plans because they:
1. Are important to maintaining the confidence in our justice system and the rule
of law.
2. Efficiently and inexpensively provide preventative legal services to low and
middle income Americans.
3. Ease the burden on overtaxed government programs.
4. Enhance productivity by allowing employees to focus on their jobs, not their
legal troubles.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
OF ATTORNEYS GENERAL, DULY CONVENED
That the National Association of Attorneys General joins the American Bar
Association in supporting the concept of prepaid legal services plan.

By: Gyneth McAllister

Gyneth McAllister — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:47:00 +0000

Major Jeff,

Thanks for your insights. I agree with most of what you say except that the company does not use major law firms. We use only AV rated firms accross the US and Canada. In Florida, for example, the firms with Prepaid Legal are two of the leading firms. One is Glantz and Glantz. Also we are supported by the Association of U.S. Attorneys General. They have a resolution of support just for our services.

What I am suggesting is a means for an alternate source of income while our humbands, sons and daughters are away and for them as an alternate source of income when they return. Helping other non-military families get coverage and making an extra income from is all I am suggesting and I enjoy an extra $1,600.00 per month besides being a substitite teacher.

Not all American families have a JAG office to help. Lets help those that don’t and make some extra cash. That is what I suggest.

By: Scot Greiner

Scot Greiner — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:29:49 +0000

Yeah Gyneth, First does this include Paralyzed Veterans (PVA) and 2nd I would like to say that anyone who is reading this info, to make sure they read all the exclusions and explinations. Who is prepaid legal advise ? the way i read it, is that we would pay prepaid legal service a fee ? and the will assign us an Attorney firm, and prepaid legal is in no way responcible for whats covered or the differences between each Attorney firm assigned to. Note, that coverage differs from state to state. Now in the front it says it covers living wills and final wills, but in the exclusions/explanations it states that a will shall cost $20 each for each spouse or fam. member and $20 charge for yearly updates of changes and $20 more to file a trust. And all other related work will be charged at the membership discount rate ??? As you read further, you cannot actually find out what the Attorney’s discount rate will be until after you pay and sign up and they set you up with your appointed Law Firm.. MOST ALL things covered under the $300 + annual membership cannot really be argued and or taken care of at all by a Attorney that is not in that county, and I feel what is covered can all be taken care of by having average common sense and back bone; (meaning) someone who does not lay down and shy away from speaking up for them self. Correct me if im wrong, and or out of line, but this seems like paying a minimal fee for what sounds like a service/information for everyday occurances, but i cant help but say a hook and bait deal. What i mean by that is when you read the coverage and full contractual agreement, its really just giving us a direct number to a Law Firm that knows your name and information already and can take care of the 99.999% issue thats not covered in the membership, and will have one our Attorney’s that specialize in (there issue) meet with you right away, and NOW they will say instead of XX amount an hour, your membership will be ?? an hour…
Now Gyneth, please tell me if this is the case or not, Please!! you do not need to post this, im genuinely asking because everything on this page sounds totally worth $400 a year, but when i clicked on the prepaidlegal site on top, I read one site for California and im confused on paying someone to find me a firm that they accept absolutley no responsibility for and dont know any costs and or whats covered until they contact one of the few that pops up. Also, the one that popped up didnt cover most of what is on this page, and what very little that is covered had time and information restrictions that just boiled down to them saying everything will be covered by an unknown member discount!!?? Everything that is not covered under annual membership will be taken care of at the membership discount rate, that is not specified until after we pay for who knows who or what firm… I read this article because i would like for you to speak with my wife about this, and hopefully she could make money from home because she cannot work due to our youngest daughters AngelMans Syndrome disease, she needs 24/7 care. But i know she would not want to promote basically just a ploy to get peoples information and hopefully there friends and families buisiness under unknown outcomes every time. Your page made me take my time to go further, and thats alot!!! for something to grab my attention and keep going while my dinner got cold. Your info on what it says it covers differs a whole lot compared to what i read on 1 firm that came up in California, and reading small print and actual coverage there was absolutley no benifit having that service and did not cover80% of what your page said. If im wrong, you have my email and i would like to hear more. If im right!! OR basically right than we defitnetly are not interested. Im very educated and very street smart and know how the world turns, so please be upfront and bluntly honest. Like i said what your page says it covers, I personally think your average street smart person not afraid to speak there mind/thoughts and ask questions can take care of 99% of whats covered, but it still is a good idea, for a reasonable price and can benifit some alot more than others. But you still need to have a very reputible firm to assure most people that if they unfortunetly needed uncovered services when in real trouble that they could count on either very strong representation and or honest refferal to someone stronger and more capable if is out of there league. I speak from some experience with light/moderate issues and have gotten MOWED OVER from an Attorney who talks a great game and knows there out classed to one who flat out lied and totally misrepresented me and cost me dearly, and fourtunatly for me I love to work hard and make a very good living and could recover, but alot of people would have been financially ruined or in huge debt for many years. This is why, if this is just one of those any Attorney who wants to join and the fee pays someone that knows absolutley nothing about the Attorney or firm, and there is not some kind of criteria and back ground check on each Attorney or firm, I REALLY do not want to know anything else, dont bother answering me back at all, and i will of course do my own extensive research before my wife would be an agent/salesman for this. If its what you say or very close, with good to great advice and or a way to be able to determine that with some confidence for your average person, Than my wife could sale the hell out of a good idea… Thanks and sorry this was so blunt and detailed, but the huge difference between what your page said to the very 1st firm that came up in California said, is 100% different. And to pay someone to find another to represent you from the obvious to maybe the most important thing in your life, and not take any responsibility on who they refer you to is wrong!!! Its one thing to sale someone just advise and things your page states, and another to sale someone whos a bit more active and reaching for bigger and bigger things in life. To determan who you can actually sale it too, and if you can only sale it to the weak and uninformed, than its just a shame to me.

By: Major Jeff

Major Jeff — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:47:34 +0000

Prepaid legal service can be a bargain for some; but most military families will find that the services may not be such a bargain, especially if they live on post. Criminal suits aside, proper insurance coverage will handle most auto-insurance and home liability issues. Moreover, most people would be well advised to carefully choose their own attorney rather than accept one that accepts the pre-paid fees that most pre-paid coverages apply.

I worked for a major Minneapolis law firm during the period that I went to college prior to returning to active duty service. I found that when one of my soldiers needed legal services anywhere in the country that the firm was very happy to support my soldiers by providing referrals nearly anywhere in the country. Best of all, most of the time all legal fees were waived. If my soldiers paid anything at all it was for court filing fees and their transportation and lodging wherever they had to travel to.

Given the high regard that the public has for our serving active duty, Guard and Reserve personnel, I would recommend that our service personnel and / or their family members contact a MAJOR law firm and ask for assistance. Moreover, there are now an expanding number of non-profit support organizations that specifically serve military personnel and their families and have funds or volunteer contacts that can arrange for legal services.

Finally, I would point out that the JAG office provides services in preparing wills, powers of attorney, child support agreements for single parents that deploy, and a variety of other administrative legal services that most people need. This is also true for serving members of the Guard and Reserve.

Major Jeff

By: Gyneth McAllister

Gyneth McAllister — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:14:12 +0000

Rod,

Thanks so much for your insight and for pointing out that one’s self esteem is raised by doing this business. I have experienced so much support. I am never alone and am guided and supported all the way. I am so glad I can protect my family now I am a single mother, my daughter’s husband greg is in Afghanistan and the service not only protects my daughter and Greg, but is a means of doing good for others while making an extra income.

By: Rod Wittmier

Rod Wittmier — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:45:34 +0000

I’ve been a client of Pre-paid Legal for many years and do recommend their service. I also believe that becoming an agent would raise one’s self-esteem (and income) as you are now in service to your community.
There are many opportunities in the home-based business arena that are fair and reward you for your time and efforts. If you provide great service and offer products that make a difference it makes sense that you’d see many rewards.