Is Pre-Paid Legal a good thing to have?

I'd cancel this. It's a gimmick.

If you're worried about having money for legal advice down the road then just take $40 a month and set up your own account. When you get to $500, put it into a high yield CD account and watch it grow. Giving lawyers money for anything is bad enough, but giving them money upfront as insurance is not a wise investment.

We've only used a lawyer twice in 25 years. Once to have a will drawn up when the kids were small and another to have a deed drawn up. Both were about $200 or so each.

With any contract you have three business days to cancel. I'd cancel this one in a heartbeat.

I wouldn't go for that...unless you're in legal trouble often or have a lot of dealings with legal documents or something. I doubt it would be very useful...and more than likely a waste of money in my opinion.

~Zoo

Donna, I run a pre-paid business service. For the low cost of $40 a month I will be happy to answer this question and any other you may have in the future. Thank you. ::

I'm going to give a different answer, and I'll tell you why afterwards.

I believe it depends. It can be a good thing for some people, but in your case, Donna, it's probably unnecessary.

When we dealt with the false accusations against us by the "good" members of our community, we consulted attorneys. For a $3000 retainer, we could have just simply handed it over to a lawyer and not had to worry about it. In the case of PPL, we probably could have contacted them and had them draw up a letter and never heard another word.

HOWEVER (and this is why I say you probably don't need it), I was able to draw up a letter with a few hours' effort and research that accomplished the same thing. My legal standing was crystal clear, all I had to do was draw up the paperwork.

And this is why it depends. If you aren't intelligent enough to craft a well reasoned legal sounding document, PPL might be a good thing in our increasingly litigious society. Especially if you have kids, as many parents have faced accusations that have cost them thousands to refute simply because they made the mistake of irritating the wrong neighbour or ex-spouse.

But I believe you're plenty competent to do the things you need to, Donna. For all of the things it WILL cover, PPL won't cover the actual retainer if you actually NEED an attorney.

Once to have a will drawn up when the kids were small and another to have a deed drawn up.

unless you're in legal trouble often or have a lot of dealings with legal documents or something

This is one of my main reason for doing it too. Just for future reference.

It can be a good thing for some people, but in your case, Donna, it's probably unnecessary

But I believe you're plenty competent to do the things you need to, Donna.

Thx! And you're right. I have written letters for myself and others without a problem once I did my research so it's not hard to do. I was just thinking of 'what if'. My hubby isn't too happy with it and usually he agrees with the decisions I make. I will have to cancel it , especiall after doing some research, there is a 50/50 concensus on it. Some for, some against. Some used it with success, others says it's a waste of time, as you say, it just depends. And yea, if the service I need is not covered under the agreement, it's a 25% discount on the lawyer's fees.

Donna, I run a pre-paid business service. For the low cost of $40 a month I will be happy to answer this question and any other you may have in the future. Thank you

I might just take you up on that Chris!!

As a business it's not a very good one to go into either. They make it sounds as if you earn a lot more but in essence it's a pyramid thing and the one above you makes the most money. They do well on the stock market though if you invest in them. But then again, that may be because of how they list their earnings!

I have to go with the concensus.  The program is for lawyers to make money, not for your benefit.  LIke a gift certificate, if you dont use it you lose it.  Plus, if you really started to use it 9and hence be a drain on them), they would cancel you.

Call your pre-paid legal service and ask them how you can legally cancel such a deal.

Call your pre-paid legal service and ask them how you can legally cancel such a deal.

I have to go with the concensus.

I did cancel. I called her this morning and got her voicemail. Then when I hadn't heard from her after calling her twice, I wrote a letter and I also called my bank to cancel the check and any transactions they might do. She called me, she was pissed! I understand her being mad, but she didnt' give me the chance to explain why I decided to cancel it which was rude I thought, she just basically shouted me down on the phone and I held on to my patience while she got their customer service on the line and I told them verbally. Do you know she already processed the paper work according to her. Mind you I left her last night at 7:30pm. Anyway, she's mad but when I got the gut feeling that I did the wrong thing I checked it out some more and decided to cancel it. I so appreciate you guys imput!

I think the reaction you got from her shows you made the right decision in canceling. From a Christian POV it's testing the spirits. And the spirit behind this doesn't sound too good from what you've mentioned here.

Well, there ya go. When someone over reacts like that then they're not exactly professional. Makes me wonder what would've happened if you actually had to depend on them.

~Zoo

I think the reaction you got from her shows you made the right decision in canceling.

Well, there ya go. When someone over reacts like that then they're not exactly professional. Makes me wonder what would've happened if you actually had to depend on them.

Exactly! She was so nice to talk to and then she turned into the pirahna from hell!!

I listen to my instincts for guidance al the time but I was ignoring it. The bells went off when during the whole thing she didn't want me to think it over or wait a day, It was kind of surprising that she didn't want to do that and I usually don't get talk into things which was surprising! I know it was a sale for her but she didn't even give me the chance to apologise she told me she's not going to waste her time listening to me! The nerve! I just let it go, cause she's upset.

Yes. That is exactly right.

If it had been a good idea not to cancel, she would have been worried about you making a mistake rather than angry at you.

If it had been a good idea not to cancel, she would have been worried about you making a mistake rather than angry at you.

Exactly!

Hey forever,

Here's my perspective. I DO have Pre-paid legal and Identity Theft plan.

I have participated in this plan for two reasons. My wife is a foreign national and when I bought it we were in the US immigration process and knowing I can talk to an immigration lawyer to answer legal questions was a huge benefit for us.

I looked at hiring an immigration lawyer to help with the forms and they wanted about $1800 and this was a 'friend' discount.

We found that it was cheaper in the long run to go through prepaid and the lawyers I spoke to were very helpful.

I also have Identity Theft as well, which recently I just had my info stolen has been helpful in dealing with this.

I know not everyone has the same situations that I have but it has been useful for my family.

I do not see this as a scam. The problem is many people sign up and don't use it. If you don't use it then you lose it as Doc said. If you don't use it, it is your own fault.

My Recommendation: If don't see it as being useful to you then don't sign up. It is only designed to 'defend' you if something happens. I live in rural area and if it weren't for the immigration things I probably wouldn't have it. I've tried selling it for over a year and learned what I posted previously.

I hope that helps.

Yes, most of the sales people I know are pretty pushy. Maybe she was a former used car sales woman? hehe

They are a ligit company but their practices can be shady! It works when you use it, for most people I've read, yes, as it has for you. But for those who don't use it if they bought into it, yes, absolutely their fault and they can't get their money back, and that they should know before going into it, obviously a waste of their money!

On the other hand, for those who want to get out of it, it becomes a nightmare! Although I canceled with them, spoke to them, faxed and mailed via certified mail a letter canceling, they still went into my bank account. They first tried to take out an amount that I hand't written a check for, my bank who was alerted, stopped them since I had a stop payment. Then the buggers went into my account two days later and charged me twice for separate amounts that they were not authorized to do. The bank didn't stop them because the amount of my stop payment wasn't what they took out. And although they had the stop payment order, the bank couldn't do anything because Pre-paid legal has my banking info! I have filed a claim against them and my bank is doing the claim for me but the money they took out isn't refunded yet. The bank is requesting them to refund my acount. I'm definitely going to file a complaint against them for sure! I've read about other people who have experienced this same experience once they cancel with them. That's very bad business practice and nothing they can tell me is going to convince me it's an error! Not when I took the steps to protect myself. If someone wants to do business and then change their mind, they should have no problem with canceling the transaction!

Unless you're going to have a single lawyer or a legal team on retainer, prepaid legal is unlikely to be much use even if you do face lots of legal issues (in which case you should probably consider shutting down the meth lab...Not that anyone's judging you!). You need to develop a relationship with your lawyer to get the most out of regular contact, and if you're going to be speaking to a different person every time what's the point?

I am very careful who has my banking info. I hate and repel any thought of anyone going into my account to take out of or even put money into automatically, for precisely what you have written here. This stuff happens alot.

I'm thinking you should cancel your bank account and set up another. I'd be too afraid that your account number now is in the wrong hands.

If I ever have anything come out of any of my accounts automatically it would be a charge card, not my bank account. I've done this before and never had a problem. If I did, I would just not pay the questionable charge and contact my CC company.

Too many hands in my checking account would make me nervous. Besides, what if they do a double take and take out an amount twice? If they do this on a charge card, not a problem, but with a checking account, you can have a mess of bounced checks and that would be a problem.

Right now I have World Vision taking out an amount automtically every month for the little girl I sponsor in another country on my credit card. I wouldn't even have them, a reputable company, taking anything out of my bank account.

in which case you should probably consider shutting down the meth lab...Not that anyone's judging you!).

Darn it!!

You need to develop a relationship with your lawyer to get the most out of regular contact, and if you're going to be speaking to a different person every time what's the point?

True about speaking to different people and all that!

I'm thinking you should cancel your bank account and set up another. I'd be too afraid that your account number now is in the wrong hands.

I've thought about doing that but I'm not going to inconvenience myself because of them! I have a good bank and the reps are always pretty helpful! If it comes to it though I will just have to do that!

Right now I have World Vision taking out an amount automtically every month for the little girl I sponsor in another country on my credit card. I wouldn't even have them, a reputable company, taking anything out of my bank account.

I actually have my vision insurance taken out on a monthly basis!! I really have no problem with ligit companies doing that. I am usually very careful, seriously careful and feel really stupid about all this but it's a learning experience!

That sucks Donna! This is a good alert though for anyone who is considering doing business with them.

You do have this option. If the topic or issue is within the same legal area. I have spoken to the same immigration lawyer on multiple times. I am sent to the same law firm (one out of Denver). It isn't like you call a national hotline and get random people.

Just for some clarification.

That sucks Donna! This is a good alert though for anyone who is considering doing business with them.

Yes it is! I've not gotten my refund yet either!

quote]You need to develop a relationship with your lawyer to get the most out of regular contact, and if you're going to be speaking to a different person every time what's the point?

You do have this option. If the topic or issue is within the same legal area. I have spoken to the same immigration lawyer on multiple times. I am sent to the same law firm (one out of Denver). It isn't like you call a national hotline and get random people. Just for some clarification.

Thx AD, I'm glad it worked out for you!

I'm not sure if I can help you but I would be willing to in any way.

Thx! I'm giving my bank a chance to recoup the money and fees back.