The Resource – January 2023

Why a Digital Health Check-Up and Will Preparation Should be on Everyone’s New Year’s Resolution List

Protecting one’s digital health and finances is just as important as protecting one’s physical health. However, while losing weight and making a budget consistently are top New Year resolutions, creating a Will and signing up for an online privacy and identity theft protection benefit are not.

It is common for employers to provide life insurance policies, yet more promotion needs to be made about the additional importance of a Will. A Will can protect your possessions and help ensure your wishes are carried out once you pass. It can also help distribute your assets and if you have children under 18, ensure your children go to the agreed upon individual(s).

In a survey conducted by PPLSI, the parent company of LegalShield and IDShield, despite the affiliation Wills have with mortality, respondents went as far as to say that they make them feel peaceful (40%), confident (37%), and empowered (26%) when asked to identify all of the emotions Wills illicit.

Only 41% of the general population surveyed self-identified as having a Will. The majority don’t know where to begin (39%) and plan to create a Will or trust when they’re older (35%). Factors like cost (14%) or needing a lawyer (22%) play a strong role as well. Only 13% of respondents who don’t have a Will believe they don’t need one.

In another survey that PPLSI conducted, it was found that consumers have horrible digital habits that put them at an increased risk for identity theft and pose a threat to their online persona. 91% of those surveyed have a social media account, and of that audience, 84% have at least one identifying element of their identity (e.g., an email, full name, age, birthday, location, school affiliation) included in their social media profile. 

By offering LegalShield, employers have an opportunity to provide their employees with coverage for estate planning needs such as Wills and Healthcare and Financial Powers of Attorney. With IDShield, participants can scan their social media accounts and review and delete any potentially damaging reputation content. IDShield also provides 360-degree identity monitoring, including monitoring of social media and financial accounts as well as full-service restoration.

A digital health check-up and preparation/review of a Will should be on everyone’s New Year resolution list. For more information on adding LegalShield and IDShield to your client’s benefit suite, please Contact Cheryl.

LegalShield continues to expand on their cutting-edge technology and user experience. LegalShield first rolled out their mobile app in 2014 and over the years has continued to make improvements, making it easy for plan participants to connect with their dedicated provider law firm and use the many services the benefit provides. Recently, LegalShield has made enhancements to the user experience and after a completed service, it is now possible for completed documents to be saved.

WIth the LegalShield mobile app and online web portal, participants can directly call their provider law firm or schedule a date / time that works best for them. After the service is complete, the plan participant is sent a survey as well as a message on their online web portal and mobile app. Plan participants can see all their legal requests in the request section; when a service is complete, they will receive a summary of services provided, completed documents and a note from their law firm.

With these enhancements, plan participants can now access completed legal-related paperwork in a secure online folder within their LegalShield mobile app and online web portal. Examples of legal documents that would be completed and accessible include a Will, Power of Attorney, Medical Power of Attorney, Living Will, contracts and more.

For requests opened after November 2022, completed documents like their Will can be securely accessed and downloaded at any time after their law firm has completed their request. Plan participants will also receive real-time information about the status of their request, what they can expect next, or what action they need to take.

For more information on LegalShield, please contact Cheryl.

Being audited can be stressful and expensive. Based on LegalShield data the average cost to retain a lawyer for assistance with a tax audit is $7,500!

For one low monthly rate, LegalShield provides consultation for negotiating tax audits as well as assistance for other tax-related issues such as:

• Settling back taxes
• Halting wage garnishment
• Undoing property liens
• Removing accounts levies

LegalShield also offers assistance for wealth management with:

• Financial Powers of Attorney
• Estate planning services such as creating Wills

LegalShield can provide employees with advice, consultation, and representation upon being notified of an audit, investigation, or examination of a covered federal tax return.

For more information on providing LegalShield and IDShield, please contact Cheryl.

Legal Advice for Your Business

Small Business has big business problems but not big business resources. We give small business big business resources on a small business budget.

Protect Your Bottom Line

As a business owner, you play a lot of roles. But have you ever tried to act as your own lawyer? Small business owners know that without extensive legal knowledge trying to do it yourself can be risky. You could end up spending a lot more time and money than you planned. Professional legal help is a necessity for any business, trust LegalShield to protect you and your company.

With a small business plan from LegalShield, you can get the expert legal support you need without the huge legal bill. 

• Join now and speak with a business attorney in as little as four hours https://cherylgarcia.com/smallbiz
• Get help protecting and growing your business
• Save thousands of dollars over hiring an attorney directly 

2023 The Year of Helping People and Businesses

My agency’s goal is to help as many families and businesses, as possible, to know about our services. If you have any family or friends who could benefit from our services, or if you know any business owners/ executives who could benefit from our Business Legal Plans, please have them contact me directly. It would be my pleasure to provide them with one-on-one, personalized assistance.