Articles Posted in Employee Benefits

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Legal Paperwork Doesn’t Have to be a Mystery

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Legal documents sometimes seem to be an ocean of words. People get very easily confused by the language, but they cannot take any of it for granted. What is in a document or contract can be binding and group legal plans are effective if they allow for review of these papers.

We Will Review the Documents

The nationwide network of Countrywide attorneys can review up to six pages of a contract. That is ordinarily the size of a standard legal document. The review is not just restricted to contracts, however. There are other legal papers that regular citizens encounter all the time. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services can help. Continue reading

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Countrywide Excels at It!

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There are group legal plans which do not understand communication. The vendors provide service at a distance, or through a page on a website. This may look efficient, but it is not. Communication is more important than this.

Quality Matters

A little extra should be part of the services. Anyone can easily forget a question or two, and getting back to the attorney is important. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services allows an unlimited number of telephone calls to the attorney in each situation. It means additional questions can be asked at another time. This ability to further communicate with the lawyer at no cost helps. Continue reading

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Countrywide Has the Right Answers

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Nobody intends to be spendthrift. Employees do try to live within their means and spend less than what they make. Life sometimes comes at a person from out of left field. It might be an auto repair, a medical charge, or something else that just throws the budget out the window. It often is hard to regain financial wellness. A major expense may have several smaller bills from several different places. It is tough to try to get things under control. People will panic and just throw up their hands. It is important to have good advice to get out of a financial crisis. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services provides a plan to help.

Information Gathering is the First Step

We take a proactive approach to dealing with financial wellness problems. The cornerstone of all our services are the certified counselors who are part of a nationwide network. These people provide the type of guidance a person needs. Information gathering is critical, and a budget analysis is the means Countrywide uses to collect personal financial data. The counselor looks at the cash; where it is coming from and where it is going. Continue reading

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Your Loved Ones Will Be Grateful

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Financial advisors will suggest having a will, but many people try to ignore this obligation. No one wants to admit they’re going to die one day and they keep putting things off. That is a mistake. Young and old employees ought to think about creating a last will. A group legal plan can help draft the document.

Defending the Rights of Loved Ones

A will protects surviving loved ones. Death can be as unexpected as an auto accident, perhaps leaving children to mourn the death. They will cry a lot more when they find out what happens in probate court. The delays can be maddening. Moreover, without an executor, the court will appoint an administrator. It just keeps adding to the delays. Important bills will go unpaid, and any money for college may have to wait. Any estate is finally settled, but it may take years, and Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services wants no one to face that. We allow for the creation of a simple will as part of our pre-paid legal services benefits. Plan members get the opportunity to provide for loved ones in the event of a calamity. Continue reading

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Contract Language Has Consequences

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Ordinary contracts are not large documents. It takes a few pages to determine what one party must do and what the other party is obligated to pay or give. Nevertheless, even in a small contract, there are clauses that hold consequences. Not being aware of what the words mean can be dangerous.

The part of the contract that can be the biggest problem are those clauses that involve penalties for work not performed, or products not provided. The contract can stipulate exactly what a person needs to do and the penalty is in force when the person doesn’t do it. Too many people are in a rush and sign contracts without carefully reading them. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services has seen too many people run into problems because of not reading a contract. Our group legal plan benefit includes a review of contracts for the plan members. Continue reading

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It Can Lead to Hurt Feelings

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Employees appreciate health insurance. They are grateful when their employer provides coverage to handle medical costs. Nevertheless, there is the deductible to worry about. Modern deductibles are as high as $5000 or more. These impact on financial wellness. It can be difficult to pay a deductible when you are already cash-strapped. Some people will borrow the money to pay the deductible. They will ask family and friends to help. This gets old quickly.

Parents are willing to offer assistance, but they have their own problems, and the same is true for friends. A person ends up owing money to those closest to him or her, creating bad feelings which can last for years. It is better to be able to budget sensibly. There are employees you don’t know much about budgeting and could use some advice. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services is here to help out.
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Financial Worries Can be Reduced

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A MetLife study on employee benefits trends discovered millennials are very risk adverse when it comes to finances. They are frightened about the possible loss of income and health costs is something they dread. Of course, for many of them college debt obligations cause nightmares. The high anxiety these young people experience about finances make financial wellness benefits very important.

Sign of the Times

The millennial generation grew up in a period of severe financial distress. The Great Recession of 2008 played a role, but the cost of college tuition increased the worry these recent graduates have. They have an almost instinctive anxiety that their budgets will not cover all their expenses. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services has a great deal of empathy for this population. We have a financial wellness plan to help them sort out their financial issues to arrive at a sensible strategy. Continue reading

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Smart financial planning considers an end game. It is what will happen if you die unexpectedly. It is not something many employees care to think about it but it should be on the table. What is going to happen to your family if you die and leave no will? Concern for loved ones is a primary reason why drafting a will a basic part of any group legal plan.

The document does not have to be the size of the telephone book. Most people can legally describe their wishes in six pages or less. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services offers the writing of a simple will as one of our benefit options which can be in a legal plan document. Continue reading

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College Debt Must Be Managed

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There usually is a graduation speaker who urges students to take some time off and go exploring. It may sound inviting, but it is not a good idea. Many students have the six-month grace period before the student loan payment bill comes in. That is when reality hits like a slap in the face. That space of time goes by fast, and the new graduate must be ready for a significant cost. It can impact the financial wellness of anyone.

The size of the monthly payment can be substantial. That is very understandable because many students have debt burdens in the high five to even six-figure categories. It can be comparable to a mortgage payment for some. Many young people have their budgets blown off the road trying to make the payments needed. A forbearance is an option, but it is a risky one. Sooner or later those bills have to be paid, and a student may be paying them for decades. There may be some options they are not aware exist. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services recognizes the confusion a young graduate may have. Our financial wellness program includes assistance handling the repayment of student loans. Continue reading

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Countrywide Lawyers have Superior Communication Skills 

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Communication is a cornerstone of every Countrywide group legal plan. We understand how essential it is for effective pre-paid legal services. Many people are understandably confused about legal issues. They do not deal with them daily. When they face an issue such as a warranty problem or the need to draft a will, anxiety goes right up through the roof. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services wants to help

A Complete Service Package

The assistance we provide is more than just a web page. We want our group legal plan members to be able to talk to an attorney directly. Our nationwide network of lawyers allows for face-to-face conferences to be easily arranged. We also permit unlimited telephone calls to a lawyer on any given situation. It may appear to be a small consideration, but these phone calls help answer questions which may arise after the conference. Such attention allows channels to be open in communication to flow back and forth. Continue reading