Legalshield Independent Associate - Joie La Monte

01/06/2020

Democracy Now!

Democracy Now!

Fallout continues to mount following the U.S. assassination of Iran’s top military commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad last week. Iranian media reports that over a million mourners took to the streets of Tehran today for the funeral of Soleimani, who headed Iran’s elite Quds Force. On Sunday, Iran announced it would suspend its commitments under the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, which the U.S. pulled out of in 2018. Trump has also threatened to target 52 locations in Iran, including cultural sites, if Iran retaliates against the U.S. The targeting of cultural sites is widely viewed as an international war crime. Meanwhile, Iraq’s caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi has revealed he had plans to meet with Soleimani on the day he was killed to discuss a Saudi proposal to defuse tension in the region. From Washington, D.C., we speak with Narges Bajoghli, professor of Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins University and the author of “Iran Reframed: Anxieties of Power in the Islamic Republic.”

01/06/2020

Democracy Now!

This won’t distract from impeachment.

Fallout continues to mount following the U.S. assassination of Iran’s top military commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad last week. Iranian media reports that over a million mourners took to the streets of Tehran today for the funeral of Soleimani, who headed Iran’s elite Quds Force. On Sunday, Iran announced it would suspend its commitments under the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, which the U.S. pulled out of in 2018. Trump has also threatened to target 52 locations in Iran, including cultural sites, if Iran retaliates against the U.S. The targeting of cultural sites is widely viewed as an international war crime. Meanwhile, Iraq’s caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi has revealed he had plans to meet with Soleimani on the day he was killed to discuss a Saudi proposal to defuse tension in the region. From Washington, D.C., we speak with Narges Bajoghli, professor of Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins University and the author of “Iran Reframed: Anxieties of Power in the Islamic Republic.”

11/19/2014

What You Need to Know Before
Using a New Credit Card

The holiday shopping season means you will likely receive many credit card offers online, in the mail or at the checkout of major retailers. Accepting a credit card without understanding the terms can leave you paying huge fees and staggering interest rates. If you need assistance reviewing a credit card agreement or have any questions, call your LegalShield provider law firm today.

Closely examine “Introductory Interest Rates.” A “Low Introductory Interest Rate” is a great way to get consumers to use a card. Introductory rates are temporary and may increase drastically in a short period of time, locking you into exorbitant payments that can bury you financially.

Review all variable interest rates and fees that apply to your account. Your credit card company may charge fees and higher interest rates for cash advances, making a past due payment or going over your credit limit. In addition to late fees and over limit fees, your credit card company may also charge annual fees, as well as fees for balance transfers, use of ATMs and other actions. Know all of the potential fees and avoid them whenever possible.

Take note of when your payments are due and the penalty for late payment. Make sure you understand the due date for your payments and the penalties and interest imposed for late payments. They may be large, cumulative and disastrous for you.

Understand your payment options. You may be able to pay online, by phone or by mail. Some options may carry fees, while others do not. Understand the options and only use the cards that do not impose a separate fee for making a payment.

Know your credit limit and stay below it at all times. Your credit limit is the maximum debt you are authorized to carry on your credit card account. Most credit card companies will let you exceed your credit limit, but many impose substantial fees for doing so. These fees can accumulate quickly and can result in fee debt larger than your credit debt. Additionally, exceeding your limit may be reported to credit agencies and substantially damage your credit score.

Check the fine print in your cardholder agreement. Credit card companies know that virtually no cardholder reads the cardholder agreement. It is always very long and printed in nearly unreadable small print. When you accept the credit card you are bound by the cardholder agreement regardless of its length, print size or whether you read it. For the sake of your financial health, take the time to read the cardholder agreement and understand all the obligations and penalties you are subject to BEFORE you accept the credit card.

11/19/2014

8 Tips for Safe and Legal Holiday Driving

Traffic stops and citations frequently increase around the holidays. The best way to avoid accidents and trips to traffic court is to drive safely and know what to do if you are pulled over. If you have been involved in an accident or received a traffic ticket, call your LegalShield provider law firm today.

Watch your speed. Driving too fast is one sure way to end up in an accident or with a ticket. In recent years, many states and provinces have tightened their laws on reckless driving. If you are caught exceeding a threshold speed, you may be charged criminally, rather than with a simple traffic citation. The penalties for reckless driving may include substantial fines, license suspension and even jail time for repeat offenders.

Never drink and drive. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol puts your life and the lives of others in grave danger. Even blood alcohol levels below your state’s legal limit can impair your driving and increase your chance of injury or death in an accident. First offenses of DUI or DWI may land you in jail and leave you with a criminal record. The best way to avoid DUI or DWI accidents and criminal charges is to avoid drinking and driving all together.

Never text or email while driving. Texting or using a smart phone while driving is now illegal in several states and many localities and may not only earn you a traffic ticket, but also injure or kill you. Numerous studies have shown that texting or using your smart phone while driving substantially increases your chance of injury or death. The number of injuries and deaths caused by distracted drivers has skyrocketed in recent years. Avoid serious injury and death (and tickets) by always safely pulling to the side of the road and stopping before texting or using your smart phone.

Know how to handle a traffic stop. Being pulled over by the police can be a nerve-racking experience. Pull safely off the road, turn your interior light on at night, keep your hands on the steering wheel, be polite and cooperative with the police officer and address the officer as “sir” or “ma’am”. Comply with the officer’s requests for your name, driver's license, registration and insurance information. Do not exit the vehicle unless you are directed to do so by the officer. You do not have to consent to a search of your car. If the officer searches over your objection, stay calm, tell the officer you object to the search and do not physically resist the search. Call your LegalShield provider law firm and speak with an attorney.

Be prepared for difficult weather. If you are driving in wet or icy weather, allow yourself extra time and drive with caution. If you are particularly uncomfortable driving in bad weather, stay off the road until conditions improve.

Make sure you have the right car seat for your child. It is extremely important to protect your children by ensuring they are in the appropriate car seat for their age and size. Most states and provinces have strict laws regarding child safety seats. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers a great resource to help parents ensure their children are protected. Click here to visit their website.

Think twice before running a light. Runninga red light may save you a few seconds, but it puts you, your passengers and other drivers around you at risk of serious injury or death. Drivers running red lights cause nearly 1,000 deaths and 90,000 injuries each year in the United States. Red light traffic cameras are now used throughout the U.S. and Canada, so even if you escape injury, you may not escape a ticket.

Follow at a safe distance. In ideal road conditions you should leave at least 3 seconds between you and the car in front of you. If you are hauling a heavy load or driving in wet or icy conditions, leave at least 7 or 8 seconds between you and the car ahead of you. Rear-enders cause nearly as many deaths and injuries per year as intersection collisions.

11/19/2014

7 Money Saving Tips for Holiday Shopping

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday are the biggest retail and online shopping days of the year. While there are many great deals to be had it is important to do your homework to make sure you protect your holiday budget. The following tips will help ensure you are able to focus on holiday fun rather than legal disputes with retailers or losing money to scammers. If you have any questions or need legal assistance call your LegalShield provider law firm today.

Beware of pricing that is too good to be true. Check reviews on greatly discounted items to make sure they do not have major problems. A $250 TV might not seem like such a good deal if it does not make it to 2015. Online scammers often set up dummy websites, auction listings or ads that offer popular items far below market value. These scammers will kick into high gear for Cyber Monday. Trust your instincts and beware of scam sales.

Read and save a dated copy of the retailer’s return policy. Many sales disputes stem from misunderstandings over return or refund policies. Make sure you read and understand the return policies before making a purchase. Some returns will require costly restocking fees and some sale items may not be eligible for return. Also, find out if you are responsible for shipping costs on a return item, as larger items could be costly to ship.

Do your homework on extended warranties. Many products already come with a manufacturer’s warranty. In addition, your credit card company may already offer protection. Make sure you understand what the warranty covers and what is excluded. Consider the cost of the warranty versus the potential benefit.

Check your bank account frequently. Incorrect or fraudulent charges are easier to miss when spending increases around the holidays. Save all of your receipts and review them along with your bank and credit card statements to make sure everything is accurate. Contact your bank or credit card company immediately if you notice any irregularities.

When shopping online use trusted retailers. It is important to make sure you are on the correct website by checking the domain name in the browser. Sometimes emails or online ads promising great deals will actually direct you to scam sites designed to look like a trusted retailer. The domain name at the top of your browser should contain https://. Use unique and secure passwords when setting up online accounts.

Review marketplace seller rating information and negative feedback from previous buyers. Marketplace websites allow a wide range of individual sellers to offer products to a large audience. Many of these sites allow previous customers to rate their experience with a particular seller. Exercise caution when dealing with sellers who have an excess of poor feedback. Check the specific feedback to see what those who complained had to say.

Keep payment information secure. Never pay for items purchased online with wire transfers, money orders or cash. These types of payment offer no tracking or protection in the event of a scam. When making an online payment for goods use a credit card, PayPal, Google Checkout or another secure online payment system. Some payment systems offer additional dispute resolution options.

11/11/2014

Mobile Uploads

11/11/2014

SALUTE our Veteranswith a special Veterans Day promotion.From November 11th through November 30th, LegalShield is offering Military Veterans a special reduced associate fee of just $49.Sponsoring associates, please denote your new recruit’s military service branch and years of service on the top of the application.Only paper applications will be accepted during this promotion.We

02/05/2014

Home » LegalShield Plans » Personal Plans New
Affordable Attorney Access and Legal Services
LegalShield believes everyone deserves access to affordable legal protection. And for over 40 years, we have been providing members with affordable attorney access. For as little as $20 a month, LegalShield gives you the power to talk to an attorney about any personal legal issue. Whether it’s big, small or somewhere in between, your LegalShield provider law firm will be there to offer advice or assistance on a variety of personal legal issues. Your membership allows you to get help on things you may have never even thought needed an attorney from real estate to traffic tickets, from warranty disputes to being sued, and beyond.

Our dedicated attorney network is the framework that enables our members to pick up the phone and call an accomplished law firm that is ready and willing to help with any personal legal issue. Our attorneys have an average of 19 years of experience and are paid in advance which means they are motivated and obligated to provide the best possible legal assistance.

Below is an example of some services your legal plan offers. Legal services may vary by state. See the How it Works section of this website for more details.



Advice / Consultation / Representation
Advice and Consultation
Letters and Phone Calls on Your Behalf
Personal Document Review
Trial Defense
Document Preparation
Standard Will Preparation
Health Care Power of Attorney
Living Will
Residential Loan Document Assistance
Auto
Moving Traffic Violations
Accidents
Family Matters
Uncontested Name Change Assistance
Uncontested Adoption Representation
Uncontested Separation Representation
Uncontested Divorce Representation
IRS
IRS Audit Legal Services

02/05/2014

Tis is how simple it is.

02/05/2014

I signed up for an online class...and I wasn't really sure if I was going to utilize the class. But they had a 30-day money back guarantee...So I sent them an email...to take advantage of my refund. They said 'You asked for a check and we don't give checks.' My attorney wrote them a letter...and about 10 days later I got a telephone call from this company.
Anita Koch

01/29/2014

National Will Day: The Perfect Time to Work on Your Will

January 28 is National Will Day. Have you taken advantage of the will preparation benefit that comes with your family plan? If not, our new online presentation makes it easier for you! To watch the webinar log on to the members only site and click on the will preparation banner. To download a will questionnaire click here.

Think of all the hard work you’ve done in your life—and all the hard work you’ll continue to do. You’ll want your loved ones to receive as much as possible, with a minimum of hassle.

And if you’re a parent with children still at home, who would take care of your kids if the unthinkable happened? By creating your will, you can make sure the right person takes responsibility for your family. All you have to do is follow our easy will-preparation process.

To help you see how easy—and important—creating your will is, LegalShield has declared January 28 as National Will Day. To celebrate, we’re premiering a helpful new online presentation that walks you through the process of completing your will questionnaire. Why not finish it now?

Our Questionnaire Makes It Simple

Lots of people put off making their wills. In fact, more than half of all Americans pass away without a will. Don’t let this happen to you! Without a will, you could leave your survivors with a costly legal mess to clean up.

Surveys show three main reasons why people don’t yet have their will: procrastination, the belief that they don't need one, and cost. Your LegalShield family plan solves all three of these problems.

LegalShield provides a questionnaire that makes it easy to get your will underway. You’ll provide some information about your situation and desires, and then your provider attorney will draw up your will and make it official. Remember, there’s no extra charge for this! It’s a benefit of your current LegalShield family plan.

Our New Presentation Shows You the Way

LegalShield’s new “Estate Planning: The Basics” presentation provides you with the following:

The top reasons you need a will
Who to contact with questions about your will
A step-by-step tutorial on how to fill out your questionnaire
What steps to take after you’ve completed the questionnaire
That’s right—we’ve designed this presentation so you can fill out your will questionnaire while you’re watching. It’s like having an expert at your elbow to guide you through it.

Remember, LegalShield provides general information but not personal legal advice. The best way to learn how our estate information applies to your situation is to fill out your will questionnaire and then call your provider law firm to discuss your own estate.

Make the Future Better

National Will Day provides a timely reminder to get your will done now. You’ve been meaning to do it for years, and now’s your chance. If you know anyone else who needs to prepare their will, be sure to tell them about National Will Day and LegalShield.

Don’t let someone else decide what happens to all the assets you accumulate during your lifetime—real estate, bank accounts, stocks, bonds, retirement plans, vehicles, household goods, personal effects, life insurance, your business, and so forth. And if you have minor-aged children, don’t risk leaving them with the wrong caretaker.

With your LegalShield family plan, you’re already paying for preparation of your will—so what are you waiting for? Watch the new online presentation, fill out your will questionnaire, and make the future better for your surviving loved ones.