ninth district legal assistance program legal assistance brief reserve all hands april 24, 2005...
TRANSCRIPT
Ninth District Legal Assistance Program
Legal Assistance Brief
Reserve All HandsApril 24, 2005
Steve Lynch, D9 Legal Assistance
216-902-6010
Briefing Covers
Overview of Services
SCRA
USERRA
POAs, AMDs, Wills
Identity Theft
Questions & Comments
Authority & Eligibility
EligibilityActive duty military personnel &
dependentsReservists for pre-deployment mattersRetired military personnel and dependents
Legal Assistance Program Includes
Individual Client Legal Services Advice
Referral
Documents
Limited Representation – Not in-court
Preventive Law Program – Circuit Rider, XO
E-mails, Web Page, Networks
Legal Assistance Topics
Family Law Guardianship
www.co.oakland.mi.us/probate/division_committee/estates-
division.htmlSupport
Support Guidelines www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs.html www.michigan.gov/fia/1,1607,7-124-5453_5528---,00.ht
ml
Adoption – www.adoptionfamilycenter.org/resources/states/bythenumbers.htm
Legal Assistance Topics
Financial Interest Rate Reduction to 6% - Say what?
Garnishments & Wage Offsets Travel Reimbursements? Yes. ALCOAST 191/00
Bankruptcy http://www.mnb.uscourts.gov/
Consumer debt http://www.ag.state.il.us/consumer/consume.htm
Legal Assistance Topics
ImmigrationCitizenship
Estate Planning - Wills
Landlord-TenantSecurity DepositsEarly termination
SCRA
SERVICEMEMBERS CIVIL RELIEF ACT
CONTACT LEGAL ASSISTANCE PRONTO Car leases – Recall, Deployment or OCONUS PCS
Terminate w/o penalty
Must notify in writing
Deployment must be at least 180 days
Residential lease – Recall, Deployment, or any PCS Same rules, but ….deployment at least 90 days
SCRA
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act Requires a court or administrative hearing to grant at
least a 90-day stay if requested by the servicemember.
Additional stays can be granted at the discretion of the judge or hearing official.
Non-resident member’s income can’t be used to boost spouse’s tax bracket in state where member assigned.
SCRA
6% Interest Rate – RETROACTIVE EAD
Applies only to debts & loans incurred before
active duty AND
Active duty must “materially affect” member’s
ability to pay Student loans exempted Other restrictions apply
USERRA Introduction
Uniformed Services Employment and
Reemployment Rights Act Replaces the Veterans’ Reemployment Rights
(VRR) Act and case law
Gives Reserve and Guard members right to
go back to the civilian job held before federal
military service – several catches
USERRA
Reinstatement of Health Care
Prompt Return to Work
Reasonable Accomodation
Anti-Discrimination
Help – VETS (DoL) and DOJ Bronze Star Recipient – Hired Own Attorney? Legal Assistance May be Able to Help Too
Other Services & Topics
Powers of Attorney
Wills/SGLI Beneficiaries
Advance Medical Directives
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act
Powers of Attorney (PoA)
POA – designate agent to act on behalf
of principal
Agent has same legal authority as
principal for those acts
Others need not honor a POA
General vs. Special POA
General POA – agent can do
ANYTHING principal could doWorst cases do occur
Special POA – limits agent’s authorityRecommended – lowers risk
Out of 100 POAs – how many SPOAs?
Special PoA
Special PoAs are recommended for:Household goods - Possession/moving
Housing – Accept/terminate/ clear
Use/license/register autos (not sell)
Handle legal proceedings
Collect money due you
Advanced Medical Directives
Living Will or Directive to Physician States your wishes if you become incompetent
Durable General POA, with or without a
“springing clause”. If you are incompetent, another acts for you
Medical POA to make your medical decisions for you
SGLI, Wills, and Probate
SGLI is paid outside probate, e.g. to spouse or
trustee for minor children
Will generally does not affect who gets SGLI --
SGLV form controls funds
Will only affects assets subject to probate Your Will may give your motorcycle to your brother Do you know who gets the $250K SGLI proceeds?
Who needs a will?
Individual call Ordered to get one? Not a good idea
Most need one, especially those with
children or who may have children
Without will – court appoints “executor” That means time and $$$
Will
Avoiding Probate
Life insurance proceeds with beneficiary designations --Make insurance payable to “My trustee to fund a trust
created in my will for the benefit of my child(ren)”There will be probate if payable to “My Estate”
Joint Tenancy with Right of SurvivorshipMarried couples often own homes and bank accounts
in this form
Avoiding Probate
Statutory beneficiary designations:Signature card for bank accounts and securities
No access during your life time & payable to the
named beneficiary only on your death
“In Trust For...” = ITF (add the name here)
“Pay on Death...” = POD (add the name here)
Avoiding Probate
Death benefits/pension plans
Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRA)
with designated beneficiariesAdd a contingent beneficiary
Inter Vivos (Living) Trust Only if assets transferred to or titled in the
name of the trust
Will Covers Only Your Probate Estate
Probate Estate is:Assets in your name alone
Tenants-in-Common - Your portion/share
of this asset
Community Property - Your half
Parts of Your Will
State of domicile - This is where your estate will be probated upon your death
Beneficiaries - Usually spouse then children - but held in trust until the age you designate -- We recommend 21 to 25 yrs.
Personal Representatives/Executors
Will
Parts of Your Will
Trust for minor children terminates at age you designate, e.g. 21 yr.
Trustee to manage the money for children
Guardian for minor children
Will
TrustFund
What is Identity Theft
Acquiring key pieces of someone’s
identifying information in order to
impersonate themNameAddressDate of birthSSANMother’s maiden name
What Is Identity Theft
PurposeTake over financial accountsOpen new bank accountsObtain loansObtain credit cardsObtain social security benefitsPurchase property (autos, etc)Rent property (apartments, etc)Establish services (phone, utilities, etc)
Credit Reports
Who to contact: FREE REPORTS 3/1/05!
EquifaxPO BOX 105873Atlanta, GA 30348-5873Telephone # 1-800-997-2493www.equifax.com
TransUnionPO BOX 390Springfield, PA 19064-0390Telephone # 1-800-916-8800www.transunion.com/
Experian InformationSolutions(Formerly TRW)PO BOX 949Allen, TX 75013-0949Telephone # 1-800-397-3742www.experian.com/
Action Steps for Victims
Contact all creditors by phone & in writing, to inform them of problem
Call your local police and your nearest Postal Inspection Service and/ or US Secret Service office
Contact the Federal Trade Commission to report the problem
Call each of the 3 credit bureaus’ fraud units to report identity theft Initiate a Fraud Alert/Victim Impact report
Action Steps for Victims
Alert bank to flag accounts and confirm any unusual activity
Request PIN change and new password Log all contacts/keep copies of
documents Contact Dept. of Motor Vehicles
See if another license was issued in you name
If so, request a new license number and fill out a complaint with DMV
Action Steps for Victims
Contact the SSA’s Fraud Hotline1-800-269-0271www.ssa.gov/oig/ifyou.htm
New SSN?Possible, but ….Show disadvantage & best efforts to
resolve Local office discretion
http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10064.html
Report Identity Theft
Equifax Credit Bureau 1-800-525-6285 http://www.equifax.com/
Experian Information Solutions 1-888-397-3742 http://www.experian.com/
TransUnion Credit Bureau 1-800-680-7289 http://www.transunion.com/
Report Identity Theft To
Federal Trade Commission1-817-FTC-HELP
Social Security Administration1-800-269-0271
Local PoliceFile a police report
Scam Alert - Counterfeit Cashier’s Check
Seller offers car for $5000 on E-BayBuyer accepts offer but sends cashier’s
check for $8000 and asks that seller wire
“extra” $3000 to another account
Scam Alert (cont.)
Seller deposits cashier’s check Bank vouches for validity of cashier’s check
Seller given immediate access to funds
Seller wires extra funds to another account
Week later seller contacted by bank Cashier’s check is counterfeit
Seller must replenish the funds or else
Scam Alert - Counterfeit Checks & Escrow Accounts
Don’t send, buy, or sell anything to anyone in
Nigeria or West Africa Newspaper story
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/columnists/4645425.htm
Attorney General Alert http://www.state.ia.us/government/ag/consumer/
advisories/Nigeria_Mar_2003.html
Beware - Bogus Escrow Accounts – E-Bay
Contact Points
For Legal Assistance D9 - (216) 902-6010
Great Lakes – (847)688-4753
Ft. Drum - (315) 772-5261
Helpful Web Sites:
- wwwstage.uscg.mil/legal/la/
- http://www.uscg.mil/d9/D9Legal/
Common Questions Why are lawyers buried twelve feet
under? Why don’t lawyers ever burn in the sun? Any (other) questions or comments?
Thanks – trust me, I’m a …. (216)902-6010 [email protected]
Questions & Comments