Ninth District Legal Assistance Program

1. Ninth District Legal Assistance Program Legal Assistance Brief Reserve All Hands April 24, 2005 Steve Lynch, D9 Legal Assistance Slynch@d9.uscg.mil 216-902-6010

2. Briefing Covers • Overview of Services • SCRA • USERRA • POAs, AMDs, Wills • Identity Theft • Questions & Comments

3. Authority & Eligibility • Eligibility • Active duty military personnel & dependents • Reservists for pre-deployment matters • Retired military personnel and dependents

4. 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

5. 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.html • Adoption – • www.adoptionfamilycenter.org/resources/states/bythenumbers.htm

6. 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

7. Legal Assistance Topics • Immigration • Citizenship • Estate Planning - Wills • Landlord-Tenant • Security Deposits • Early termination

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. Other Services & Topics • Powers of Attorney • Wills/SGLI Beneficiaries • Advance Medical Directives • Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

14. 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

15. General vs. Special POA • General POA – agent can do ANYTHING principal could do • Worst cases do occur • Special POA – limits agent’s authority • Recommended – lowers risk • Out of 100 POAs – how many SPOAs?

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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?

19. Who needs a will? 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 $$$

20. 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 Survivorship • Married couples often own homes and bank accounts in this form

21. 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)

22. Avoiding Probate • Death benefits/pension plans • Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRA) with designated beneficiaries • Add a contingent beneficiary • Inter Vivos (Living) Trust • Only if assets transferred to or titled in the name of the trust

23. 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

24. Parts of Your Will 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

25. Parts of Your Will 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

26. What is Identity Theft • Acquiring key pieces of someone’s identifying information in order to impersonate them • Name • Address • Date of birth • SSAN • Mother’s maiden name

27. What Is Identity Theft • Purpose • Take over financial accounts • Open new bank accounts • Obtain loans • Obtain credit cards • Obtain social security benefits • Purchase property (autos, etc) • Rent property (apartments, etc) • Establish services (phone, utilities, etc)

28. Credit Reports • Who to contact: FREE REPORTS 3/1/05! Equifax PO BOX 105873 Atlanta, GA 30348-5873 Telephone # 1-800-997-2493 www.equifax.com TransUnion PO BOX 390 Springfield, PA 19064-0390 Telephone # 1-800-916-8800 www.transunion.com/ Experian Information Solutions (Formerly TRW) PO BOX 949 Allen, TX 75013-0949 Telephone # 1-800-397-3742 www.experian.com/

29. 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

30. 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

31. Action Steps for Victims • Contact the SSA’s Fraud Hotline • 1-800-269-0271 • www.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

32. 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/

33. Report Identity Theft To • Federal Trade Commission • 1-817-FTC-HELP • Social Security Administration • 1-800-269-0271 • Local Police • File a police report

34. Scam Alert - Counterfeit Cashier’s Check • Seller offers car for $5000 on E-Bay • Buyer accepts offer but sends cashier’s check for $8000 and asks that seller wire “extra” $3000 to another account

35. 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

36. 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

37. 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/

38. Questions & Comments • 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 • Slynch@d9.uscg.mil