(BPT) - Life is filled with moments, both big and small, when legal support can make a difference. Despite the widely held notion that legal representation is only useful for a 'run-in' or unexpected conflict with the law, legal services can be used for a broad range of situations, from buying a new home to getting married - all while saving you time, money and stress.
Despite the benefits and use cases, however, legal plans are massively underutilized by U.S. employees - MetLife's Legal Access Study found that while a majority (67%) of U.S. employees say they have experienced a legal situation in the last five years, only 7% have sought legal representation. For millennial employees, many of whom are approaching major life milestones, only 2% have enrolled in legal plans offered through work, despite 18% having access to this benefit.
As the millennial generation approaches mid to late adulthood, having access to a network of experienced attorneys and digital tools can help them navigate pivotal junctures with greater ease and confidence. This offers added peace of mind and can effectively improve holistic well-being - in fact, MetLife research found that millennials who own an employer-provided legal plan are 66% more likely to be holistically healthy.
Here are three major life events millennials often face and how legal plans can provide guidance and support:
1. Growing (and protecting) your wealth
As millennials advance further into their careers, many will begin earning larger paychecks. Though this is a welcome change, building wealth requires additional financial security. One of the best ways to safeguard is through a legal plan, which can provide support for a range of financial matters, including homebuying, estate planning, tax prep, identity theft and more. Unlike other benefits that are reactive - or mostly useful after a need arises - legal plans are a proactive tool millennials can use to protect what's next in their lives.
2. Getting married
From getting engaged to saying, 'I do,' it's easy for couples to forget about the less exciting, however vital, legal considerations associated with marriage. Legal plans can help with these formalities by assisting with everything from developing a prenuptial agreement to facilitating the tedious process of getting a name changed after tying the knot. For same-sex couples, for whom this process is even more nuanced and complex, legal plans can be particularly helpful as experienced attorneys navigate local laws while advocating on the couples' behalf.
3. Starting and caring for your family
Legal plans can support family planning at all stages of life, from welcoming a new baby to sending kids off to college to caring for aging parents. For new parents, this could include navigating complicated processes like adoption or surrogacy. As life goes on, legal plans offer guidance for financing a child's education and navigating student loans, issues around guardianship or helping a college-age child with an out-of-state traffic ticket. Further down the road, an attorney may come in handy when caring for aging parents by reviewing complicated nursing home agreements or estate planning documents. Many millennials also fall in the 'sandwich' category, made up of those who care for children and parents simultaneously - for individuals juggling multiple priorities, knowing legal experts are ready and available to assist when they need it can also help provide necessary relief and emotional support day to day.
Having tailored support through legal plans can help millennials face life's major moments with greater ease, reduced costs and added peace of mind.
To learn about MetLife Legal Plans and how this benefit can support your unique legal needs, visit https://www.legalplans.com/.
