Free Legal Help

A power of attorney allows one person to legally act on your behalf on legal or money matters. For example, a power of attorney document can appoint someone to release your shipment of household goods if you’re leaving before your furniture will ship or go to the bank on your behalf while you’re deployed.

A lawyer can review your lease or rental contract before you sign it to be sure the terms are acceptable and that the agreement includes any military rental protection clauses for your state.

With a living will, you can declare what medical treatment or life-sustaining measures you want or don’t want if you become seriously ill or injured.

This is an important part of retirement planning and can include:

• Drafting of a will, a legally binding document describing how you want your property and belongings distributed after your death
• Designating your beneficiaries
• Planning ahead should you become mentally or physically disabled

This serves as a blueprint, for military purposes, for how you want your family cared for while you’re deployed. A plan is required for single parents, dual-military couples with children or if you care for a disabled or elderly family member. Legal assistance offices can review and advise on this matter.

Notaries can administer oaths, witness signatures, take acknowledgments, sworn statements and affidavits, and more.

If you’re having credit problems, believe you’re the victim of a scam or have a dispute over a consumer issue, legal assistance attorneys may help you communicate and negotiate with collection agencies, lawyers or other parties.

Many legal assistance offices operate tax centers or provide income tax return preparation to help with filing federal, state or local taxes.

Get legal advice for a range of issues, including adoption, child support, marriage, divorce, separation, child custody, alimony, property division, name changes, paternity or legal benefits under the Uniformed Services Former Spouses’ Protection Act.

Legal assistance offices can help you understand the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which provides specific protections for service members in a number of areas.

In limited cases, you can get help with the preparation of legal correspondence, documents and pleadings.

You can get support and referrals for immigration, citizenship and naturalization matters, including alien registration, reentry permits, passports, naturalization of a surviving spouse and citizenship of military children born abroad.