Legal Resources for Military Families
Comprehensive directory of legal assistance, notarization services, estate planning tools, and support resources available to military families.
Free Military Legal Assistance
Installation Legal Assistance Offices
✓ Free for Active Duty, Guard, Reserve, Retirees, and Dependents
Every military installation has a legal assistance office (JAG) providing free legal services. No income limits, no fees.
Services Provided:
- Wills, trusts, and estate planning
- Powers of attorney (medical, financial, general)
- Healthcare directives / living wills
- Notarization (free)
- Consumer law issues (contracts, debt, landlord disputes)
- Family law guidance (divorce, custody, child support)
- Tax assistance (in tax season)
- Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) guidance
How to Find Your Office: Search "[Your Base Name] Legal Assistance" or call base operator. Most require appointments but some offer walk-in hours (usually Thursday afternoons).
Military OneSource Legal Consultation
✓ Free 24/7 Phone & Online Consultations
Free legal consultations by phone or video with licensed attorneys. Can't represent you in court but can provide advice and document review for most legal issues.
Phone: 800-342-9647 (24/7)
International: 800-3429-6477 (collect)
Coverage: Family law, consumer law, estate planning, landlord-tenant, immigration, taxes
ABA Military Pro Bono Project
✓ Free Legal Help by State
American Bar Association network connecting service members with pro bono attorneys in all 50 states. Specializes in family law, consumer law, and civil legal issues that installation legal can't handle.
Best For: Issues requiring court representation, complex civil matters, state-specific legal needs
Coverage: Family law (divorce, custody), landlord-tenant disputes, consumer protection, predatory lending
Estate Planning Tools
FreeWill - Military Edition
✓ Free Online Will Creation
Create legally-valid wills online in 20 minutes. Free for military families, veterans, and first responders. Includes trust options for families with special needs (EFMP).
What You Get:
- Last will and testament (legally valid in all 50 states)
- Guardianship designations for minor children
- Asset distribution planning
- Healthcare proxy / living will options
- Special needs trust guidance (EFMP families)
Note: Online wills are great for straightforward estates. Complex situations (business ownership, high net worth, complicated family dynamics) should consult installation legal or civilian attorney.
SGLI Online Enrollment System (SOES)
Official Military Life Insurance
Service members Group Life Insurance (SGLI) up to $500,000 coverage. CRITICAL: Update beneficiaries here - SGLI beneficiary designation supersedes your will for life insurance proceeds.
When to Update:
- Marriage or divorce
- Birth or adoption of children
- Death of beneficiary
- Annually as part of routine financial review
Remote Online Notarization (RON)
Legal in 40+ states. Complete notarization via video call - perfect for deployments or remote locations. Costs ~$25-50 per document (still cheaper than missing critical deadlines).
Notarize.com
$25-40 per document • 24/7 availability
Connect with licensed notary via video in minutes. Most popular RON service with military-specific experience.
Process: Upload document → Video verification with notary (5-10 minutes) → Download notarized PDF
Accepted: Powers of attorney, real estate docs, affidavits, consent forms
Proof.com
$25-50 per document • RON + eSign services
Enterprise-grade RON platform. Good for complex documents or multiple signatures.
Visit Proof.comInstallation Legal Offers Free Notarization
Before paying for RON, check if you can use installation legal (free). RON is best for emergencies, deployments, or when installation legal isn't accessible. Some states don't accept RON for certain documents (real estate deeds) - verify beforehand.
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)
What is SCRA?
Federal law providing financial and legal protections to active duty service members. Includes interest rate caps, eviction protections, lease terminations, and delays of civil court proceedings.
Key Protections:
- 6% interest rate cap on debts incurred before active duty (credit cards, mortgages, auto loans)
- Lease termination for PCS moves or deployments 90+ days
- Eviction protection for rent under $4,000/month during active duty
- Court proceeding delays if military service prevents participation
- Default judgment protections in civil cases
- Life insurance protection for policies taken before service
SCRA Assistance
Installation legal offices can help enforce SCRA protections. Bring active duty orders, creditor statements, and any correspondence with lenders/landlords.
Common Issues: Lenders refusing SCRA requests, landlords not honoring lease terminations, debt collectors violating protections. Installation legal can write demand letters and explain your rights.
Deployment & PCS Legal Prep Checklist
Before Deployment
- □Review and update will (if needed)
- □Create/renew powers of attorney (medical & financial)
- □Update SGLI beneficiaries
- □Notarize all documents (notaries not available downrange)
- □Give spouse 2-3 certified copies of each POA
- □Upload digital copies to secure storage
- □Brief spouse on account access and bill pay
Before PCS
- □Get new state-specific POAs at legal office
- □Review will for state-specific considerations
- □Close safe deposit box (requires 30-day notice at some banks)
- □DO NOT pack legal documents in HHG shipment
- □Update tracking system with new document locations
- □Get copies of kids' birth certificates for school enrollment
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Disclaimer:
This directory provides links to third-party legal resources. CarryForward does not provide legal services or endorse specific providers. We recommend starting with free installation legal assistance for most needs. Consult licensed attorneys for advice specific to your situation.