Alaska Public Employees Association/ AFT: Legal Benefits

  General Information
  Plan Booklet
  Forms
  Attorneys
  Board of Trustees

APEA/AFT Headquarters
211 Fourth Street
Suite 306
Juneau, Alaska 99801
(907)586-9855 in Juneau
(800)478-9991 within Alaska
(907)586-5905 Fax

Your Benefit Just Got Better!

211 Fourth St., Suite 306, Juneau Alaska 99801

(907) 586-9855 or (800) 478-9991

kwilson@apea-aft.org

Plan Attorney/Paralegal Hourly Rates

Plan A attorney rates have increased effective July 1, 2007 to $140 per hour and their paralegals to $75 an hour.

CEA Has Legal Benefit Beginning January 1, 2005

In great appreciation to the CEA and APEA/AFT negotiators, of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Confidential Employees Association members are now Plan participants of the Legal Trust Fund. The maximum benefit is the same for all participants. This brings almost 200 more participants to the Plan.

Legal Benefit Increases to $2,500.00

Effective July 1, 2006, your total annual legal benefit increased from $1,500 to $2,500 for attorney fees, paralegal fees and associated expenses for covered legal matters.

Plan “A” Attorneys Are Restricted to the $140.00 Per Hour Rate

They may not bill you the difference to make up their normal hourly rate. Do not pay it. Instead, call me immediately so that I may contact the attorney. The restricted rate is the maximum they can bill. Period. The only reason you would need to pay anything out of your own pocket is when you’ve heard from me that your maximum has been paid for the year or the attorney requires a retainer to begin work.

Old News:

Plan “A” Attorneys: The Foundation of the Legal Trust Fund

Members who retain high-priced attorneys, otherwise known as Plan "B" attorneys to our Plan, have been disapointed with the payment made by the Legal Trust Fund. They wanted to know why we paid a reduced rate for Plan B attorneys ($60.00 per hour) and not the same rate as that of a Plan A attorney. Their argument was that they could not get a qualified attorney that only charged $140.00 per hour.

It's like this: By using a plan A attorney, most members pay nothing out of their pockets. If the Trust were to raise the rate of Plan B attorneys to the same amount paid to Plan A attorneys, Plan A attorneys would soon become extinct. Attorneys would not lower their rate because they would be paid in full, regardless. The net result would be that every member would have to pay something out of their pocket. The basic premise of the Legal Trust Fund is to try and provide legal services to its members at no cost to them. Providing Plan A attorneys to our members achieves that goal.

Estate Planning Checklist

Do you have a Living Trust or a will?

Does your spouse have a Living Trust or a will?

Are they valid in the state in which you are now living?

Have you had life changes since you created your estate plan that need to be updated?

Does your plan provide for your children and/or beneficiaries should you and your spouse die?

If you have a potentially taxable estate, have you planned for that in your will or trust?

Will your estate avoid probate?

Is all of your property titled properly?

Does your estate have sufficient liquidity to pay your final expenses and taxes?

Have you protected yourself and your estate from any potential incapacity?

Have your estate planning documents been reviewed in the last three years?