LegalZoom Review

9.2/10
Excellent

18312 reviews
on 3 websites
  • Limited liability protection
  • Online Setup
  • Online Ordering
  • Easy SetUp

Key Features

  • Company formation
  • Business compliance
  • Corporate filings
  • Name registrations
  • Trademarks and copyrights
  • Real estate
  • Taxes and permits
  • Legal agreements
  • Certifications
  • Wills and Trusts
  • Power of attorney

Pricing

Pricing of legal services on LegalZoom vary according to the type of service required. For registering an LLC you can expect to pay a minimum of $79, corporation registrations $149 and nonprofit $99, all plus government filing fees. For ongoing legal services an annual fee starting at $159 is applicable. This does not include extra charges for legal forms or phone consultations. Their business advisory plan offers unlimited access to legal forms, annual business evaluation, and access to tax professionals and document reviews.

The cost for this plan starts at $31.25 per month for a one year plan. There are 3 basic plans, the Economy at $79, the Standard at $329 and the Express Gold at $349, all plus state filing fees. Trademark registrations cost $199 plus federal filing fees and copyright applications $114 plus fees.  Additional costs include document reviews, phone consultations, custom certificates and even expedited filing. A detailed price list is available on the official LegalZoom website.  Note that government filing and shipping fees are charged separately. LegalZoom offers a 60 day, 100% Satisfaction Guarantee with a full refund. You can also cancel your membership at any time and get a pro-rata refund.

Things To Note

LegalZoom’s main clientele are small businesses that are looking for a cost effective way to handle their legal requirements. Their services are also popular with individuals requiring private legal advice on marriage issues, estate planning and property management. Positive reviews online attest that legal information is provided quickly and that the cost of the services are a fraction of what it would cost to consult a lawyer. LegalZoom provides a wide range of legal services as well as in house legal departments and a network of lawyers.

You can request a consultation for both business and personal services or simple get advice on contracts and agreements before you sign. LegalZoom does not provide a once off consultation and you would have to sign up for their services for at least six months in order to get the full benefit of their services. Their comprehensive downloadable forms, contracts and all types of agreements are available online. This includes living trusts, health care advance directives, power of attorney, pet protection and much more. Templates are also available for legal forms, invoices, bills of sale, letters of recommendation and legal plans.

In A Nutshell

LegalZoom focuses on guiding you through the red tape required for professional and personal legal requirements by providing online custom documents for various applications and registrations. This includes documents required when starting a small business like forming a limited liability company and obtaining licenses and permits. Personal services include estate planning, last will and testament, prenuptial agreements and even simple divorce proceedings. LegalZoom is one of the best known online legal services in the US. Whether you need to submit standard legal documents or require attorney advice their customer care agents and independent network of attorneys can help you via phone, email or online chat.

Let’s Dive Deeper

LegalZoom services are geared towards smaller businesses that need to file papers for their creation and ongoing activities. Online forms allow easy access to name and company registration, custom legal documents with e-signature, trademark, copyright protection and even tax advice. Long term legal plans offered like the business advisory plan offer regular access to an attorney as well as annual business evaluations and compliance to relevant state and federal laws. For creative freelancers this plan also includes one copyright registration per month. Legal costs can be very expensive and LegalZoom provides a low cost legal advice service through their website, without the need to pay an hourly fee. Their main objective is to guide you through the procedure of seeking legal advice for common business and personal issues.

LegalZoom is not suitable for those who require one time help. In order to be able to access their legal services you will need to sign up for a monthly business plan. You can opt for the Economy package with corporate kit which comes with a personalized binder for organizing documents. Customization of documents is possible and you can also obtain a company seal. For those who require urgent applications it is possible to upgrade to the Express Gold tier to expedite submission of necessary forms. Legal help articles are available for topics which include business formation, management, intellectual property, estate planning, money matters, real estate dilemmas and much more.

LegalZoom has a disclaimer stating that they are not a law firm or a substitute for an attorney. Their services are protected by a privacy policy but they do not provide attorney-client privileges. Access to their website is subject to terms and conditions. LegalZoom provides the legal solutions you need when you start a new business. Everything from registering the name to forming an LLC, trademark applications and other common legal matters for small businesses, are available online. This includes tax registration and other federal or state requirements. On a personal level services provided include marriage issues, estate planning, property management, name changes and much more. LegalZoom also offers the option of consulting with a lawyer or tax professional through their website.

LegalZoom Best Features

  • Company formation – documentation and registration
  • Business compliance – comply with federal and state laws
  • Corporate filings – taxes and licenses
  • Name registrations – find unique name and register
  • Trademarks and copyrights – safeguard intellectual property
  • Real estate – manage property agreements
  • Taxes and permits – ensure compliance
  • Legal agreements – downloadable documents
  • Wills and Trusts – last will and testaments
  • Power of attorney – create authorization for 3rd party representation
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