Contributor, Benzinga
June 8, 2022
LegalZoom
Overall Rating:
securely through LegalZoom's website

LegalZoom bills itself as “the leading brand in family and small business legal solutions. Since 2001 we have made it our business to make legal help more widely available to all, not just the wealthy. After 20 years and more than 4M customers, we have set the industry standard in serving family and small business legal needs.”

  • Business creation and licensure
Best For
  • Business creation and licensure
  • Small business legal services
  • Family legal services
  • Copyright and trademark services
Pros
  • Anyone can access legal services at an affordable price
  • Families can seek legal services they often think they cannot get
  • Businesses can turn to a lawyer whenever needed
Cons
  • The service is digital, and there are certain clients who may prefer to do business “the old-fashioned way”

LegalZoom Ratings at a Glance

Customer Service
Pricing
User Benefits
User Experience
Overall

When you require legal assistance for yourself, your family, or your business, you can visit LegalZoom and seek out an independent consultation regarding:

  • Limited liability companies (LLC)
  • C Corps
  • S Corps
  • DBA (doing business as)
  • Nonprofits
  • Sole proprietorships
  • Registered agents
  • Annual reports
  • Contracts or agreements
  • Business licenses
  • Foreign qualifications
  • Corporate amendments
  • LZ tax services
  • Trademarks, copyrights and patents

You can review all the services that are available, what they do and how LegalZoom helps. 

Personal services include:

  • Estate plans
  • Last wills & testaments
  • Living trusts
  • Powers of attorneys
  • Living wills

Family services include:

  • Divorces
  • Name changes

Real estate services:

  • Leases
  • Property deed transfers

When you visit the site, the live chat bubble is in clear view. That alone is worth the 5-star rating. You can call the customer support team and there is even a button on the website that will place the call for you. 

You can study the FAQs for more information, or you can submit questions as needed. Plus, the site divides sales and customer care so that you don’t end up speaking to the wrong person. 

Pricing plans at LegalZoom vary based on the state and the nature of the service. For example, an Economy LLC package for the state of Arkansas costs $79 plus filing fees from Arkansas costing $45. 

LegalZoom gets 5 stars in this category because all the pricing is incredibly transparent, and the “stepped” approach to pricing provides real value.

Using the Arkansas LLC example, the Standard package is $329 with $45 in filing fees. for the extra outlay, you get:

  • Faster processing time
  • An official certificate and seal and a deluxe organizer for those documents

If you use the Express Gold package, you pay $349 plus $45 in state filing fees, but you also get:

Rush processing with the Secretary of State and express shipping.

Rarely does any service provide this level of value as prices increase.

The LegalZoom mobile app once mirrored the website beautifully, providing you with a consistent experience. Unfortunately, the app is down at this time.

Families and small businesses can seek independent consultations, ask questions, and handle their legal affairs without retaining an attorney at a massive personal expense. 

You can also learn more about how to manage your legal affairs before making a decision. 

You can check on your order at any time. 

There is a massive list of options from estate plans to business formation and nonprofit organization and much more.

The site even helps you decide what you need, especially if you’re new to the legal arena and don’t even know where to start. 

LegalZoom is a clean and easy website to use. You can navigate to any section of the site you need, learn more about the legal services that are provided and ask questions as needed.

Moreover, you can get an idea of the services you need before even seeking out an independent consultation via the site. If you’re unsure of what to do, you can even submit a question that will help you learn more about what’s going on before placing an order.

LegalZoom
Best For
  • DIY guided legal services
securely through LegalZoom's website

LegalZoom connects you to independent attorneys that can help you navigate your present situation, assisting your family or business. LegalZoom offers all the following things that help it soar above and beyond the competition:

  • A series of pertinent questions to help you connect to the proper attorney
  • A list of options to choose from
  • Resources that explain these services or needs
  • Easily accessible support via the website or app
  • The live chat feature helps quell your nerves when you have pressing questions

LegalZoom is an excellent resource for anyone who requires a legal consultation. The platform opens up the legal community to families and small businesses that cannot afford to keep pricey attorneys on retainer. You will find quite literally nothing out of place when using this platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q

Will LegalZoom hold up in court?

A

Because LegalZoom connects you with licensed attorneys, any work done by them, on your behalf, should hold up in court provided that you have followed their guidance and the attorney acted appropriately when providing a consultation or services.

Q

Is LegalZoom too expensive?

A

You can compare the gravity of the legal situation you are facing to the prices you will pay at LegalZoom. Only you can decide if the service is too expensive for your budget and/or legal needs. However, it should be noted that LegalZoom offers real value as its prices rise, ensuring that you can see why you should spend a certain amount of money. 

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About Patton Hunnicutt

Patton Hunnicutt is a contributor and editor at Benzinga. He’s worked for several years on financial content, addressing issues related to personal finance, investments, retirement, and more.