A will is the best love letter you could give to your family. It shows such depth of care and love, even during a time that you are transitioning. -Dr. Rosemary Allwood
Mrs. Rosemary Allwood grew up in a small town called Zanesville, Ohio. She was the youngest of 13 children. She recalls being very poor but not realizing it because her childhood was so rich with happiness. Mrs. Rosemary credits her joyful childhood to the parenting of her loving mother and father, who were the first and last African American Parents of the Year in her town. Her career eventually led her out of her small town to Medgar Evers College in New York City. It is here that she met Mr. Vernon Allwood. They met while Mrs. Rosemary was a dean at the college and Mr. Vernon was an intern. Mrs. Rosemary soon grew very fond of Mr. Vernon’s intelligence and love for music while Mr. Vernon remembers her being a “fox” and really “sharp”. The college eventually hired Mr. Vernon in August and that December he and Mrs. Rosemary were married. Mr. Vernon eventually earned his doctorate degree and both have spent many years working in the Psychology Field. Together they have lived a full and vibrant life with three children and five grandchildren.
They remembered one of their most recent business ventures. They were looking to create a daycare center and knew they would need some type of legal coverage. Their accountant directed them to a company called LegalShield. As they researched the organization, they were so impressed that they purchased the small business plan and the family plan.
When we caught up with them, they recalled why they decided to get legal coverage. They were looking into creating a daycare center and knew they would need some type of legal assistance. Their accountant directed them to a company called LegalShield. As they researched the organization, they were so impressed that they purchased both the small business plan and the family plan.
They were attracted to the family plan because of the services they provided for their estate, specifically their will. Prior to getting the plan, they paid an attorney 800 dollars to create their will. Since then, they wanted to update their will because they incorporated a trust. However, the total cost for that service was 1,200 dollars. So they decided to become LegalShield members instead and any updates they needed to add to their will was included in their monthly membership fee.
They called their law firm and within thirty minutes they received a call back from an attorney. Mrs. Rosemary Allwood recalls that the response was “so quick it was unbelievable”. They were given a questionnaire to assist their attorney in updating their will. They remember that although the form was very detailed, they also enjoyed the freedom of calling their attorney to add anything that may not have been included in the questionnaire.
After updating their will, they were assured in knowing that their sons and daughters know exactly what to do with their estate. They know detailed instructions on what to do in the event of their deaths and it puts “everyone at ease”. They admitted that at first their children didn’t want to talk about it but Mrs. Rosemary reasoned with them and they soon agreed that it is a mature and healthy conversation to have.
In fact, one situation led to one of their sons becoming LegalShield Members as well. Their son and daughter in law were returning from a trip and had to travel back on icy roads. That experience challenged them to think of who would take care of their children in the event that they got into a fatal accident. They also had to take an honest consideration of what the risks were if they didn’t have a will. They couldn’t imagine their children going to a family member they barely knew or even worse, their children having to enter the foster care system. After they became members, they created a will and have even updated it since then.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Allwood are very pleased with how LegalShield has protected their family. Mrs. Rosemary Allwood says that a will is the “best love letter you could give to your family, it shows such depth of care and love, even during a time that you are transitioning”. She went on to say, “It puts you in charge of your life and helps all those people around you who could be affected by your passing. It prevents the state from getting any of your resources”. Dr. Vernon Allwood summed it up by saying, “It’s a no brainer, who do you want to take care of your kids? You don’t want to do a disservice to your children”.