You can enroll in the MetLife Legal Plan during Annual Enrollment (in the fall of each year) through on netbenefits.com/IBM.

Once you have enrolled, you can choose an attorney from MetLife Legal Plans’ network with experience in the area that you need assistance. You can search for a network attorney in your area online by visiting info.legalplans.com, logging into your account and selecting the legal service that you need assistance in, or via a MetLife Legal Plans representative by calling 1-800-821-6400. Once you choose an attorney, you’ll need to have a case number generated via the website or provided to you by a representative. This case number will identify you as a MetLife Legal Plans participant and should be shared with your selected attorney when making an appointment.

You can speak to network attorneys by phone, or you can submit questions online to the MetLife Legal Plans Attorney e-Panel – whatever works best for you. And for certain legal matters, your attorney can represent you in court without you having to make an appearance.

Our network attorneys are there for you, whenever you need advice on any personal legal matter covered under your plan—giving you confidence that you’ve got an expert on your side, for as long as you need them.

Yes, MetLife Legal Plans covers your spouse, domestic partner, and children as defined by IBM. However some services are only available for enrollees. 

A child can be covered only through age 26. The term "child" includes your natural children, stepchildren, adopted children, and any child who resides with and is fully supported by you. Disabled children can continue to be covered past the age limit if the child is incapable of self-sustaining employment because of a mental or physical handicap, as defined by applicable law, and can be continued as long as the child:

• Remains incapable of self-sustaining employment because of a mental or physical handicap; and
• Continues to qualify as a child, except for the age limit.

Your parents/parents-in-law can access the plan by calling the MetLife Legal Plans Client Service Center. The parent just needs to provide the name of the company where the enrolled member works (IBM). A MetLife Legal Plan representative will verify the coverage, then provide them with a case number and contact information of the appropriate attorney(s) for them to schedule an appointment.

Depending on the service, attorneys will help you through the end-to-end process or provide consultative advice. For example, if you would like to prepare a will for yourself or spouse, your attorney will walk you through, in-person or telephonically, the various components that can be contained in a will, helping you determine if they are applicable to you, and composing them to convey your wishes. They will also assist in executing the will, so it becomes a binding legal document, including notarization. Some attorneys provide e-signature or electronic notarization, discuss these options with your attorney before commencing your will preparation. If you ever need to revise your will, that same or a different attorney can assist.

Some attorneys provide e-signature or electronic notarization, discuss these options with your attorney before commencing work on your legal service, if applicable.

Even experienced attorneys need to grow their practice. By providing exceptional service to you and other plan members, they can gain more clients through your referrals. That’s how we’ve established a large network of highly experienced attorneys, averaging 25 years of experience. And every year, all participating lawyers in our attorney network are re-credentialed.

With every one of our Network Attorneys, you can be confident that:

• they are part of a firm with plenty of attorneys, or a sole practitioner, who all have in-depth knowledge and experience in general law;
• they have graduated from an accredited law school and hold a valid state license;
• the managing attorney of the firm must have at least eight years of experience (although 25 years of experience is the network average);
• they are part of a firm, or a sole practitioner, can prove they routinely handle all or many of the case types covered by our legal plan;
• they fit your employees’ needs. We wouldn’t hire a firm or attorney if most of their cases or clients have interests that conflict with our plan members, such as insurance defense or commercial creditors;
• they are well versed on how our legal service plans work;
• they have malpractice insurance that meets our requirements to be in the network; and
• they are part of a well-managed office that provides exceptional customer service.

Yes – our Client Service Center representatives are here to help you find the right attorney that’s best placed to help you with your legal matter, whatever that might be. We operate a national network of more than 17,500 Network Attorneys in all 50 states and most U.S. territories. We’re committed to ensuring you receive the expert legal help you need, when you need it. Call 1-800-821-6400 or visit https://info.legalplans.com.

Yes – you can use any licensed attorney you’d like. If you choose an attorney outside of our network, we’ll reimburse you for services based on a set fee schedule.⁶

Yes – you have unlimited use of the plan over the course of the year for covered legal matters.⁷

There are two plan options:

• MetLife Legal Plans: $14.50 a month covers you, your spouse and dependents
• MetLife Legal Plans Plus Parents: $20.50 a month covers you, your spouse and dependents as well as parents, stepparents, and/or parents-in-law. Only certain covered services will be extended to your parents, stepparents, and parents-in-law

Your payments will be automatically deducted from your paycheck each pay period. If you are on an approved unpaid leave of absence or long-term disability claim, Fidelity will direct bill you for the cost of coverage and coverage will continue for up to 24 months. If on an approved long-term disability claim, you may elect to have the cost of coverage deducted from your monthly benefit. 

Your parents/stepparents/parents-in-law will be covered for many common elder care services including wills, power of attorney, identity management services, mortgages, deeds, demand letters, affidavits, nursing home agreements. For a complete list review the coverage description

Unless you experience a qualified status change, you cannot change your enrollment or enroll in the plan outside of Annual Enrollment.

Yes, if your employment with IBM terminates for a reason other than retirement, you can continue MetLife Legal Plans via the Portability option. Portability extends your enrollment in MetLife Legal Plans for an additional 12 months. You have 30 days from your term date to contact MetLife Legal Plans to continue your coverage via Portability. After you notify MetLife Legal Plans that you would like to continue your coverage, you have an additional 30 days to remit payment, which is the full 12 months of premiums up front and in full and is equal to $174, if you were enrolled in MetLife Legal Plan ($14.50 * 12), or $246, if you were enrolled in MetLife Legal Plan Plus Parents ($20.50 * 12). Once payment is received – coverage will begin on the first of the following month.

If you retire from IBM, you are eligible to enroll in the Retiree MetLife Legal Plans and, unlike Portability, enrollment is not limited to 12 months. You will have 30 days from your retirement date to enroll with coverage beginning the first of the month following the date you enroll and your first payment is received. The current cost of coverage is $18.00 a month which you will pay directly to MetLife Legal Plans and the covered services are slightly varied. You may choose to pay quarterly or annually via credit card or via an electronic funds transfer from your checking or savings account. To learn more about the Retiree MetLife Legal Plans, click here

With the digital estate planning solution, you can create the following documents online:

• Last Will and Testament – Leave property to loved ones and choose guardians for minor children.
• Advance Directive – Plan for a medical emergency and select medical care preferences.
• Durable Financial Power of Attorney – Choose someone to manage finances in case of an emergency.

If you are enrolled in Optional Term Life (OTL) under the IBM Group Life Insurance Plan you already have access to a few of these services. Through the OTL you have will preparation services that give you access to network attorneys to create a will, living will or power of attorney, while under MetLife Legal Plans, you will have access to attorneys for a much wider range of legal matters. See the covered services comparison guide for more details.