Back to School – What Documents Should Every College Student Have?
By: Mike Sukup | Published August 10, 2016
Summer is beginning to wind down and young adults all over the country prepare to head off to college. I refer to them as young adults as opposed to children, because despite the inevitable college shenanigans that might ensue, these children are 18 years old. By reaching age 18, your child is now a legal adult and you can no longer make decisions on his or her behalf or access their information as you please. In preparation of sending your young adult off to college, you should consider having him or her sign a general durable power of attorney (financial) and health care power of attorney.
These documents are extremely important in the event that the young adult is in an accident and is incapacitated or disabled, even for a brief time, and you have to try to assist with day to day tasks. A general durable power of attorney will provide you, or an other trusted person, the ability to manage money, make financial decisions, or manage important legal matters on behalf of the young adult. The health care power of attorney allows you or other trusted person to make health care decisions on behalf of the young adult. The health care document will also include a HIPAA privacy waiver allowing you access to their medical information and a health care directive outlining preferences regarding end of life decision making.
If the young adult is in an accident and these documents are not in place, you may have to petition the probate court to appoint you as guardian and/or conservator in order to be able to manage financial or legal affairs, receive medical information, or make a medical treatment decision on their behalf. This is a time consuming and costly process that can be completely avoided if the power of attorney documents are in place. If you would like to discuss these documents for your young adult, or your own estate planning, please contact our office for a free initial consultation.