If you have a kid headed off to college, it can feel like the to-do list is never ending. There’s the dorm essentials and textbooks and snacks, but then there are the things that aren’t on most shopping lists. Your child is going to be more independent than they’ve ever been before and are legally adults. But they’re still your child and you want to be rest assured that if they need anything, you can be there for them.
To make sure you are, there are three documents that every parent should have prepared for their adult child to be ready to leave for college:
- Financial Power of Attorney
- Health Care Power of Attorney
- HIPPA authorization form
Because your child is legally an adult, you are no longer automatically able to assist them as you always have. These documents will allow you to still help your child and have access to important information.
A Financial Power of Attorney allows you to help your child with financial decisions such as applying for financial aid, managing bank accounts or signing tax returns as they take those first steps into adulthood.
A Health Care Power of Attorney document determines who can make health care related decisions if the person is incapacitated. This document guarantees that you will be able to make medical decisions in the event that something happens to your child while they’re away at college.
A HIPPA authorization form gives you access to your child’s medical records. Without this, HIPPA prevents anyone from accessing a person’s health care information, including parents of adult children.
If something were to happen to your child at college, the last thing you want to deal with is legal roadblocks and these documents prevent that. It may seem like a lot, but in the end, it’s definitely worth it.
If you are an existing client, we can do these as an add-on. Please reach out if you’ve got any questions.
Happy planning!
B.B.
Disclaimer: The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Brittany Britton is licensed to practice law in the state of California only
