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First Aid: Legal Assistance for Your Adult Child

Tuesday September 03, 2019

It is an exciting time of year for recent high school graduates as many make the transition to life outside the home and head off to college. If your child has reached his or her eighteenth birthday, they are no longer a child in the eyes of the law as they have reached the age of majority. Along with the right to vote, register for the draft, and all the other benefits of being 18, your child now takes the reigns on making legal decisions. As a parent you no longer have the right to your child’s private information, including critical healthcare information, unless your child gives you permission. As parents ourselves we appreciate the potential nightmare scenario that might unfold due to an accident when your child lands in an emergency room in some other state and no one will give you critical healthcare information. Likewise, your access to your child’s financial information could be cut off without the proper documents in place. We recommend your child consider executing: 1) a financial power of attorney; 2) a health care power of attorney (which includes the requisite HIPAA release language); and 3) an education records release. These three documents can keep you involved and informed as your child navigates the next steps in his or her life journey. We are happy to work with your child to prepare and execute these crucial documents, and offer a discounted student rate to your recent graduate to equip them as they continue their journey to adulthood.