As children turn eighteen and head off to college or begin life on their own, parents often find themselves juggling to-do lists filled with dorm supplies, class schedules, and health insurance plans. But there’s one important task that often gets overlooked, making sure your child has the right legal documents in place in case of an emergency.
Once your child turns 18, you no longer have the automatic legal authority to step in and help with medical or financial matters—even in a crisis. That’s why setting up a Financial Power of Attorney, HIPAA Authorization, and Health Care Directive is a smart and essential move.
What Are These Documents and Why Do They Matter?
1. Power of Attorney (POA)
This gives you the legal ability to manage your child’s finances, like paying bills, accessing bank accounts, or signing legal documents, if they become ill or injured and can’t do it themselves. The document can be set to effective immediately or only upon your child’s incapacity.
2. HIPAA Authorization (Global)
This document allows doctors and hospitals to share medical information with you. Without it, you may be left in the dark if your child is hospitalized or needs care wherever your child is in the U.S.
3. Advance Health Care Directive (aka Medical Power of Attorney)
This allows your child to name someone , such as a parent, to make medical decisions on their behalf if they’re unable to do so.