Protecting Your College Students with Estate Planning

As back to school quickly approaches (some schools in Georgia went back this week even) I am reminded by the deluge of phone calls and texts from parents of college students how their first foray into adulthood should be marked by two specific documents: healthcare directives and a financial power of attorney.

Adulthood comes with many new responsibilities. Your children are now 18 or older and headed off to college, some out of state, but what you may not realize is that without these documents you may not be able to help them in the event of an emergency. Many college students today are still financially dependent on their parents. In addition, some of them may still be on their parents insurance plans. Despite this dependence on their parents, without these documents in place it may not be possible for parents to help their college-students should an issue suddenly arise.

For example, let’s say your son or daughter heads off to college and that crisp fall air spurs on a pick up game of flag football. Unfortunately, they’ve taken an elbow to the head, wound up in the hospital, and when you arrive – their doctor won’t talk with you due to privacy concerns and HIPAA regulations. Having a healthcare proxy designated in their healthcare directives and signing the necessary HIPAA waiver, ensures you can help your son or daughter when they cannot help themselves.

If your son or daughter is headed off to college and needs these documents in place, you can fill out our easy to use questionnaires as a starting point. From there I will be in touch within 48 hours to discuss further and help your family get these documents in place ASAP.

Healthcare Directive Questionnaire

Financial Power of Attorney Questionnaire

Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes only and does not provide legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.