Legal Documents for College Students
Congratulations! It feels hard to believe but your child is a high school graduate and will be headed off to college in just a few short weeks. Both you and your student are undoubtedly very busy getting prepared for this big transition. Buying bedding and backpacks is fun, but don’t lose sight of two very important items your student should take care of before leaving home: a Power of Attorney and a Health Care Proxy.
Why does my college student need a Power of Attorney or Health Care Proxy?
Your child will not be a child much longer. In New York, when a person turns 18, the individual is legally considered an adult, meaning that the person’s parents can no longer legally make decisions or respond to inquiries on their child’s behalf. This is why it is especially important to have these documents in place before your child leaves for school.
What does the Power of Attorney do?
If parents are appointed as agents under the Power of Attorney, the parents may act on behalf of the student, and may be given the authority to do things such as signing documents on behalf of the student, gaining access to the student’s financial record, and directing transactions such as financial aid and making inquiries regarding tuition.
What is the purpose of a Health Care Proxy for a college student?
A Health Care Proxy is an extremely important document because it allows an appointed agent (the parent) to act on behalf of the student if the student has a medical issue and becomes unable to make medical decisions for him or herself. As agent under a Health Care Proxy a parent will also be able to speak with the doctor and medical staff about the student without violating medical confidentiality rules. While we always hope that such an unexpected medical event will never happen, it is much better to be prepared in the event that it does.
Why do it now?
You are going to the trouble to make sure that your college student has all the stuff to make the dorm comfortable. Include in your preparations a Health Care Proxy and Power of Attorney. When you send your student off, you both will feel more secure and confident knowing that your student is really prepared.
Are you a client or former client?
To show our appreciation for our clients, we will be happy to prepare these documents for free for any child or grandchild of a current or former client. Time is short, and we only have so many appointment slots available, so be sure to contact us for an appointment soon!
Why us?
This is a milestone that we can assist you and your child with. We are experienced and understanding attorneys with decades of providing caring and dedicated legal services to our clients. We understand how important this time is, and what a big step it is for both you and your student, and we can help make sure you both are properly prepared. Feel free to call or e-mail for an appointment!
