ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Eighteen is the magic number a child must reach to become an adult. There are a lot of changes happening at this age, but one thing parents don’t always think about is what documents your newly adult child will need when he heads to college.
College is an exciting opportunity for your child, but do you know what documents students need before they hit the road?
The first document you might want to get: a health care power of attorney. Without one, you may not be able to get detailed information or make decisions about your student’s health once they are 18. If your child goes to school out of state, it’s important to have one in both states. A HIPAA authorization is another important healthcare paper. It allows doctors to speak to you about your child’s medical condition. Next, a financial power of attorney comes in handy if you’re still helping with your child’s finances. It lets parents act on the child’s behalf on financial matters. An education record release will give parents access to records such as grades and transcripts. Without one, you might not be able to see how your student is progressing in school. So before your kid heads off for the journey ahead, be sure you have the right documents in place … unless your young adult disagrees!
One thing to mention: you won’t need these papers signed until after your kid turns 18. And by the way, your child will have to agree to sign these documents.
Contributors to this news report include: Julie Marks, Producer; Roque Correa, Videographer and Editor.
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