What Every Parent Needs to Know Before Sending Their Teen to College

Allison Harvey
Jul 21
3 min read

Two Vital Legal Documents That Can Save Time, Stress, and Heartache

The moment your child turns 18, they are legally considered an adult. That’s a proud milestone—but it also comes with unexpected legal limitations for parents.

Many parents are surprised to learn that once their child is legally an adult, they lose the automatic right to access their child’s medical information or make financial decisions on their behalf—even in an emergency. That means if your college-aged student is injured, hospitalized, or even just dealing with a financial or legal hurdle far from home, you may be completely locked out of helping them.

So what’s the solution?

Two simple legal documents:

Advance Health Care Directive
Durable Power of Attorney

And no—not the kind you download online.

🩺 Why an Advance Health Care Directive Is Crucial

Imagine this: your child is in an accident and hospitalized out of state. You call the hospital for information—and they won’t speak with you. Without an Advance Health Care Directive, medical providers may be legally barred from discussing your child’s condition with you, no matter how serious the emergency is.

An Advance Health Care Directive:

Appoints you as your child’s health care agent
Gives you legal authority to make medical decisions if they are unconscious or incapacitated
Allows providers to share updates and records with you
Ensures your child’s wishes are honored in an emergency

This document becomes essential any time your child undergoes surgery, is in an accident, or experiences a serious illness—especially when they’re far from home.

💼 Why a Durable Power of Attorney Can Be a Lifesaver

College students still need help with day-to-day financial and legal tasks, especially when unexpected challenges arise. With a Durable Power of Attorney, your child can legally authorize you to assist them with:

Handling tuition payments or refunds
Communicating with financial aid or scholarship offices
Managing bank accounts or credit cards
Signing a lease or dealing with housing issues
Addressing tax or insurance matters
Dealing with travel issues or studying abroad

Without this document, your ability to act on your child’s behalf—even with their consent—can be severely limited. Many institutions won’t speak to you, even if you’re paying the bills.

❌ The Problem With Online Legal Forms

It’s tempting to do a quick internet search and print out a form—but those documents are often incomplete, generic, and not tailored to California law.

Worse, they may be:

Missing required legal language or witnesses
Not properly executed
Not accepted by banks, hospitals, or schools
Confusing or unenforceable in another state

You only get one chance to get it right. When you need these documents, it’s usually because something has gone wrong—and you need them to work immediately, without question.

This isn’t about checking a box. It’s about doing it right—for peace of mind when it matters most.

🎓 Peace of Mind for California Families – Limited-Time Offer

To help families get ready for this big life transition, we’re offering both documents—customized to your family and compliant with California law—for just $500 (a $1,100 value).

✅ For existing clients

✅ For those referred by a client

✅ For anyone using promo code COLLEGEREADY24

📅 Offer valid through July 30, 2025

📍 For California families only

💻 Appointments available virtually or in person

💬 Final Thoughts: Why This Matters

Your child will face new freedoms, new responsibilities, and new risks. You want them to explore, grow, and thrive—but you also want to be there when they need you most.

With the right legal tools in place, you can be.