This one hits close to home. I recently attended my daughter’s Donuts with Dad breakfast for high school seniors. As a parent of a child who is about to turn 18, my wife and I are preparing for my daughter’s college career. Part of that process includes getting legal documents in place.
The documents that I recommend for your high school graduate include the following:
- Health Care Power of Attorney. This document allows your student to designate an agent to make medical decisions if they are not able to communicate their wishes.
- Living Will. This document is similar to the Health Care Power of Attorney but is more limited to end-of-life decisions.
- Durable Power of Attorney. This allows your student to appoint an agent to make financial transactions. This can be particularly important if your student is away at college, but needs a parent to access bank accounts or deal with financial institutions.
High school graduation is also a good time for parents to examine and update their estate plans. It is common for parents to draft a Will upon the birth of their first child, then just stash the documents away for years upon years. If you are in need of legal documents for your high school graduate and soon-to-be college student, or if you are need of a review and update of your estate plan, please contact me at mccarthy@danmccarthylaw.com or 513-815-7006 for a consultation.