Starting college this Fall?
This undoubtedly means stocking up on bedding, toiletries, books, posters, and snacks for the new dorm room. Absent from most checklists are legal documents. This is a huge oversight. When a child turns 18, parents can no longer automatically make their healthcare decisions. A Health Care Proxy allows the new adult to name another person to consent to medical treatment in an emergency. No time (or money) for a trip to the lawyer? I have you covered! Free Health Care Proxy forms can be downloaded and printed from my website(click here).

The form simply has to be witnessed by two people. Most people provide their primary care physician with a copy. This alone, however, will not ensure that a hospital in another city will have access to the document at 2 am. I recommend that the completed form be scanned and saved so that it can be electronically transmitted when needed. This small bit of planning will immediately set your child apart from the estimated 55% of American adults who have done absolutely no estate planning. Now, if only, they will make similarly responsible decisions for the remainder of their college tenure…