Sending a child off to college is a daunting task for many parents: lists of things to buy, details to button down, all the while knowing your son or daughter will be embarking on one of the most exciting and independent ventures of a lifetime. Parents tend to fret about the well being of their children, no matter how independent, and the distance between home and a child who starts college can create some problems if the child needs help. Any child who is over 18 should start college with the proper supplies, and this should include a durable power of attorney and a health care directive or power running back to one or both parents. The durable power of attorney will facilitate the transaction of business, ranging from simple banking to more complex matters for the child should the need arise. Even more important is a health care directive or power that includes a privacy waiver so a parent can help the child with any healthcare issues that might arise and facilitate any discussion between health care providers at home and at school. One client recently recounted the tale of a child’s emergency appendectomy far from home and was appalled at the paces the remote hospital put them through to check on the child’s progress; when the parent faxed the comprehensive health care directive with a privacy waiver the information flow became quite simple. So consider a call to LeBlanc & Young in your pre-college planning – pencils, pens and powers of attorney!
