College Student Estate Planning: Essential Legal Documents for 18 Year Olds

As your child prepares for college, there’s more to consider than dorm supplies and class schedules. At Long Law Group, we understand this milestone brings excitement and new challenges—including important college student estate planning considerations many families overlook.

Why Your 18 Year Old Needs Legal Documents Before College

When your child turns 18, they cross a critical legal threshold that many parents don’t fully appreciate until faced with an unexpected situation. At this age, your child becomes a legal adult, creating potential gaps in protection at the very time they’re living away from home.

As a legal adult, your child now has:

• Complete privacy over their medical information
• Sole authority over healthcare decisions, even if incapacitated
• Independent control of financial affairs
• Full privacy rights under FERPA educational regulations

This legal reality means you no longer have automatic access to help them in emergencies.

Essential Legal Documents Every College Student Needs

1. Power of Attorney for College Student Healthcare Decisions

What it does: A Healthcare Power of Attorney (HPOA) authorizes you or another trusted adult to make medical decisions for your college student if they cannot do so themselves.

Why it’s critical: Imagine receiving a call that your child has been in an accident and is unconscious in a hospital across the state. Without proper 18 year old legal documents, doctors may be legally unable to share details about their condition or treatment with you.

Key considerations:

• Choose a primary agent and backup
• Ensure compliance with both your home state and college state laws
• Store digital copies in easily accessible locations

2. HIPAA Authorization for College Students

What it does: Allows healthcare providers to share your child’s medical information with designated individuals.

Why it’s critical: Even for routine matters like discussing test results or prescription refills, healthcare providers are bound by privacy laws that prevent information sharing without proper authorization.

Key considerations:

• Works alongside the HPOA but serves a different function
• Your child can specify what information gets shared and with whom
• Some colleges have their own HIPAA forms—we recommend having both

3. Financial Power of Attorney

What it does: Gives a designated agent the ability to manage financial matters if your college student becomes incapacitated.

Why it’s critical: This college student estate planning document allows you to handle crucial financial tasks like paying bills, managing accounts, or dealing with landlords during a crisis.

Key considerations:

• Can be drafted to activate only during incapacity
• Essential for handling scholarship funds, student loans, or rental agreements
• Prevents delays in financial matters during emergencies

4. Basic Will for College Students

What it does: Directs how your child’s assets would be distributed in the worst-case scenario.

Why it’s critical: While many 18 year olds don’t have significant assets, they may have more than they realize—including digital assets, vehicles, bank accounts, or sentimental items.

Key considerations:

• Provides clarity on distribution of personal belongings
• Addresses digital assets like social media accounts
• Prevents state intestacy laws from determining property distribution

Digital Assets in College Student Estate Planning

Today’s college students have extensive digital lives that traditional estate planning may not adequately address:

• Password manager access: Secure methods for trusted individuals to access essential accounts
• Social media directives: Specifications for social media account management during incapacity
• Digital property: From cryptocurrency to valuable gaming accounts, digital assets need proper documentation

When to Update Your College Student’s Legal Documents

College student estate planning isn’t a “set it and forget it” exercise. Review these 18 year old legal documents:

• When your child graduates college
• If they move to another state
• When they acquire significant assets
• After major life changes (marriage, children, etc.)
• Every 3-5 years to ensure compliance with changing laws

Our College Student Estate Planning Services

At Long Law Group, we’ve developed a streamlined process specifically for families sending children to college. Our College-Bound Estate Planning Package includes:

• Consultation with an experienced estate planning attorney
• All four essential legal documents customized to your family’s needs
• Digital and physical copies of all documents
• Guidance on proper storage and institutional sharing
• Complimentary review when your child graduates

Protect Your College Student Today

The summer before college is the perfect time to establish these protections. Don’t wait until an emergency to discover the gaps in your family’s legal safety net.

Contact our office at 312-344-3644 or Contact@JLongLaw.com to schedule your family’s college student estate planning consultation. Our experienced attorneys will guide you through this important process, giving your family peace of mind as you navigate this exciting transition.