5 LEGAL DOCUMENTS EVERY COLLEGE STUDENT NEEDS - 2024
Written by Tony Conticello of the Conticello Law Firm
Tallahassee Estate Planning Attorney
5 LEGAL DOCUMENTS EVERY COLLEGE STUDENT NEEDS
UPDATED FOR 2024
What Are The 5 Legal Documents Every College Student Needs?
I know you are thinking – great what are these 5 Legal Documents That Every College Student Needs? Let me add it to the myriad of growing lists that need to get done. Can’t we just slow it down? Wasn’t graduation just – yesterday?
The months between High School graduation ceremonies and the traditional start of Freshman year that next fall can seem like the blink of an eye.
There is barely even time enough to crack open the baby albums to reminisce about where all the time has gone, let alone take your “Young Adult” to their favorite childhood restaurants, squeeze in a movie or two, and maybe take that summer trip to the beach or mountains.
You have growing lists for your college student:
- Lists of things to buy for their dorm or apartment – toothpaste, charging cords, laptops, first aid kits, shampoo & conditioner, laundry soap and toilet paper;
- Lists of important documents they will need while away – resumes, social security cards, driver’s licenses, high school transcripts, AAA cards,
- Lists for college books and supplies – calculators, text books, pens, highlighters, sticky notes, and more;
- Lists of things you need to teach or show them – how to check my tire pressure, how campus safety works, where is the financial aid office, how do they do their laundry, and how to make and stick to a budget.
Now there are Legal Documents for College Students too?
TAKE A DEEP BREATH! EXHALE!
Don’t pull your hair out, it will be okay. We got your back.
WHY DO COLLEGE STUDENTS NEED LEGAL DOCUMENTS?
Great question! It is because when the clock struck 12:00 am on at that magical day they turned 18, our kids legally became adults.
The day we celebrated their 18th birthday, our relationship with them changed forever. That transformation also changed how others interact with them.
While we may still support them financially (and emotionally), and they may live in our house, we no longer have the right to interact with others on their behalf.
Our Parental Agency over them disappeared. Without their approval and consent, we no longer have access to their medical records and their financial records. We cannot call their doctors to talk about their cold, or ask their banking institution about what happened to the money we just put into their bank account.
While this is good in many ways, everyone needs a safety net. We counsel our estate planning clients that there are times when they can’t make decisions for themselves and they need others they trust to step in and help.
With that explanation out of the way, below are the 5 Legal Documents Every College Student Needs before they leave home (2023 edition) and a brief explanation of each.
5 LEGAL DOCUMENTS EVERY COLLEGE STUDENT NEEDS
1. POWER OF ATTORNEY
The Power of Attorney, often referred to as a durable power of attorney, is the swiss army knife in most estate planner’s tool box. It is used to legally authorize someone other than you (maybe your parents) to act on your behalf. Most states, Florida included, have laws that require third parties to comply with them or face legal consequences.
It is extremely useful for parents to help manage bank accounts, talk with your rental office, help assist with disputes with third parties, and even talk to College representatives.
(Click Here to Read our Article on Why Every College Student Needs a Power of Attorney)
2. HEALTHCARE SURROGATE
A Healthcare Surrogate (also called a Healthcare Power of Attorney or Healthcare Proxy) is a legal document where your college student would designate a person or people to step in and make emergency healthcare decisions for them in the event they are unable to. The form will allow their designated surrogate(s) to interact with medical staff without restrictions.
We never know when an accident or medical emergency will occur. This legal document is essential for every college student. It is VITAL for Student Athletes, as injuries occur regularly in most sports.
It is best to choose one or two people, and maybe a back-up, that is trustworthy (most often times they are the parents) and knows them, and they feel comfortable making sound medical choices when they can’t. Their life may depend on it.
3. LIVING WILL
The Living Will (not a regular will) is a legal estate planning document used to choose in advance certain healthcare decisions, in the event someone is in a persistent vegetative state or if they receiving end-of-life care.
In this college student legal document, your student can designate if they want certain life sustaining or prolonging procedures or care to be performed or withheld, such as ventilators, dialysis, tube feeding, organ donation and other end-of-life care.
4. HIPAA RELEASE
HIPAA is a federal law that prohibits medical professionals from sharing a person’s medical records with third parties. A HIPAA RELEASE (also called HIPAA Waiver or HIPAA Consent) is a legal document used in conjunction with a Healthcare Surrogate.
This document authorizes your college student’s medical professionals to give designated people access to your medical records.
HIPAA releases are helpful to allow your doctors and physicians to lawfully give access to designated people, like parents!
Click Here for HIPAA Discussion on the CDC
5. FERPA CONSENT
FERPA is another federal law. This one applies to the privacy of student records. When our children are under the age of 18, we as parents have the rights regarding their educational records. When our children turn 18 the rights transfer to the student. They are considered “eligible students”.
FERPA Consent forms allows your student to designate certain people (like parents) they want to have access to their student records. This legal document for college students is useful for situations when parents need to talk to, or get information from, a College’s financial aid office, student housing, the registrar, and maybe even a professor (try not to overstep on this one).
Click Here for US Dept. of Education Discussion on FERPA
So there you have it! The 5 Legal Documents Every College Student Needs. These Legal Document For College Students are essential. Don’t send your child to college without them.
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THE 5 LEGAL DOCUMENTS EVERY COLLEGE STUDENT NEEDS *UPDATED FOR 2023*
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A WORD FROM THE CONTICELLO LAW FIRM
The Conticello Law Firm is committed to helping secure our young adults and college-bound students. Tallahassee Estate Planning Attorney Conticello can help your student draft and prepare the 5 Legal Documents Every College Student Needs! We offer a special discount if you want to have all 5 of the *Essential Legal Documents for College Students Package* at a special discounted rate.
This package contains all the essential legal documents that they need before they step out of that door and wave goodbye (or even if they are staying at home).
Don’t worry if they are already away at college, we can still take care of them NOW! Don’t Let them go another semeseter without getting our Essential Legal Documents for College Students package.
DON’T GO IT ALONE!
CLICK HERE TO CONTACT US TODAY and Secure Your College Student’s Well Being.
Conticello Law Firm helps focus on helping families and individuals prepare for the future. While our offices are in Tallahassee, we practice throughout the state of Florida.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss preparing legal documents for your college student, please do not hesitate to call or email us. We would be happy to help you navigate this important process.
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5 LEGAL DOCUMENTS EVERY COLLEGE STUDENT NEEDS
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