College Protection Plan

A child turning 18 is an emotional milestone for both parents and child, but it is also a legal milestone as well…
Once a child reaches the age of 18, as a parent, you no longer have the right to participate in your child’s medical care or finances:

-NO access to immunization and other medical records
-NO communication with doctors
-NO immediate decision-making authority
-NO financial account access

Consider these two real-life scenarios:

Scenario 1: A college senior crashed her vehicle while driving home from her part-time job at the university’s gymnasium. Upon hearing the news, her parents immediately boarded a plane to make the four-hour flight to the hospital where she was being treated. While at the airport and on the flight, her parents frantically try to contact the doctor who was treating their daughter. Upon reaching the doctor, her parents are shocked to learn that the doctor was unwilling to reveal any information concerning their daughter’s condition because she is an adult. Luckily, their daughter’s injuries were not life-threatening and once she was conscious, she was able to give her permission. But the experience was agonizing for her parents.

Scenario 2: A college freshman, still living at home, was living with a mental illness. At one point, he suffered an extreme episode and was admitted to the hospital for treatment. Unlike the scenario above, he refused to give consent to his doctor to discuss his condition with his parents. At a time when he was the least equipped to make decisions about his medical care, privacy laws prohibited his doctor from sharing any information with his parents. They could only stand by helplessly because their live-at-home child was an adult.

These situations can be avoided by having your child sign very important legal documents authorizing you, or another adult, to make decisions on their behalf when they are unable to do so. If you are, or know, a young adult without a plan in place please contact our College Protection Plan advisors.

We look forward to providing you with peace of mind!