College Package

COLLEGE PACKAGE

OPTIONS OFFERED BY WILL & TRUST EXPRESS

One of the ironies of sending your child off to college is that, while you are probably still paying for their education and living expenses, the law considers them an independent adult and you no longer have the legal right to be involved in - or even know about - their medical, legal, or financial emergencies. Here at Will & Trust Express, we're just a few blocks from the UCF campus and we've seen first-hand the perils of not doing a little planning for college students.

WHAT WE OFFER?

Health Care Power of Attorney - This document allows you access to your student's medical records and to receive information from their doctor or hospital; it also allows you to make health care decisions on their behalf if necessary.
Student Version of a General Power of Attorney - This will allow you to have authority over financial or legal matters such as: addressing bank accounts, apartment leases, car registrations, automobile insurance, etc., if your student is unable to do so himself/herself.

WHY WE OFFER IT?

A Recent Article in Forbes Outlines the Danger:

"If you are about to send a child off to college or to a gap-year program, you're probably busy with last-minute shopping, packing, and worrying about roommates. Here's one more thing you should do as you prepare for the big separation: Ask this young adult to sign a durable power of attorney and a health care proxy.

These two estate planning documents, more commonly associated with older folks, are essential for younger people too. Without them, in most states parents don't have the authority to make health care decisions or manage money for their children once they turn 18-even if they are paying the tuition, still have those children on their health insurance plans and claim them as dependents on their tax returns. That means if a young adult is in an accident and becomes disabled, even temporarily, a parent might need court approval to act on his or her behalf.

The risk is real. Accidents are the leading cause of death for young adults, and a quarter-million Americans between 18 and 25 are hospitalized with nonlethal injuries each year.

But it doesn't take something nearly that drastic for parents to need to act on a child's behalf. Bradley J. Franc, a lawyer with Houston Harbaugh in Pittsburgh, realized that two years ago, when his son Alex, then 19, was a sophomore at Penn State. After traveling to Mexico for spring break, Alex developed a severe intestinal bug that landed him in the college infirmary. Franc rushed to visit him there, only to find that doctors refused to discuss his son's condition, citing privacy concerns.

Fortunately, Alex Franc promptly recovered. But the temporary scare to his concerned parents could have been avoided if he had signed a health care proxy before he went off to college." (from Two Documents Every 18-Year-Old Should Sign" by Deborah L. Jacobs published in Forbes)

The cost of the College Package is only $295. For more information about our services and fees, please see our Fees Page .

So, don't wait until it's too late. Make an appointment for a free attorney consultation at Will & Trust Express and give yourself added peace of mind that you've done all you can to ease your child's transition into adulthood.

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