Q: My daughter is heading off to college in a few short weeks. Are there any legal documents she should to have in place before she leaves?
A: Absolutely. You've asked an excellent question, and one which more parents should ask. Now that your daughter is 18, she is legally competent to sign documents on her own behalf. There are three documents I would recommend your daughter sign before she leaves home.
1. Medical Advance Directive: Accidents
do happen. You don't want to have to go to court to
receive authority to act on behalf of your daughter. Instead,
your daughter should sign a medical advance directive to authorize
a parent (or other trusted adult) to make health care decisions for
her, in case she cannot. In New Hampshire, this document is
called a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care. (See New
Hampshire RSA Section 137-J:20.) The document only takes
effect if your daughter lacks capacity to make her own health care
decisions. The document must either be signed by two
witnesses, or before a notary public or a justice of the peace.
Your daughter should give her doctor, her college health
center, and you a copy of the document. She may also choose
to sign a separate "Living Will" which expresses her
wishes if she is near death and not expected to recover. In
New Hampshire, this is a separate document and she is not obligated
to sign a Living Will at the same time she signs the Durable Power
of Attorney for Health Care.
2. HIPAA Release: The Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires health care
providers to protect personally identifiable health information
from disclosure. Now that your daughter is 18, health care
professionals (including college infirmaries and hospitals) are not
required to release or disclose protected health information to you
unless your daughter authorizes the disclosure, even though she may
still be covered by your health insurance. A simple HIPAA
release authorizing the disclosure of protected health information
is a wise precaution.
3. Power of Attorney for Financial Affairs:
This document allows your daughter to designate a trusted
individual (called an attorney-in-fact or an agent) to make
financial and other non-health care decisions for her. Maybe
she is traveling abroad and an emergency arises, or maybe she will
want to you sign a lease or other legal document. Because
this document grants broad authority to the holder of the power,
your daughter should only appoint a parent or other trusted adult
to serve as her agent.
Asking your daughter to sign these documents protects her and
enables you to help her out, if she needs it. The Scout motto
of "Be Prepared" is the watchword of the day.
Published in the Manchester Union Leader - August 2015
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.