For most families, turning 18 does not change the day-to-day relationship between a parent and child. Legally, however, parents should no longer assume they will have the same access to medical, educational, or financial information they had when their student was a minor.
That does not mean parents need control over every part of their student’s life. It means families should understand a few forms that may allow a trusted adult to help during an emergency or unexpected situation.
Start With a Conversation
These documents belong to the student. The student decides whom to name, what authority to provide, and how much information another person may access.
Before asking your student to sign anything, explain:
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What each form does
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When it may be used
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Who would receive authority or access
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Whether that authority begins immediately or only under specific circumstances
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How the student can update or revoke the document later
The goal is to make help available when it is genuinely needed, not to continue managing every decision for them.
HIPAA Authorization
A HIPAA authorization allows a student to give named individuals permission to receive certain medical information.
Without written authorization, a healthcare provider may still be permitted to share information with a family member involved in the student’s care under some circumstances. However, the provider is not always required to do so. A signed authorization can make the student’s wishes clearer.
The student may be able to specify:
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Who may receive information
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What information may be shared
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Which healthcare providers are covered
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How long the authorization remains in effect
A HIPAA authorization provides access to information. It does not give someone the authority to make medical decisions for the student.
Students may also encounter separate HIPAA or privacy forms at their primary care office, campus health center, therapist, hospital, or other healthcare provider. Those provider-specific forms may still need to be completed.
Healthcare Power of Attorney
A healthcare power of attorney allows a student to name someone to make healthcare decisions if the student cannot make or communicate those decisions.
Depending on the document and state law, that authority may begin only after a medical professional determines that the student is unable to make decisions. The student continues making their own healthcare decisions whenever they are able to do so.
The person named should be someone the student trusts to:
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Follow the student’s wishes
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Ask appropriate questions
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Communicate with medical professionals
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Make difficult decisions if necessary
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Remain calm during an emergency
A healthcare power of attorney and a HIPAA authorization serve different purposes. One may provide decision-making authority under defined circumstances. The other addresses access to protected health information.
Durable Financial Power of Attorney
A financial power of attorney allows a student to authorize someone to handle specific financial or legal matters on their behalf.
Depending on how the document is written, the person named may be able to help with matters such as:
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Banking or bill payment
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Insurance claims
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Tuition or housing issues
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Tax documents
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Leases or other contracts
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Financial matters during an illness, emergency, or extended trip
Some financial powers of attorney become effective as soon as they are signed. Others take effect only after a particular event, such as incapacity. Families should understand exactly what the document authorizes before the student signs it.
This form may provide broader authority than every student needs. It deserves a careful conversation, especially when the authority begins immediately.
FERPA Authorization
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, commonly called FERPA, generally transfers control of education records to the student when the student turns 18 or attends a postsecondary institution at any age.
A student may provide written consent allowing the college to share specified education records with a parent or another person. Many colleges handle this through the student portal or require their own authorization process.
FERPA authorization does not automatically give parents unlimited access to everything at the college. The consent may identify:
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Which records may be shared
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Who may receive them
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The reason for the disclosure
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How long the authorization remains active
FERPA also includes limited circumstances in which a college may disclose information without the student’s consent, including certain health or safety emergencies. College policies and the facts of the situation still matter.
Routine grades, class schedules, assignments, and academic communication should generally remain the student’s responsibility. A FERPA authorization can provide access when appropriate, but it should not become a substitute for the student managing their own college experience.
Decide Which Forms Make Sense
Not every family will need every form.
Some families complete a healthcare power of attorney, HIPAA authorization, financial power of attorney, and FERPA consent together. Others decide that only one or two are appropriate for their circumstances.
Consider factors such as:
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The student’s health and individual needs
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Whether the student attends college far from home
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Whether the student will study or travel abroad
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The type of financial responsibilities the student manages
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Who the student trusts to assist
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How much authority the student is comfortable providing
Families may work with an attorney, use forms provided by their state or college, or use a reputable legal-form service. If the student attends college in another state, ask whether documents are needed for one state or both.
Follow the Signing Requirements
Power-of-attorney requirements vary by state. A document may require witnesses, notarization, specific language, or other steps to be valid.
Do not sign forms and leave the remaining details for later. Read the instructions carefully and complete every required step while the student is home and available.
The student should also receive a complete copy of anything they sign. These are their documents, even if a parent helped arrange or pay for them.
Store the Documents Where They Can Be Reached
Completed forms are only useful if the right people can find them.
Keep the originals in a secure location and save protected digital copies that can be accessed when away from home. The student and anyone named in the documents should know where the copies are stored.
Depending on the form, a copy may also need to be provided to:
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A primary care provider
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A campus health center
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A hospital or specialist
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A college office
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A bank or financial institution
Do not assume every organization will keep a document on file indefinitely. Some may request a current copy when the need arises.
This is also a good time to organize the other important documents your college student should have access to, including identification, insurance information, prescriptions, and emergency contacts.
Review the Forms When Circumstances Change
These documents should not be completed once and forgotten.
Review them if the student:
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Moves to another state
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Transfers colleges
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Studies abroad
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Changes the person they want to assist them
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Opens new financial accounts
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No longer wants an authorization in place
The student should understand how to update or revoke each document and whom to notify if a change is made.
These forms are not about removing a student’s independence. They are a way for the student to decide in advance who may help, what that person may do, and when that authority should apply.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Requirements vary by state and situation. Consult a qualified attorney if you have questions about which documents are appropriate or how they should be completed.