When Your Child Heads Off to College, Things Change Overnight

Your Child Is Heading Off to College. Have You Thought About These Important Legal Documents?

As the summer starts to wind down, sending your son or daughter off to college is an exciting milestone. Between buying dorm supplies, registering for classes, and moving into a new apartment or residence hall, there's already plenty on your to-do list.

But there's one important item that many Louisiana families overlook—making sure their college student has the legal documents in place that allow parents or another trusted adult to help if an emergency happens.

Once your child turns 18 years old, they are legally considered an adult. That means even if you're paying their tuition, covering their health insurance, or claiming them as a dependent, you no longer automatically have the legal authority to make decisions or access important information on their behalf.

Here are three documents every Louisiana college student should consider before leaving home.

Medical Power of Attorney

Imagine your college student is involved in an accident or experiences a serious medical emergency while away at school.

Without the proper legal documents, healthcare providers may be limited in what they can discuss with you or whether they can accept your input regarding your child's medical care.

A Medical Power of Attorney (sometimes called a Healthcare Power of Attorney) allows your adult child to designate someone they trust—often a parent—to make healthcare decisions if they become unable to communicate those decisions themselves.

Having this document in place can provide peace of mind for both parents and students during an already stressful situation.

Property (Financial) Power of Attorney

College students often have bank accounts, vehicles, apartments, utility accounts, insurance policies, and other financial responsibilities.

A Property Power of Attorney allows a trusted individual to assist with financial or legal matters if the student is unable to handle them personally.

Depending on how the document is drafted, this authority may include helping with:

• Banking transactions
• Vehicle title or registration matters
• Signing important documents
• Managing financial accounts
• Handling insurance or property-related issues

This can be especially valuable if your student is attending school out of town or out of state and something unexpected happens.

Living Will (Declaration)

While no one wants to think about worst-case scenarios, every adult should consider preparing a Living Will, also known as an advance directive.

A Living Will allows your child to express their wishes regarding certain end-of-life medical decisions if they are ever unable to communicate those wishes themselves.

Rather than leaving loved ones to make incredibly difficult decisions during an emotional time, this document provides clear guidance about the individual's preferences.

For many families, completing a Living Will offers reassurance that their loved one's wishes will be respected.

Why These Documents Matter at Age 18

One of the biggest misconceptions parents have is believing they automatically retain legal authority over their child after high school.

In reality, once your child becomes an adult, many decisions become legally theirs alone.

Preparing these documents before your student leaves for college is often much easier than trying to coordinate signatures from another city or state during an emergency.

Louisiana Notarial Requirements

Many estate planning and authorization documents require specific legal formalities under Louisiana law, including proper execution before a notary public and, in some cases, witnesses.

Having these documents prepared and notarized correctly helps ensure they are legally valid when they're needed most.

Because Louisiana follows a civil law system that differs from most other states, it's important to make sure documents intended for use in Louisiana comply with Louisiana legal requirements.

Start the School Year Prepared

Most parents spend weeks preparing for college by buying laptops, bedding, and textbooks.

Taking a little time to prepare these important legal documents can be just as valuable.

At Clearview Auto Title & Notary, we help Louisiana families properly execute important notarial documents so students can head off to college with one less thing to worry about.

If your child is preparing to leave for college this fall, stop by one of our convenient locations. We'll be happy to answer questions about Louisiana notarization requirements and help ensure your documents are properly signed and notarized.