Legal Documents Every College Student Should Have

The end of summer marks an exciting time for recent high school graduates as many of them will be heading off to college and university campuses to start a new chapter of their lives on their own.  While they may be prepared with books, supplies and dorm room essentials, there are a few legal documents that you probably did not think of but are essential to their safety.

Power of Attorney

Once your child turns 18, you no longer have any legal authority to make healthcare or financial decisions for them.  If something drastic were to happen, such as being involved in an accident or becoming extremely ill, and your child were to become unable to speak for themselves, a power of attorney would give you court approval to act on their behalf.  Accidents and sickness are very real possibilities so it is essential to have a qualified attorney like Churchill, Quinn, Richtman & Hamilton prepare this important document which would allow you to speak to doctors about care and gain access to medical and financial records and accounts.

Living Will

The living will document specifies which healthcare procedures they do or do not want if they were to become terminally ill or in a vegetative state.  While it is not a pleasant thought, it is important to know your child’s wishes about life-extending medical treatments or organ donation.

When it comes to a child, nobody wants to imagine the possibility that something could go wrong, but the reality is that life is very unpredictable and the best way to prepare is to have your affairs in order ahead of time.  Getting ready to head off to college is the perfect time to discuss these issues with your child, and to let them know that you want to always be there for them if they need you.

The legal team at Churchill, Quinn, Richtman & Hamilton can correctly prepare these important documents in order to ensure that there are no questions if the unexpected happens.  Call us at 847-223-1500 or visit dev-cqrh.pantheonsite.io for more information.

Referenced articles can be read HERE and HERE