Your Child is 18, Now What?: College Preparedness in the Event of an Emergency

When your child turns eighteen, they become a legal adult and many exciting things happen. Your child can buy a lottery ticket, vote in elections, and go sky diving. However, parents and children often overlook the less exciting changes turning eighteen brings. One of the less exciting changes is your ability to access your child’s medical information.

As a parent, you make every medical decision for your child. When your child turns eighteen, you are no longer the person doctors turn to for medical decisions. This means if something happens to your child, you cannot decide how they are treated.

Don’t worry, there is something you can do. A Medical Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal document your child can draft appointing an individual to make health care decisions for them in the event they become incapacitated due to a serious injury or illness. This means, your child can list you as the person to make their medical decisions in the event of an emergency.

Without a Medical POA, the only way you can make medical decisions for your child during an emergency is by securing guardianship rights through the court. This is a costly and time-consuming process no parent wants to go through, especially during a stressful time.

In Texas, the process of creating a Medical POA is easy. To create a valid Medical POA your child must be eighteen, competent, and sign the document in the presence of two witnesses. The witnesses must also sign the document. If you do not have two witnesses, your child may sign the document before a notary public and have it notarized.

Once you complete the steps necessary to create a Medical POA you are all set. The Medical POA will become effective immediately and lasts as long as your child wants it to.

If your child is about to turn eighteen or just turned eighteen, now is a great time to look into a Medical POA. As you start making a list of things your child needs when they go off to college or move out of your house, add a Medical POA to the list. It can save you time in money in the future. Plus, it may help you sleep better at night.

If you need assistance putting together a Medical POA, call Tessmer Law Firm today at 210-368-9708 to schedule a consultation!

ABOUT REEEDER CONSULTING: Reeder Consulting: College & Career Paths of San Antonio is a career development specialist serving clients throughout the US. Reeder Consulting is committed to helping individuals through a comprehensive decision-making approach, working with individuals 14+ to help identify careers aligned with their aptitudes, interests, and personality. Reeder Consulting is passionate about educating young adults about their natural abilities and help reduce the anxiety they are under during the most stressful time of deciding what to do for the rest of their lives. Reeder Consulting is dedicated to educating parents and young adults about how to maintain balance and perspective. By pursuing this balance, they can quiet the noise and “Proceed with Confidence,” which is why Reeder Consulting introduced the Angst Documentary to the San Antonio community in 2018.