Legal Documents Your Child Needs to Sign Before Heading to College

by Laurie Peltier, former financial aid officer at Becker College If your child is headed off to college in the fall, you are probably worrying about a lot of things: What if they have a medical emergency while at school? What if they run out of money? How will I know they are passing their courses if I don’t see any of their school work? There are documents pertaining to health, money, and college records that your child can sign to give you some peace of mind. Not all of these are required, but you may want to consider if you need them or not. Health The health of your child is of your utmost concern, and this does not end when they go off to college. However, when your child turns 18, your access to their medical records ends unless you complete a form called a HIPAA Authorization. Your child signs the authorization, giving you access to their records, appointments, test results, etc. Talk to your pediatrician’s office about completing a form, along with a Health Care Proxy (also known as a Health Care Power of Attorney). If your child is attending college out of state, you should complete a proxy form in that state as well, as the laws vary by state. Keep copies of these records in a safe place and also save electronic copies so you can retrieve them quickly. Your child may need a physical and proof that they are up-to-date with immunizations before moving on to campus—that is a perfect time for you and your child to sign these forms in front of a witness. Note that many colleges are now requiring the COVID vaccine as well. Finances You want your child to be responsible for their money, but what if they need money in an emergency? Do they have access to a credit card? Can you transfer money to their account? Opening a bank account or credit card attached to your account will allow you to monitor their spending and make it easy to transfer money to the student. What if the student loses their wallet? Keep copies of the front and back of all credit, debit, and insurance cards, in case you need to report them lost or cancel them. Students today can easily take pictures of their important documents and keep them on their phones. Some families choose to work with an attorney to draw up Health Care and Financial Power of Attorney forms, so that they can act on the child’s behalf in financial matters as well. Student Records The college will ask your student to complete a Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) form, typically at orientation. This is a document that will allow you to access to your student’s academic and financial information. Speak to your child about including your name, along with any other family members that need access to this information, on the form. Otherwise, when you call the Financial Aid Office to check on the status of a loan, the Bursar’s Office to check the balance on the account, or the Registrar’s Office to check your child’s grade point average, you will be denied access. Taking these steps prior to the start of college will give you, as a parent, the peace of mind you need as your child heads out of sight, but not out of mind.