Congratulations!! You have graduated from high school and are now an adult. There is a secret they have been withholding from you, that you really need to know:
- Your parents no longer have any special rights or privileges to control your life, now that you are 18 years old. Of course, if you are still financially dependent on them, they can use money as an incentive for you to do things they want. But the law does not recognize that type of relationship. If you are severely injured or ill, such as having contracted a brain injury through a car accident or covid resulting in a debilitating condition, no one has the authority to manage your checking account, end your lease, take your dog to the vet, or make medical decisions for you, just to name a few of the things you would need someone to do for you. You are on your own.
- You now need to sign Powers of Attorney. There are two kinds you absolutely need. (No, I do not know why they do not teach you this in high school.) A Health Care Power of Attorney allows someone, whom you name in advance, to have the authority to make healthcare decisions for you, if you are not able to make them for yourself. A General Durable Power of Attorney allows someone to help you with everything else, from managing your bank account, talking to the phone and utility companies, starting or ending a lease, etc.
You designate the person who will be in charge. You can change either document at any point in the future, that you want to. You can name a parent or any other adult as the person who would be in charge.
For injured people who have not done this, it will cost approximately $3,000 in legal fees to put a guardianship and conservatorship in place, even if everyone agrees that it is a good idea.
- How do I get Powers of Attorney? Great question! Although blank forms are all over the internet, do not do it that way. The problem is that you do not know what you do not know. Therefore, the information you put in the blanks may not have the effect you actually want, or the documents could get rejected by whomever has asked to see them. Get them from a lawyer.
- How much do they cost? The price varies from $50 (our office) to $300 depending on which law firm you use. It is worth it to get legal advice from a lawyer when you actually need it. Establishing a relationship with a lawyer by having her/him do your Powers of Attorney is a great way to start that relationship. Consider asking for Powers of Attorney as a graduation gift, or when you’re shaking the checks out of your graduation cards, earmark some of that money to take your very first adult step and get your Powers of Attorney in place.
