<p>The Wall Street Journal's take on packing for college--the financial aspects. A discussion of, among other things, property and health insurance, checking accounts and health care power of attorney. I hadn't thought about that last item. They also recommend a power of attorney if your student will be out of the country.</p>
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After a few clients ran into difficulty getting information about adult children who were ill, Sheila Benninger, an attorney in Chapel Hill, N.C., began recommending that clients' children designate a health-care power of attorney after they turn 18 to identify who can speak for them if they can't.
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<p>Last-Minute</a> College Survival Guide - WSJ.com</p>
<p>Very useful inormation. Thanks, SlitheyTove. I cannot believe what we have to think about these days, my goodness!</p>
<p>Just met with our lawyer this morning and, among other things, had D1 complete a health care power of attorney before she leaves for college next week. Her health care POA empowers either parent acting individually, or both acting jointly, to make medical decisions if D1 is unable to do so, and to access her medical records/information. This basically just keeps in place the rights we had as parents before she turned 18. D1 is totally comfortable with it. Like most young people—and probably most parents—she prefers not to spend a lot of time thinking about “that morbid stuff.” But it’s important to cover these bases. You don’t want to end up with your kid in some hospital and you as a parent unable even to get information, much less participate in major medical decisions your child may not be able to make.</p>