{"id":7983,"date":"2026-07-06T10:16:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T15:16:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bgs.com\/blog\/?p=7983"},"modified":"2026-07-06T10:16:45","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T15:16:45","slug":"essential-legal-documents-for-every-college-bound-graduate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bgs.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/06\/essential-legal-documents-for-every-college-bound-graduate\/","title":{"rendered":"Essential Legal Documents for Every College-Bound Graduate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As students graduate from high school and look toward college, work opportunities, or travel plans, parents may already be helping them check off boxes on their preparation lists: furniture, bedding, textbooks, and laptops. But there are two crucial items that rarely make the list: a health care directive and a power of attorney. Every high school grad should have these essential legal documents prepared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Barna, Guzy & Steffen<\/a>, we often work with families<\/a> navigating major life transitions. One of the most significant transitions is when a child turns 18. While they may still feel like your baby, the law views them as legal adults. This legal shift has major implications, particularly in an emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is what every Minnesota parent and graduate needs to know about the two essential legal documents they should put in place before the graduate heads out on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Being \u201cMom and Dad\u201d Is No Longer Enough<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The moment your child turns 18, they gain the legal right to privacy regarding their medical, financial, and educational records. Because of strict federal laws like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), medical professionals are legally prohibited from sharing health information with you\u2014even if you are paying for their health insurance or college tuition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your child experiences a medical emergency or a financial crisis while away at college (or anywhere else), you cannot simply step in and make decisions or obtain information as you did when they were 17. Without the proper documents in place, a parent might be forced to petition a court for guardianship or conservatorship to help their child\u2014a stressful, costly, and time-consuming process during an already chaotic time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To prevent this, every young adult should sign two foundational estate planning<\/a> documents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Health Care Directive<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In Minnesota, a health care directive combines a living will and a durable power of attorney for health care. It allows your child to appoint a trusted person\u2014typically a parent\u2014as their health care agent, giving them authority to make medical decisions on their behalf if they become unable to communicate their wishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why It Matters:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n