18 Year Olds Need Legal Documents to Avoid Court Entanglements

When a young adult reaches age 18 parents or other legal guardians may no longer have the ability to make decisions for them, access medical records or transact financial matters. To protect themselves young adults should sign at least basic legal documents. These include a: (1) financial power of attorney designing someone as agent to handle legal, tax and financial matters for them; (2) a health care proxy designating someone as agent to handle medical decision making if the young person cannot do so for themselves. These two should be done at minimum. If the young person also has, or may come into, any measurable wealth a simple will should at minimum be signed. Sometimes custodial accounts (UGAMA or UTMA) were created for a child that grow to material sums of money. The young adult may not be aware of them but, depending on state law and how the account was set up, those funds may be solely the property of the young person at age 18. In many cases simple documents to address an “just in case” situation may be all that is necessary.