What Your Child Needs before Heading to College

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It isn’t just money and clothes on the list, when leaving home for that freshman year in college.

Parents want what is best for their children.  There are a few things that should be done before a child goes off to college, according to the Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog in "Five Essentials for College Freshman."

Things that you can do include:

  • Get your child a health care power of attorney. If your child has a medical emergency, you will want to make sure you or someone else has the legal authority to make important health care decisions.
  • Get your child a general durable power of attorney. This will make it so you or someone else can handle your child's finances in an emergency.
  • Get your child a will. While hopefully not necessary, should the worst happen, it would be good for your child to have a will. If nothing else, getting a will should help your child understand why having a will is important.
  • Make sure that your child knows about cyber security and how to protect their identity. The internet is still a dangerous place in many ways. Future employers also know all about social media.
  • Have your child get a credit card. It is possible your child might abuse it, but establishing credit early is important enough to take that risk.

Reference: Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog (July 12, 2017) "Five Essentials for College Freshman"

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