Facebook Live Lemonade on the Porch: What do DoorDash and POA Have in Common?

 

Facebook Live Lemonade on the Porch: What do DoorDash and POA Have in Common?

 

 

Hello, my lovelies. Welcome to Lemonade on the Porch with Kerlin Walsh Law. 

 

I have been comforting my friends for such a long time as they sent their children off to college, and this year I was in that position myself. My two oldest sons started university. My son Tomas started UIC, so he is in Chicago and is staying at home. But my James went to Berkely, California, and I just went there to drop him off. The first couple of days, we toured the campus, long, dusty lines, waiting for elevators…we were both just glad at night for him to get to his dorm and me to my hotel. But when we met for breakfast the next morning, the flood gates just opened. We were emotional and vulnerable and admitted how scared we were about this parting and this big new step for him. We just let down our guard. Honestly, it was very sad, but it was wonderful, because I was able to get to the heart of my boy. As I sat at the airport then waiting for my plane, I wrote a letter to him that just poured out of me, to let him know how loved he was, to let him know that he was coursing with who I am and who my husband is, who our families are. That he had this! He’s got this! He was going to be terrific. Really sad, really emotional, but that’s what we raised them for, to go out into the world and forge their own way.

 

But I tell you about James going off to California because it relates to one of the subjects we talk about from time to time. Before both my boys went off to university and as they turned 18 I asked them to give me and my husband Power of Attorney for Finance, Healthcare and FERPA release for their educational information. They both were a little like, “Hmm, what, so you want to check up on us?!” I just told them I needed that, lest there be some way I needed to help them or if there was an emergency.

 

So James gets to Berkeley, California. It’s a huge campus. He’s a couple of blocks off on hall so the first thing he did was get himself a bike and got it registered. As an enterprising young man (he’s been working since he was 15), he decided he would sign up for DoorDash and maybe do a couple of hours work between two and four and he’d have some pocket money. So, he tries to sign up for DoorDash and realizes that he doesn’t have his bank information, calls Mom, “Could you send me my bank account and routing number?” I looked at the statement. The routing number is on there, but no bank account. It’s not on the statement anymore because of security. “Okay, so just go to the bank and get it, Mom.” Well, guess what, James? They’re not going to give me your account information because you’re an adult, without the Power of Attorney.

 

So this boy is not one week in college before I need to use the Power of Attorney for Finance that he gave me!

 

So Moms and Dads, if you’ve just dropped your child off to college, make sure when you see them next that you get a Power of Attorney for Finance, Healthcare, HIPAA release for their healthcare privacy waiver, and a FERPA release for their educational information. This means that you can go to the bank for them to get them set up for DoorDash. It means that you can fill a prescription for them. It means that you can pay their tuition for them. It means that you can find out if they’re enrolled. It means that you can find out if they are getting the grades that are expected under the privilege of being there in the first place if it’s all panning out.

 

So I wanted to remind you how important that is. These little documents are so inexpensive. If you’re my client, I create these for you complementary. They’re valuable. We need them for practical reasons and Lord forbid, if there was a an emergency you would be able to get to find out how your child is doing, if they’re in a hospital or you can step in right away even if it’s midnight at the weekend and be able to help them the way we know you would want to.

 

A reminder, here’s a link to information that we have submitted to you before for this (Teen Turning 18?! How to Stay in the Know!). You can make sure as they go through these next few years of college, to still be there to help them in any way that they need you to be. Believe me, they will still need you.

 

Thanks for watching and I will see you next time on Lemonade on the Porch with Kerlin Walsh Law.