Save money on college just by opening your email
Your student has the dorm room, the meal plan, the extra-long twin sheets, the laptop charger and approximately 47 things from Target that you are fairly certain no human being has ever needed.
But there may be something much more important missing from the college checklist:
The paperwork that allows you to help when your student needs you.
Once your child turns 18, they are legally an adult. That means parents don’t automatically have the same access to educational, medical and financial information they had when their child was a minor.
So before move-in day—or as soon as possible afterward—here are a few forms every family should understand.
1. FERPA Authorization
What it is:
FERPA stands for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Once a student attends a postsecondary institution, FERPA rights generally belong to the student, regardless of age.
That means Mom or Dad can’t necessarily call the college and ask about grades, academic records or other protected educational information and expect the school to provide it.
Why it matters:
Your student can give the college permission to disclose certain educational information to you or another trusted person.
Where to find it:
Start with your student’s college portal, registrar or student records office. Search the school’s website for “FERPA authorization,” “FERPA release” or “authorized user.”
And remember: a FERPA authorization doesn’t mean parents suddenly have unlimited access to everything. The student controls the permission, and the school’s process determines what information can be disclosed.
2. HIPAA Authorization
Here’s the one that tends to surprise parents.
Your 18-year-old calls from college and says, “Mom, I’m at the hospital.”
You call the hospital wanting information.
And suddenly you discover that your college freshman is an adult and medical privacy rules apply.
What it is:
A HIPAA authorization allows your student to authorize healthcare providers to share specified medical information with designated people.
Why it matters:
If your student becomes sick or injured, this authorization may make it easier for healthcare providers to communicate with you when your student has permitted it.
Where to find it:
A doctor’s office or healthcare system may provide its own HIPAA authorization form. Families can also discuss appropriate documents with an attorney, particularly if a student will be attending college in another state.
3. Medical Power of Attorney / Healthcare Proxy
This is different from simply receiving medical information.
What it is:
Depending on the state, this may be called a medical power of attorney, healthcare proxy, healthcare power of attorney or healthcare agent designation. It allows an adult to designate someone to make healthcare decisions under the circumstances specified by state law and the document.
Why it matters:
If your student were unable to make medical decisions for themselves, having the appropriate document in place could be very important.
Where to find it:
Because these documents are governed by state law, start with your state’s official government or health agency website, or consult a qualified attorney. If your student attends college in another state, ask whether additional documentation is advisable there.
4. Durable Financial Power of Attorney
Nobody likes imagining an emergency. But this is precisely why we prepare before one happens.
What it is:
A financial power of attorney can authorize someone to handle certain financial or legal matters on another person’s behalf. Depending on how it is written and applicable state law, that could include things such as banking, bills, leases or other financial matters.
Why it matters:
If your student becomes unable to manage important financial matters, an appropriately prepared power of attorney may allow a trusted person to step in.
Where to find it:
Because power-of-attorney laws vary by state and these documents can grant significant authority, this is one to discuss with a qualified attorney or obtain through your state’s official resources rather than downloading the first form that appears in a Google search.
5. College Authorized-Payer Access
This isn’t really a legal document, but I’m putting it on the list because it can save you approximately 93 emails and one family argument.
Many colleges have a separate authorization system for tuition bills and student accounts.
What it does:
Your student may be able to designate a parent or another person as an authorized payer or user.
Why it matters:
Even if you’re paying the tuition bill, you may not automatically have access to the student’s account.
Where to find it:
Look in the college’s student portal or contact the bursar/student accounts office. Search for “authorized payer,” “proxy access” or “parent access.”
One More Important Step: Make a College Emergency Folder
Before everyone gets busy, create one secure place where your family knows how to locate important information.
Consider including:
- Copies or locations of completed legal authorizations
- Health insurance information
- Prescription and pharmacy information
- College emergency contacts
- Student ID information
- Housing contact information
- Vehicle and insurance information, if applicable
- Important financial and tuition contacts
- Instructions for accessing documents in an emergency
Don’t casually email sensitive documents or leave Social Security numbers and other personal information sitting in an unsecured shared folder. Store sensitive information securely and make sure the right people know how to access it if it’s ever needed.
Money Monday Takeaway
Sending a child to college isn’t only about scholarships, tuition and financial aid.
It’s also about helping them learn how to manage the responsibilities that come with adulthood.
So sometime between buying the shower caddy and wondering how one child accumulated 14 hoodies, sit down together and talk about these documents.
Hopefully, you will never need most of them.
But an emergency is a terrible time to discover the form you needed was never completed.
This information is educational and is not legal advice. Requirements vary by state and institution. Families should verify requirements with the student’s college, healthcare providers, state agencies and, when appropriate, a qualified attorney.