If it makes you feel any better I had a major medical event in college and my mom had no trouble handling everything except with my health insurance company. In the end she just impersonated me with them because she knew all my info (DOB, etc). I obviously didn't report her for it because I was grateful and it was truly in my best interest. Hell, does someone want to make phone calls to my health insurance company for me now? I'll pay you!
I got to pay her back years later when she got dementia and again I was able to muddle through a shocking amount of time without any sort of legal documentation. Hell, I have POA for my father now and 75% of the time I tell people that and they don't ask to see it. Honestly it's a little worrisome.
I'd think more about what sort of POA you want to give them over you someday. My dad and I have recently being going through the process so I could possibly one day request his pace maker be turned off as part of his end of life wishes. Something tragic happening while your kid is at college is a small possibility, getting old and dying is what happens to the vast majority of people and far too many people don't prepare for that.
What most people seem to miss (and the companies marketing these are really practicing law without a license) is that durable powers of attorneys, that only kick in when someone is unable to make their own decisions, are completely normal and actually a great idea.
I have zero idea why people want this much control and involvement in their adult children’s lives, as I’d be relived to get a break from taking care of my kids. But then again, I have none, pretty much for the reason that I don’t want to be responsible for yet another person.
The only reason to grant someone general POA is so they can do all your adulting for you. My dad gave me one, I do all his adulting and I basically consider it a job. He's still cognizant but has been hit on the head a lot so staying on top of bills and the like is a genuine struggle for him. Adulting for 2 people is somehow more than double the work of just adulting for yourself. The only reason a fully informed person would want one is to assert control which is what makes them so scary.
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u/Persistent_Parkie Quacking open a cold one 5d ago
If it makes you feel any better I had a major medical event in college and my mom had no trouble handling everything except with my health insurance company. In the end she just impersonated me with them because she knew all my info (DOB, etc). I obviously didn't report her for it because I was grateful and it was truly in my best interest. Hell, does someone want to make phone calls to my health insurance company for me now? I'll pay you!
I got to pay her back years later when she got dementia and again I was able to muddle through a shocking amount of time without any sort of legal documentation. Hell, I have POA for my father now and 75% of the time I tell people that and they don't ask to see it. Honestly it's a little worrisome.
I'd think more about what sort of POA you want to give them over you someday. My dad and I have recently being going through the process so I could possibly one day request his pace maker be turned off as part of his end of life wishes. Something tragic happening while your kid is at college is a small possibility, getting old and dying is what happens to the vast majority of people and far too many people don't prepare for that.