Your child just turned 18. Legally, you're now a stranger.
On their 18th birthday, the law slams a door: doctors can't tell you anything, the bank won't talk to you, the college won't release a single grade — even in an emergency. 18 & Protected is a free packet of four Florida documents that gives a trusted parent the right to step in when it matters most.
Free · Build it online in minutes · We'll help you notarize · Created by Arthur Simpson, Esq.
The phone call no parent is ready for.
Your college freshman is in the ER three hours away. You call the hospital — and they won't tell you a thing, because your 18-year-old is now a legal adult and hasn't signed a HIPAA release. You can't make a medical decision. You can't move money to cover the bill. You can't even find out what's wrong. It's the single most common — and most preventable — crisis families hit, and almost no one knows about it until it happens.
Four documents. One protected young adult.
Health Care Surrogate
Names a parent or trusted adult to make medical decisions if your young adult can't speak for themselves.
Fla. Stat. § 765.202HIPAA Authorization
Lets doctors and hospitals actually share medical information with you — the document that gets you answers on the phone.
45 CFR § 164.508Durable Power of Attorney
Allows a parent to handle finances, insurance, and legal matters — pay a bill, manage an account, sign a form — if needed.
Fla. Stat. § 709.2105FERPA Waiver
Permits the college to release grades, billing, and disciplinary records to a parent — so you're not flying blind.
20 U.S.C. § 1232gBuilt for the moment everything changes.
Parents of a new 18-year-old — before they head to college, take a gap year, or move out. Young adults 18–25 who want a parent able to help in a pinch without giving up independence. Grandparents and guardians who want the family covered. If there's an 18th birthday on the calendar, this packet belongs on the gift list.
Three steps, signed correctly, actually valid.
Make all four documents in about five minutes.
Answer a few simple questions and our builder generates your young adult's Health Care Surrogate, HIPAA authorization, Durable Power of Attorney, and FERPA waiver — personalized, on real Florida forms, free. No payment, no email wall.
When you're done, you choose how to make it official: notarize in person with us, by remote online notary (RON), or take it to any notary yourself — with a step-by-step signing checklist either way.
Free self-help resource — not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created. Documents are drafts; Florida execution rules are strict (the Power of Attorney requires a notary and two witnesses). Attorney advertising.
You just protected your kid. Who's protecting you?
The same documents your 18-year-old needs, you need too — plus a will or trust, homestead protection, and a plan for your family. Most parents who get this packet realize they've never finished their own. We can fix that in one sitting.
Common questions.
Because they're now a legal adult. HIPAA blocks doctors from sharing medical info, banks won't deal with you, and FERPA stops colleges from releasing records — unless your child has signed documents authorizing it. These four documents restore your ability to help.
Yes — it's a community service from Truestead Law. It's a self-help resource (no attorney-client relationship). If you'd like documents prepared or signing supervised by an attorney, that option is available too.
No. These documents let a trusted person step in if needed — they don't take away the young adult's own control. Your child chooses who, and can change or revoke it anytime.
This packet is built for Florida law and Florida residents/students. If your young adult is at an out-of-state school, the home-state documents still help, but contact us about state-specific needs.
Our general FERPA consent helps, but many colleges also require their own FERPA form through the student portal. We tell you exactly how to handle both so nothing falls through the cracks.
Don't wait for the emergency to find out.
Get the free 18 & Protected packet today — and make sure that if your young adult ever needs you, the law lets you help.
The 18 & Protected packet is general information and self-help material provided free of charge; it is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Florida document execution requirements are strict and document-specific. For documents prepared, reviewed, or executed under attorney supervision, engage Truestead Law directly. Truestead Law, PLLC is licensed in the State of Florida. Attorney advertising.