Your Kid Turned 18—Now What? 5 Things Every Parent Needs to Do (Besides Freak Out)
So, your baby just turned 18. Legally an adult. Emotionally? Still asking you how to do laundry and if they can stay on your Netflix account.
But here's the thing—once they hit that magic number, the law sees them differently. And if you’re not ready, you’re going to get hit with a rude legal awakening.
Here are five things every parent should do when their kid turns 18 (besides crying into a cupcake):
1. 📄 Get a Durable Power of Attorney (POA)
If your adult child gets into an accident or becomes incapacitated, you can’t just swoop in and make financial decisions anymore.
With a signed POA, you can help manage their bank accounts, sign documents, and make legal decisions—without a court order.
Translation: No POA = You’re locked out. Of everything.
2. 🏥 Get a Healthcare Power of Attorney & HIPAA Release
Doctors can’t talk to you. Hospitals won’t give you info.
Even if you’re footing the insurance bill, you’re a legal stranger unless they’ve signed a HIPAA release and named you in a medical power of attorney.
Worst-case scenario: They’re unconscious and the hospital won’t even tell you what room they’re in.
Solution: Sign the form before something bad happens.
3. 🛠️ Talk Finances, Credit, and Adulting 101
Just because they can open a credit card doesn’t mean they should.
Make sure they understand:
How credit works
What a budget is
How interest will quietly ruin their life
Why they should call you before co-signing anything
You taught them how to drive. Now teach them how to not wreck their credit.
4. 📱 Secure Their Digital Life
Passwords, social accounts, iCloud, school portals—these are now their responsibility.
Make sure they know how to protect their data, store logins safely, and, if needed, grant you access in emergencies.
Bonus move: Set up a shared password manager. Trust, but verify.
5. 🔒 Have the “Legal Consequences Are Real Now” Talk
They’re not a juvenile anymore. That means:
Dumb decisions = permanent records
Underage drinking = actual criminal charges
Sexting = possibly sex offender status
You can’t “call the school” to smooth it over
It’s time for the real-world consequences pep talk—minus the eye rolls.
Final Thoughts:
Turning 18 doesn’t mean your kid suddenly becomes a functioning adult (spoiler: most of us still aren’t). But it does mean the legal safety net changes—and fast.
Get the paperwork done, have the uncomfortable convos, and make sure your kid’s got the tools they need to launch.
Because adulting is hard enough. Don’t let a missing form make it worse.
🗨️ Your Family. Your Future. Your Foundation.™
Because life isn’t always simple—but your legal planning can be.