Experience with financial planners/advisors?

[tvguy]

a POA is valuable for the college students but I would HIGHLY recommend that anyone whose student is attending more than an 'errand's drive' away from home to find out what particular forms INDIVIDUAL entites need your student to fill out and have on file (and find out how long they are good for before they need to fill out a new one) for anything they may want/need parental help with. I overhear panicked calls between parents and student/frustrated calls between vendors/provider's and out of area parents all the time when I go into the university town near us. some of the common special releases of information/permission for you to act on your student's behalf seem to be-

university-permission to speak to them about ANYTHING. a separate one for the university's student health department (valuable if you are trying to co-ordinate an issue between that coverage and any other coverage your student has).

medical providers-like I said above whatever is required for the university health plan but ALSO you need whatever your student's other coverage requires (as well around us every provider group has their own form so it can be a nightmare dealing with an insurance glitch if all the forms are not in place). the local pharmacies also field allot of calls esp. when filling scrips from 'back home' and require a release on file for a parent to help sort it out.

rentals (b/c those online portals to report issues are not always responsive and your student may be in classes the limited time the rental office is open to speak with a live person). same with internet providers and local utilities.

I remember some controversy at my son's college parent orientation when they warned parents, that if your child is 18 or older, you have ABSOLUTELY no legal right to ANY information about them, grades, health care, etc, if they do not give you permission. Oh, and this applies even if you are completely financially responsible for your child's bills. You are still responsible for paying the bills. One woman stood up and tried to argue with the University official about that.
On a more humorous note, there was an audible gasp in the room when that University official also said...."look around this room, there is a 50-50 chance your child's future in-laws are in this room"

 

[amcnj]

I may be wrong, but I think even when my children started college and were still 17, the parents were out of the loop on everything, except the bills! But maybe the college just sent standard issue communications assuming all students were over 18. At the time I never looked into it, and just accepted my new role.