Important Reminders When Your Child Turns 18
Kids’ ages and stages go by so rapidly, it feels like parental whiplash between excitement for the next stage and nostalgia for the stage that has passed. This checklist is intended to help you take a step back and provide reminders for crucial tasks that should be considered when your toothy-grinned toddler suddenly becomes a legal adult.
You’ll find the checklist divided into things you should do regardless of their future plans, and suggestions that may or may not be applicable depending on what your family has emphasized and discussed over the past 18 years.
You can download a free printable copy of the checklist from my resource library.
1) Complete Important Legal Paperwork
When your child turns 18, it’s time to have them complete and sign certain legal documents that are unnecessary prior to that 18th birthday.
Once they turn 18, you as a parent lose the ability to access information or act on their behalf (even if you’re paying their college tuition).
DOCUMENTS YOUR 18-YEAR OLD SHOULD SIGN
- durable financial power of attorney (POA)
- medical power of attorney (MPOA)
- living will/advanced directives/healthcare directives
- HIPAA release for parent healthcare access
- FERPA release (if attending college)
You’ll find financial power of attorney forms at various online law websites. Many of these offer a free download.. You may need to have witnesses or have it notarized.
The medical power of attorney/advance directive forms are usually available on your state health department website.
HIPAA releases will need to be completed for specific medical practices and FERPA releases are done through the educational institution.
LEGAL TASKS TO DO AT 18
- register to vote (U.S. Election Assistance Commission provides contact information for every state)
- selective service registration (if male, visit the Selective Service System website from the federal government to register)
- check insurance policy coverage (medical/auto/homeowners—generally can stay on parents health insurance until 26 and auto insurance policy while living at home or in college but may be exceptions if child buys their own car)
FINANCIAL TASKS TO DO AT 18
These tasks aren’t quite as critical as having paperwork completed in case of an emergency medical situation, but they are important for building toward a successful financial future.
- apply for a credit card
- credit freeze to prevent identity theft
- open a Roth IRA (if earning income)
- go over filing a tax return/tax forms
- create a will
APPLY FOR A CREDIT CARD
If your child is responsible with money, having a credit card can help them begin establishing a credit history that will help in the future as they seek to rent an apartment, get their own insurance policies, or apply for a car loan.
CREDIT FREEZE & CREDIT REPORT
THIS IS IMPORTANT…DO THIS!
One thing that is often overlooked as a powerful protection against identity theft is implementing a credit freeze. Once your child turns 18, it is much easier to access a credit report.
Go to AnnualCreditReport.com to request a free credit report from each of the three big credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. You can download a free credit report every year.
Encourage your child to set a reminder or calendar event to request their credit report annually. A birthday is a great trigger to remind you to do it!
Go through each credit report with your child to make sure there is nothing misreported.
Then follow the steps with each agency to enact a “credit freeze.”
You don’t need to sign up for the programs they are marketing to you on a subscription basis to protect your identity! Just find the menu item that indicates you want to place a security freeze.
This will ensure that no credit can be taken out unless the freeze is lifted. No one can open a credit card or get a loan in your name. Lifting the freeze is easy if your child needs to apply for credit. You can choose how long you want to remove the freeze and then have it reinstated.
OPEN A ROTH IRA
If your child has a job where they are earning income, encourage them to open a Roth IRA. Or you can be generous and fund one for them, up to the limit of their earned income or the IRS contribution limits.
A small amount of savings when they are young will reap tremendous benefits through the magic of compound interest over decades.
TAX FILING
Your 18-year old needs to learn how to file taxes. Typically at their age taxes are uncomplicated and can be filed for free through the IRS website’s FreeFile.
Whether you go over tax forms from a prior year’s tax return, show them the IRS website and the specific forms they will use, or wait until tax season and go through filing with them, it’s important to educate them in this area.
It probably goes without saying, but a quick overview or filing once will not be sufficient for them to be able to file taxes on their own. Plan to do this with them multiple years to help them gain confidence and proficiency.
Finally, you may help your 18-year old create their own will. They probably don’t have many assets, but they may have accumulated savings, a vehicle, or a collection and have specific wishes about what happens to those items. It’s great training for them to be aware of the importance of keeping a will updated throughout their lives.
2) Prepare for Independent Living
You may have done some of these tasks with your teen already, but if you haven’t, start now.
- memorize social security number
- open a bank account
- create a resumé
- sign up for grocery store loyalty programs
- create a list of accounts with logins/passwords for parent to access in case of emergency (know your child’s phone pin or password)
Additional areas of preparation to discuss:
- career or educational plans
- learning household skills
- time management
- community involvement
Read: 140 Life Skills to Prepare Your Teen for Adulthood
3) Organize Recordkeeping
Give your teen a head start by creating a document file for them with copies of the following:
- social security card
- birth certificate
- passport
- driver’s license
- insurance cards
- medical records (immunizations, medications, etc.)
4) Discuss Decisions and Consequences
Hopefully you’ve been doing this for the past 18 years in an age-appropriate manner, but as your child turns 18, discuss decisions they will potentially make that have serious consequences.
- signing contracts (loans, leases)
- credit history/debt
- cybersecurity/online footprint
- jury duty and voting
- sex and relationships
SIGNING CONTRACTS
Your 18-year old should understand that as an adult they are liable for contracts they sign. Encourage them to seek advice from you or another trusted source before signing their name to loan or lease documents.
DEBT & CREDIT HISTORY
They should also be aware that credit offers are only to be used if they are able to pay the price in full when the bill comes due. Being overwhelmed with credit card debt is hard to dig out of.
The best way to avoid a spiraling debt crisis is to spend less than they earn.
CYBERSECURITY & ONLINE FOOTPRINT
At this point, teens may have spent a good deal of time online, but their decision making ability is still underdeveloped. Emphasize the importance of vetting what they see online, whether it’s a shopping website, a news article, or an invitation to an event.
Crooks have gotten very good at scamming us out of our money and identity. Teens should know not to click on links in emails unless they come from a very trusted source. They should know to look at the sender’s email address in a message purporting to be from a company they already do business with to make sure it is legitimate. Your child should make it a habit to go directly to a company’s official website to check on account balances or contact customer service instead of responding to inquiries via email or text.
Additionally, your teen should be aware that their online presence is available to future employers, along with anyone they may have a personal relationship with. They should think twice before posting every thought and action for the world to view.
JURY DUTY AND VOTING
If your child is registered to vote (as they should be), they may be called for jury duty. Make sure they know that jury duty is a mandatory obligation if called and there are fines and penalties for ignoring the summons.
Instill in your child an appreciation for the representative republic we have and the importance of exercising their right to vote.
Sex and Relationships
Recent research has claimed that teens are engaging in less sex and dating less than in previous generations. Talk to your child about the beauty of God’s design in reserving your sexuality for your spouse. There’s a well-documented “success sequence” that has found those who graduate high school, get a job, and get married before having children are the most stable and happy group.
Keep communication open about relationships they’re having and encourage them to ask for advice and input from you.
Checklist for Turning 18
Very often an 18-year old is still in high school, still living at home, still dependent upon you as the parent for physical and emotional needs in many ways.
These steps do not all need to be completed on their 18th birthday, but make a plan to check things off the list over the course of a few months. You can start working on some of them before they turn 18—download paperwork and have it ready to sign, start having conversations, make some lists.
Every task you complete is progress toward peace of mind for you and for them.
Visit my homeschool resources page for monthly unit study ideas, projects, and homeschool planning help!
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Checklist for When Your Child Turns 18
