Back to School, Back to Your Binder: Why September Is Secretly Estate Planning Season

Somewhere between buying the fourteenth glue stick your kindergartner will lose and Googling “is it normal to cry when the bus pulls away,” you probably weren’t thinking about your will. Understandable. Nobody’s Pinterest board says “Fall Vibes: Pumpkin Spice, Plaid, and Power of Attorney.” But hear me out: back-to-school season is basically a free calendar reminder for grown-up things. Your kids are leveling up — new grade, new backpack, new questionable haircut they chose themselves — and your legal paperwork should level up with them. Think of it as annual maintenance, like rotating your tires, except instead of tires it’s who gets your children and your money if the unthinkable happens. So let’s break it down by age group, because apparently even estate planning has grade levels now.

For the Lunchbox Crowd: Minor Children and Guardianship -- Name a guardian. This is the big one. If something happens to you, who raises your kids? Your sister who runs marathons and meal-preps? Your brother-in-law who still hasn’t returned the leaf blower he borrowed in 2019? Choose wisely, name a backup, and for the love of all that is holy, actually tell that person you picked them. Surprise guardianship is not a ‘fun’ surprise.

Review minor trusts. Without one, your child could inherit their entire nest egg the moment they turn 18 — an age at which many humans still believe gas station sushi is a good idea. A structured trust doles out funds responsibly over time, instead of handing an 18-year-old a check that could easily become a cherry-red convertible and a regrettable tattoo.

Update your beneficiaries. Life insurance and retirement accounts don’t care what your will says — they pay out to whoever is listed on the form, even if that form is older than your child’s entire academic career. Dig it up, dust it off, and make sure the names actually match your current plan (and your current spouse, if applicable).

For the Dorm Room Crowd: College Kids and Young Adults -- Plot twist nobody warns you about: the moment your child turns 18, you legally become a stranger to their medical chart. Doesn’t matter that you nursed them through chicken pox, three broken arms, and one memorable incident involving a trampoline and poor decision-making. Legally, they’re an adult now, and adults get privacy — even from Mom and Dad.

Medical Power of Attorney lets your young adult designate you (or someone) to make medical decisions if they can’t make them for themselves. And a HIPAA Authorization is the permission slip that lets doctors actually talk to you. Without it, you could be standing in a hospital hallway getting stonewalled by a very polite nurse who legally cannot tell you anything, including whether your kid is okay.

Financial Power of Attorney means you can help manage bills, bank accounts, or a lease if your young adult is incapacitated or just, say, on a semester abroad with spotty WiFi. It’s the difference between “I’ve got this handled” and “the apartment complex is threatening to auction off a futon.”

The Homework Assignment -- None of this requires a dramatic life overhaul — just an afternoon, a few documents, and maybe a coffee. Consider it back-to-school shopping for your future self: less exciting than new sneakers, considerably more useful than a fourth glue stick.

So while you’re filling out emergency contact forms for the school, take five extra minutes to make sure your own paperwork is just as prepared. Your family will thank you — possibly not with a hand-drawn card, but the sentiment is the same. And if you need it, I can help.