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Life event
Your Child Turning 18: what to review in your estate plan
At 18, a young person becomes a legal adult. Parents lose automatic authority to speak with doctors, see medical records, or handle money, even if the child is away at school or has a disability.
Worth reviewing
- A health care power of attorney and records release for your young adult
- A financial power of attorney
- For a child with a disability: whether guardianship, or a less restrictive alternative, is the right fit
- Whether public benefits apply, and how an inheritance should be left to protect them
Documents to look at first
For this life event, these are the documents most often affected. Your own list depends on your family and what you have already signed.
- Health care power of attorney and living will
- Financial power of attorney
- Guardian nominations for children
- Special needs planning
When to act
Before the 18th birthday.
Related life events
Not sure where your plan stands?
A consultation is the place to talk through what has changed and what to update first. Nothing is finalized until we have talked.
This page is general information about Illinois law and is not legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship. See the Disclaimer. Last updated October 2026.