For Young Adults

Stay in control, even when you can’t.
For Young Adults

Durable Power of Attorney – Lets your parents or someone you trust handle finances and legal stuff if you ever need help.

Patient Advocate Designation – Gives them the power to make medical decisions if you can’t.

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2 Forms

  • Durable Power of Attorney
  • Patient Advocate Designation

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What to Expect:
Durable Power of Attorney and Patient Advocate Designation for Young Adults

Individual Forms

Durable Power of Attorney

$25

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What to Expect:
Durable Power of Attorney

Patient Advocate Designation

$25

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What to Expect:
Patient Advocate Designation

Former probate and family judge Shana Lahti has created a simple, online DIY Durable Power of Attorney and Patient Advocate Designation for Young Adults that anyone can follow. Many people overspend on these services by hiring an expensive lawyer, but you don’t need to! You can handle your own Durable Power of Attorney and Patient Advocate Designation paperwork!

See Frequently Asked Questions

Who’s Got Your Back if You Can’t Decide for Yourself?

Turning 18 is a big deal—you’re officially an adult! That means you get to make all your own decisions. But here’s the catch: if something happens and you can’t make a decision (like a medical emergency), no one—not even your parents—can step in without the right paperwork.

That’s where two simple documents come in:

  • Power of Attorney (POA) for Young Adults – Lets someone you trust handle financial things if you’re unavailable (think: college, studying abroad, traveling).
  • Patient Advocate Designation – Allows a person you choose to make medical decisions for you if you’re unable to.

Why Should You Care?

Life is unpredictable. Accidents happen. Emergencies happen. Without these documents, your loved ones could be left scrambling, unsure of what to do.

The best part? It takes 10 minutes to get this done. Seriously. And it costs just $40 for both (or $25 each).

How It Works

  1. Pick someone you trust.
  2. Sign the documents.
  3. You’re covered—simple as that.

If something happens, the decisions made will be your choices, not just what others think you’d want.

Quick Breakdown

Power of Attorney for Young Adults

  • Gives someone permission to handle your finances if you can’t.
  • Essential for students, travelers, or anyone living away from home.
  • No court filing needed –Sign in front of a notary and witnesses and you are done!

Patient Advocate Designation

  • Allows someone to make medical decisions on your behalf if necessary.
  • Helps doctors and hospitals know your wishes.
  • Like an insurance policy—hope you never need it, but you’ll be glad it’s there if you do.

Hit the button, fill it out, and cross “protect my future” off your to-do list.

Not Sure if DIY is For You?

If you have questions that need answering before you begin to process your paperwork, you can always schedule a private consultation with former probate and family judge Shana Lahti. One-on-one consultations are provided through Lahti Legal Services.

Schedule a Consultation

Frequently Asked Questions

These FAQs are for informational purposes only.  The information contained in this document is not legal advice.  If you need legal assistance, you should contact an attorney or schedule a consultation at MI Easy Forms.

Durable Power of Attorney

Young Adults may need a Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA) for finances for various reasons, including the following:  

  1. Accessibility: When you become an adult, you may need someone to manage your financial affairs back home. This includes paying bills, managing bank accounts, or handling financial matters that require physical presence.
  2. Medical Emergencies: In the event of a serious illness or injury, you may be unable to manage your finances. A financial DPOA allows a trusted individual to handle your financial obligations during such times.
  3. Investment Management: You may have investments or financial assets that need ongoing management. You can grant a financial DPOA to a parent, guardian, or other trusted individual to make investment decisions or handle financial transactions.
  4. Banking and Legal Transactions: You might need someone to perform tasks like cashing checks, signing leases, or accessing your bank accounts if you are unavailable.
  5. Loan Repayment: If you have taken out loans, a financial DPOA can enable someone to manage loan repayment, including making payments and negotiating terms if necessary.
  6. Tax Matters: During tax season, a financial DPOA can be valuable for filing tax returns and managing any related financial matters.
  7. Privacy and Convenience: You may simply want a trusted person to help you with routine financial matters for convenience or privacy reasons.

It’s important to note that once you turn 18, you are considered a legal adult, and your parents or guardians may not have the automatic authority to manage your finances or make financial decisions on your behalf without your explicit consent. Therefore, having a financial DPOA in place can be a proactive and responsible step to ensure that someone you trust can assist you when needed.

Your DPOA will be effective immediately upon execution and remain in effect until you revoke it in writing.  

An agent is the person you will designate in your DPOA to act on your behalf.

You should select someone you trust to serve as your agent.  You may select a parent, guardian, or other legal adult to serve as your agent.    

You should ask the person you want to appoint if they are willing to serve as your agent before completing your DPOA.  They will need to agree and sign an acknowledgement of their appointment to serve as your agent.

This DPOA does not give you the option to have more than one agent act at a time.

You can appoint a successor agent in case your first agent is unable, unwilling, or unavailable to fulfill the duties as your agent.

Your DPOA will last until you revoke (cancel) it, or you are deceased.  You can revoke your DPOA while you are competent by putting it in writing and sending it to your agent.  You will also need to send it to your bank(s) or anyone else your agent has authority to deal with.  Your durable power of attorney will end if your agent resigns or is unable to act.

This DPOA gives broad powers to allow your agent to handle any financial matters that you may need to have completed while you are unable or unavailable to perform those tasks.

This DPOA gives your agent powers over the following financial matters:

  1. Collection and management of personal property.
  2. Buying and selling personal property.
  3. Borrowing money.
  4. Banking.
  5. Investments.
  6. Tax returns and reports.
  7. Digital assets including cell phone account, email account, Twitter account, Facebook account, all other social media and social network accounts.
  8. Government benefits.
  9. Employment benefits.
  10. Legal and administrative proceedings.
  11. Delegation of authority for legal counsel. 
  12. Dormitory, apartment, or storage space.

You can revoke the DPOA.

No. If you want someone to make health care decisions for you when you are unable to make those decisions, you must have a patient advocate designation. If you do not, a guardian would need to be appointed by a court if you became unable to make your own medical decisions.

If you become incapacitated or disabled, your loved ones will need to file for conservatorship with the probate court where you reside to manage your property and finances.

Going to court is expensive and emotionally draining to all who are involved.  Family members may not agree, which can cause conflict.  Make your choices now and avoid the expense of going to court, and possible conflict between family members.

Patient Advocate Designation

A Patient Advocate Designation (PAD), referred to as a Medical Power of Attorney or Healthcare Power of Attorney, is an important legal document that designates someone to make healthcare decisions on your behalf if you become unable to do so. Young Adults should consider having a Patient Advocate Designation for several reasons:

  • Accidents or Medical Emergencies: You may face various risks, including accidents, illnesses, or injuries. If you are unable to make medical decisions during a health crisis, a Patient Advocate can step in to ensure your wishes are respected.
  • Privacy and Confidentiality:  You become a legal adult at age 18, which means that your parents or guardians may not automatically have access to your medical information or decision-making authority. A PAD designates who can access and make medical decisions on your behalf while respecting your privacy.
  • End-of-Life Decisions: In cases of severe illness or life-threatening conditions, a PAD can specify the kind of medical care or life-sustaining treatments you do or do not want, including decisions about resuscitation, organ donation, and more.
  • Complex Medical Situations: If you face a complex or chronic medical condition, having a designated Patient Advocate ensures that someone who understands your healthcare preferences and values can make informed decisions on your behalf.
  • Out-of-State or Study Abroad Programs: College students often participate in study abroad programs or attend universities in different states. Having a PAD can be valuable when receiving medical care away from home, as it designates someone who can make healthcare decisions locally if necessary.
  • Consistency and Communication: A designated Patient Advocate can help ensure consistent communication between healthcare providers and family members or friends, reducing the potential for confusion during critical moments.
  • Avoiding Court Guardianship: Without a PAD, if you become incapacitated, it may require a court-appointed guardian to make medical decisions on your behalf, which can be time-consuming and costly. A PAD allows you to choose your advocate without court involvement.
  • Peace of Mind: Knowing that someone you trust will make healthcare decisions in line with your values and preferences can provide peace of mind to you and your family.

This PAD allows you to choose a person to make decisions concerning your care, custody, and medical treatment when you cannot. Your patient advocate will also be able to make decisions regarding mental health treatment and organ donations or other body parts for transplant or research after your death.

You may choose a patient advocate when you are of sound mind and age 18 or older. 

There is no better time than now to put a PAD in place.  We never know when we may need a PAD, so do it now while you can.

You may choose a parent, guardian, or anyone that is 18 years of age or older to be your patient advocate.  You should speak to the person that you want to designate as your patient advocate to make sure they are willing to make these decisions for you.  They will need to agree and sign an acceptance.  You will also appoint a successor patient advocate in case your first choice is unable, unwilling, or unavailable to fulfill the duties.  

First, your patient advocate must accept and agree to the terms of your designation by signing an acceptance.  Secondly, you must be unable to make your own medical treatment decisions before it is effective, which will be determined by your attending physician and another physician or licensed psychologist. 

Your patient advocate has a duty to act in your best interest and has the following authority, rights, responsibilities, and limitations:

  1. A patient advocate shall act in accordance with the standards of care applicable to fiduciaries in exercising his or her powers.
  2. A patient advocate shall take reasonable steps to follow the desires, instructions, or guidelines given by the patient while the patient was able to participate in decisions regarding care, custody, medical treatment, or mental health treatment, as applicable, whether given orally or as written in the designation.
  3. A patient advocate shall not exercise powers concerning the patient’s care, custody, and medical or mental health treatment that the patient, if the patient were able to participate in the decision, could not have exercised on his or her own behalf.
  4. The designation cannot be used to make a medical treatment decision to withhold or withdraw treatment from a patient who is pregnant that would result in the pregnant patient’s death.
  5. A patient advocate may make the decision to withhold or withdraw treatment that would allow a patient to die only if the patient has expressed in a clear and convincing manner that the patient advocate is authorized to make such a decision, and that the patient acknowledges that such a decision could or would allow the patient’s death.
  6. A patient advocate may choose to have the patient placed under hospice care.
  7. A patient advocate cannot delegate his or her powers to another individual without prior authorization by the patient.

You may revoke your PAD at any time and in any manner sufficient to communicate an intent to revoke.

Your PAD will be suspended when you regain the ability to participate in decisions regarding medical treatment or mental health treatment, as applicable. The suspension is effective if you can participate in those decisions. If it is again determined that you are unable to participate in decisions regarding medical treatment or mental health treatment, the patient advocate’s authority, rights, responsibilities, and limitations are again effective.

No. You will need a Durable Power of Attorney to appoint an Agent to take care of your bills and financial affairs.

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