Your senior is heading to college next year, and your to-do list feels never-ending.

Once they have received their offers of admission and financial aid awards, the next big step is deciding which college to attend.

You should be thinking ahead as well, and if you’re smart, you have already purchased Mama Bear Legal Forms and completed them for your student.

Here’s what surprises most families—once your child becomes a legal adult, you no longer automatically have the right to:

• Speak with doctors about their medical care
• Access health information
• Handle financial matters
• Step in during an emergency

Even if you’re paying tuition. Even if they’re still on your insurance. Even if they call you first.

Without the proper documents in place, privacy laws can prevent you from helping when it matters most.

Now the practical question becomes:

Where should you store it—and how will you access it quickly if your student needs you once they’re on campus?

These are common questions parents ask after completing documents with Mama Bear Legal Forms. The good news? There’s an easy solution.

Why Parents of College-Bound Seniors Need Digital Access to Legal Documents

Once your teen turns 18, you no longer automatically have the right to:

• Speak with doctors
• Access medical information
• Handle financial matters
• Step in during an emergency

Your Power of Attorney (POA) gives you that legal authority if your student needs help.

And here’s something reassuring: unlike a will, you typically do not need the original signed copy in hand to prove your authority. A clear scanned copy is usually sufficient for doctors, hospitals, or financial institutions.

Most parents store important documents in a home safe or file cabinet. That’s smart.

But when your student is two, five, or ten hours away at college, you’ll want instant access—not something locked in a drawer back home.

That’s why the free Mama Bear app was created: to help you scan, store, and securely share your POA documents whenever needed.

How to Scan Your Teen’s Power of Attorney Using the Mama Bear App

Don’t worry—this is simple. You can knock it out in about 10–15 minutes.

Step 1: Download the Free App

Download the Mama Bear Storage App from:

• Apple App Store
• Google Play

When you open it:

1. Enter the email address you used to create your POA.
2. Enter your password.
3. You’ll land on the home screen where you can view and manage your documents.

Step 2: Separate Your Documents

Before scanning, separate your young adult POA into its three sections:

1. Health Care Power of Attorney
2. HIPAA Release
3. Financial Power of Attorney

You do not need to scan:

• The cover page
• The table of contents
• Instruction pages

Set those aside.

Locate the first and last page of each section so you can scan them individually.

Step 3: Start Scanning

From the home screen:

1. Tap “My Documents.”
2. Select the form you want to scan.
3. Tap “Scan Signed Documents.”

For the clearest images:

• Separate each page from the stack.
• Hold your phone about 12 inches above the page.
• The app will automatically detect the page corners.
• Tap to capture the image—or wait a few seconds and it will auto-capture.

If a page isn’t clear, tap “Retake Photo.”

Step 4: Complete Each Section

Scan every page of the Health Care POA first.

When you finish that section:

• Tap “Done with Section.”

The app will prompt you to scan your HIPAA Release next, and then your Financial POA.

Repeat the same process for each section.

Step 5: Save and Access Anytime

After scanning your Financial POA:

• The app saves your documents automatically.
• You’ll return to the “My Documents” page.
• From there, you can securely view or share your forms whenever needed.

If you update your documents later, you can simply rescan them.

Add Digital Legal Document Storage to Your College Prep Checklist

As parents of soon-to-be college freshmen, your checklist feels endless:

• Final transcripts
• Immunization records
• Orientation registration
• Packing lists

Adding this one step—securely storing your POA—means you won’t be scrambling if your student ever needs you.

It’s not about hovering.

It’s about being prepared.

And as you send your teen off to start this exciting new chapter, a little extra peace of mind goes a long way.

Download the free Mama Bear app today at the Apple Store or Google Play.

If you haven’t purchased your Mama Bear Legal Forms yet, don’t delay. Get 20% off with my code (Parenting4CollegeMB20) at checkout.