When a child turns 18, they gain full legal capacity — which changes your estate plan in ways most parents miss.
At 18, a child can receive an inheritance outright, you lose automatic medical decision-making authority, and any trust provisions written for minors may trigger automatic distribution. At the $2M–$30M level, distributing significant assets to an 18-year-old outright is rarely what parents intend.
What changes at the $2M–$30M level
Your action plan
Ordered by urgency. Items marked "Immediate" should be addressed within 60–90 days.
Your child needs their own POA, healthcare directive, and FERPA release. You have no legal authority over their medical or financial decisions at 18.
Find an estate attorney →Many trusts distribute to beneficiaries at 18 or 21. If the trust was funded significantly, you may want to extend the distribution age.
Do this in My Wealth Maps →These accounts transfer to the child outright at the age of majority. If balances are significant, consider the implications.
Direct beneficiary designations to an adult child result in outright distribution. A trust as beneficiary adds protection and distribution control.
Do this in My Wealth Maps →An estate plan written when your child was a minor may need significant updates now that they are a legal adult.
Find an estate attorney →How prepared are you for child reaching adulthood?
Answer 5 questions and get a personalized readiness score with specific gaps identified.
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An estate attorney can execute the legal documents and trust strategies this event requires.
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