When your teen reaches the age of 18, even though you may still think of them as children, under the law they have now achieved adult status. That status allows them to vote, serve in the military, serve on a jury, sign a contract, and get married without your consent. Although they still can’t do certain things, like drink alcohol or rent cars, their legal status is decided.
Although not required, this is a great time for your kids to register to vote.
When your children turn 18, you no longer automatically have the authority to make healthcare decisions for them. And this is true even if they are still covered by your health insurance and you are paying the bill. This means that if your child has an accident or illness and is temporarily disabled, you may need court approval to act on their behalf or even to be informed of their medical status.
Despite the fact that you are paying for their education, the FERPA law says you no longer have access to your child’s grades once they turn 18. That’s right, you can call the registrar and ask to see your 18-year-old’s transcript and they will not share it with you even though you’re the one signing the tuition checks.
You can no longer manage money for your children once they turn 18.
At 21, any money saved in a UTMA (and other savings accounts- check with your advisor) automatically becomes theirs unless other legal plans are in place.
Lee Norwood’s visionary ideas led to the establishment of College Sharks, which today helps thousands of families get the help they need as they embark on the college process.
There are only a handful of brands and platforms worldwide that have genuinely upped the game in their sector and gone out of the conventional realms to create a unique niche. These brands have also made a positive difference in the lives of others. Founder Lee Norwood is one such founder, the heart and soul behind College Sharks, a virtual college consulting platform that has been consistently revolutionising the education sector, empowering families with affordable and expert college consulting. Focusing on how to pay for college, how to find the right-fit college, and how to help your student stand out, College Sharks has risen today as a groundbreaking virtual college consulting platform that aims to help families with expert college consulting.
In short, College Sharks helps families navigate the overwhelming college admissions process, showing them what steps to take, when to take them and why they matter. Lee aims to provide expert guidance at a fraction of the cost of traditional one-on-one private consulting services. Her passion for easing the college process for all led Lee to the forefront of the industry already. She has become a leading figure in college consulting, thriving on perseverance, passion, resilience and innovation. She spent 23 years in pharmaceutical sales and one day realized she sought a more fulfilling career path.
During the pandemic, she seized the opportunity to purchase Annapolis College Consulting and successfully expanded it fivefold, reaching more students and adding new consultants. This led her to earn several prestigious awards and accolades, including being featured in USA Today, CEO Weekly, and MSN Business Insider. She loves speaking at national industry conferences such as IECA and HECA and mentors within the consulting community while also being a trainer for leading college consulting software CounselMore.
Lee explains how choosing the right college often serves as a daunting task for many families. With the student-to-counselor ratios in high schools averaging over 400 to 1, personalised guidance is often scarce. It is easy to feel lost in the evolving landscape of college admissions, from selecting the right school to navigating financial aid options. Lee understands these struggles first-hand and has made it her mission to bridge the gap. Her desire to reach more families with expert advice in a cost-effective and accessible format led to the establishment of College Sharks.
Some primary reasons that have helped College Sharks stand out include its step-by-step guidance, high-quality consulting at affordable rates, expert insights from seasoned professionals, fun and interactive content, and practical strategies to maximize available scholarships and aid. Lee is known for her authenticity and no-nonsense approach to the admission process. With College Sharks, Lee is dedicated to offering a fresh and engaging approach to college admissions consulting. Its virtual platform offers monthly, bite-sized guidance for parents and teens through an easy-to-use virtual platform.
Lee’s visions for College Sharks go beyond helping individual families. In the near future, Lee Tracy Norwood envisions College Sharks to take off and help more families feel more comfortable with the college process. She aims to have a non-profit division that can offer the product to underserved communities. By democratising college consulting, she hopes to ensure that every student, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to succeed. She is focusing on how a high school system can be paired with College Sharks to help schools serve more students, even at the school-level. College Sharks helps families embark on the college admissions process with ease and confidence.
What Changes When Your Teen Turns 18? 
