New flat-fee offering equips parents with the legal authority most don’t realize they lose the day their child becomes an adult.
SARASOTA, FL / ACCESS Newswire / July 22, 2026 / Berlin Patten Ebling, a full-service Florida law firm with offices across the Gulf Coast, today announced the launch of its College Readiness Package, a bundled legal offering designed to close a gap most Florida families don’t know exists until it’s too late.
When a child turns 18, parents lose automatic access to their child’s medical care, financial decisions, and academic records. Hospitals are not required to share information with parents. Banks cannot discuss accounts. Universities cannot release grades or disciplinary information without the student’s written authorization. For families facing an emergency, the realization typically comes during the crisis itself.
The risk is not hypothetical. According to the 2024-2025 Healthy Minds Study, the largest annual survey of US college student mental health, 11 percent of college students seriously considered suicide in the past year and 32 percent experienced moderate-to-severe anxiety. Yet the 2026 Trust & Will Estate Planning Report, based on a national survey of 5,000 US adults, found that 56 percent of Americans have no estate planning documents in place, leaving most families without the legal authority to act when their adult children need them most.
“Every parent of an 18-year-old should have this conversation. Most don’t, until something forces it,” said Jamie Ebling, Partner at Berlin Patten Ebling. “I know this from experience, both as an attorney and as a parent. The College Readiness Package is our attempt to move that conversation earlier, before a family has to figure it out during a crisis.”
The College Readiness Package includes four documents: a Durable Power of Attorney for financial and legal matters, a Medical Power of Attorney with Advance Directive, a HIPAA authorization, and a FERPA release. The complete package is priced at a flat $800, with individual documents available at $250 each. Most families complete the package in a single sitting, in person or virtually, and the firm accommodates students who are already at school.
The package is designed for any 18-year-old preparing to leave home, including students entering college, gap year programs, military service, vocational training, or full-time work. More information and consultation scheduling is available at berlinpatten.com/college.
About Berlin Patten Ebling
Founded in 2003, Berlin Patten Ebling is a full-service Florida law firm serving clients across residential and commercial real estate, estate planning, probate, litigation, and family law. The firm operates offices in Sarasota, Venice, Lakewood Ranch, Tampa, and St. Petersburg, with a sixth office opening in Bradenton in August 2026. More information is available at berlinpatten.com.
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Contact:
DEVA VADEN, Sr. Director of Business Development & Marketing
941-284-2950 | DVADEN@BERLINPATTEN.COM
SOURCE: Berlin Patten Ebling
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
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