How Your Legal Needs Change with Age

Legal issues for teens and kids

Whether your kids rarely get into trouble or always seem to be finding some new and creative way to frustrate you, there are many legal issues that you can face before they even turn 18, such as:

• Identity theft. Children are targeted 35 times more than adults as victims of identity theft.¹ Kids’ Social Security numbers are perfect targets for criminals because kids have no credit history, and until they are at least teenagers won’t be doing things like applying for credit cards and loans or making big purchases that would raise red flags.
• Bullying and cyberbullying. More than 3.2 million students are victims of bullying every year. It has become such a problem that all states have a law or policy in place that addresses bullying. Cyberbullying has increasingly become a bigger problem as children and teens spend more of their time online. In fact, teens spend an average of nine hours a day with digital technology, while “tweens” ages 8 to 12 average six hours a day.² If your children are harassed online (or are the ones doing the harassing), you may need to involve the police. And once something goes online, it stays online.
• Distracted driving. Half of all teens will get in a car crash before they graduate high school. This is because they are inexperienced and easily distracted by things such as friends in the car, loud music or texting while driving. Depending on your state’s laws, moving violations and accidents can carry steeper penalties for teens, especially if they are still on a restricted license.

Legal issues for college students and young adults

In most states the rights and privileges of an adult are granted at the age of 18. With these added privileges comes greater responsibility – and greater repercussions if young adults break the law. Common legal issues for this age group include:

• Credit card fraud and debt. One of the discoveries you might make once you turn 18 is the power of plastic. Building a credit history is important, but credit cards can be easy to use on impulse and spending can quickly get out of control.
• Landlord issues. At some point, most of us move out of Mom and Dad’s and into a place of our own. Lots of young adults share their first apartments or homes with roommates, which can save money but complicate financial and legal issues if something goes wrong with the lease. If you live in a rental property, you will also want to make sure you understand fair housing laws and rental property
• Drinking and driving or underage drinking. Whether your state calls it a DUI, DWI or OWI (driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated or operating while intoxicated, respectively), this is one of the most serious criminal traffic offenses and carries heavy penalties. If you injure or kill someone, you may be charged with a felony. In addition to these risks, if you drink before turning 21 (or, at some schools, if you are underage but caught at a party with alcohol), you can be arrested or fined according to state or local laws.

Legal issues for 20- and 30-year-olds

As you settle into adult life, there are several legal issues you may encounter:

• Buying your first home. For most of us, our home is the biggest investment we will make in our lives. Ignorance of the laws could cost you, so be sure you find a real estate agent and attorney who can walk you through all parts of the process.
• Creating a will and estate plan. If you have any dependents, property or belongings you need a will. This is crucial if you have children under the age of 18, as you will want to name who will care for them if something happens to both parents. Without a will or trust, if you pass away the state gets to dictate what happens to your estate. You will also want to create documents that indicate who will make medical and financial decisions for you if you become unable to make them for yourself.
• No one who gets married plans to get divorced. But if you find yourself in that situation, the sooner you contact an attorney the better. He or she can talk you through the process and hopefully make a painful process a little less painful.

Legal issues for 40- and 50-year-olds

Growing older and becoming more established brings with it new potential legal issues, such as:

• Home improvements. Maybe you have been in your house several years now and are ready to make some updates. If you decide to go the contractor route instead of a DIY job, keep in mind that you will want to create a legal contract that sets expectations and protects you from unexpected costs and legal consequences.
• Caregiving concerns. At this stage in life you may be caring for an aging parent or loved one. While a fulfilling job, caregiving can also be incredibly stressful and time-consuming. Plus, there are legal documents you will want to make sure your loved one has in place so that you know what to do if something happens to him or her.

Legal issues for adults 60 years and older

As you grow closer to retirement age, you will want to:

• Regularly revisit your estate plans. Make any updates based on changes in your life (such as births, deaths, divorces, etc.) so that you know your documents reflect your current wishes. As you change tax brackets you will also want to revisit your options for making the most of your assets and minimizing taxes.
• Watch out for identity theft scams. Criminals see older adults as perfect targets. You often have large savings or retirement accounts and visit medical facilities more often, which gives people easier access to records that include sensitive personal information.

As you can see, although the specific issues you have to deal with change throughout your life, there are going to be many situations through the years where you could benefit from an attorney’s assistance.