Who can make decisions and access important records?
At adulthood, a parent's automatic authority may change. The right legal arrangement depends on your child—not a one-size-fits-all assumption.
For Michigan parents of a child approaching 18
Your child doesn't change at 18.
Your rights do.
If a school notice sent you searching tonight, start here. Understand the questions to ask about decision-making, benefits, and the plan you already have—before the birthday arrives.
Clear information first. No pressure to make a legal decision tonight.
You do not need every answer tonight.
You need the right first question.
What actually changes at 18
Three questions to answer before the birthday.
The goal is not to push every family toward the same solution. It is to understand what changes—and choose the right path for your child.
Could the way money is held affect benefits?
Gifts, inheritances, accounts, and an existing estate plan can interact with benefit rules. The structure matters as much as the intention.
Is guardianship necessary—or is another path more appropriate?
Guardianship is one option, not the automatic answer. Families deserve to understand the range before choosing.
This page provides general information, not legal advice. A Fuller Life Plan session is used to discuss a family's specific circumstances.
If nobody explained this clearly
You are not behind. The rules changed.
You cared for your child, went to the meetings, signed the forms, and made loving decisions. Turning 18 introduces a legal transition most families are expected to understand without a map.
The problem is not that you failed to plan. The problem is that an ordinary plan may not have been built around your child's life.
"Most families I meet didn't make a careless decision. They made a loving one—and no one ever told them the way they did it could cost their child everything."— Michele P. Fuller, Esq.
A guide who understands both sides of the table
"I know why this keeps you awake."
I'm Michele Fuller. I focus my legal work on special-needs planning, and I'm also the parent of a child with special needs. The question underneath all the paperwork—What happens to my child when I'm no longer able to do everything?—is not something I learned only from a book.
My team helps families understand the choices, build a plan around the actual life they are protecting, and decide what should happen next.
Michele P. Fuller, Esq. · Fuller Special Needs Law
A family's experience
"Recently I needed assistance with a matter pertaining to conservatorship/financial POA and guardianship. After having several negative experiences with probate attorneys, I was finally linked with Ms. Fuller. Ms. Fuller took the time to explain the options available to my family and helped my family reach a resolution for our estate planning challenges. She was kind, attentive, empathetic and knowledgeable. I highly recommend this firm. I could have saved myself a lot of frustration if I knew about this firm sooner."— Candice Taylor
Choose the amount of help you want tonight
Start where you feel comfortable.
Some parents want to read. Some want to check where they stand. Some are ready to talk. Each path moves at your pace.
Get the Turning 18 Guide
A plain-English checklist of the questions to ask before the birthday—without asking you to choose a legal solution first.
Email me the guide Designed for the parent who is researching tonight.Take the Fuller Life Scorecard
See which parts of your child's life and plan deserve a closer look. This is an educational starting point, not legal advice.
Take the Scorecard Connect to the live Scorecard URL before launch.Request a Fuller Life Plan session
Talk with the special-needs legal team Michele oversees about your family's circumstances and possible next steps.
Request a session A request does not create an attorney-client relationship.The Turning 18 Guide
Give yourself a calmer place to start.
Tell us where to send the guide. Do not include medical, financial, or other sensitive information in this form.
Why families come to Fuller
The plan has to protect more than paperwork.
A plan for the life—not just the money.
We begin with your child's routines, care, relationships, needs, and future—not with a stack of forms.
Built around special-needs planning.
This is not general estate planning with a special-needs add-on. It is the focus of the practice.
Designed to keep working.
A Fuller Life Plan is intended to be understood, put into practice, and revisited as your child's life changes.
Questions parents ask at 2 a.m.
You are not the only one asking.
Does my child automatically need guardianship at 18?
No single option is right for every child. Guardianship may be appropriate in some circumstances, while other families may have alternatives. A family-specific legal discussion is needed before deciding.
We already have a will and trust. Is that enough?
An existing plan may still deserve review for the rules and responsibilities that apply after 18. The important question is whether it was designed around your child's circumstances.
Can turning 18 affect benefits?
Benefit eligibility and financial rules can interact with age, income, assets, and how money is structured. This page cannot determine your child's eligibility; use the guide to identify the questions to discuss with the appropriate professionals.
Do I have to decide everything before the birthday?
You do not have to solve your child's entire future in one night. Starting earlier can give your family more time to understand the choices and gather the right information.
Can we meet virtually?
Yes. Fuller Life Plan sessions can take place virtually from your home.
The birthday is approaching. You can still begin calmly.
Your child is still your child.
You just need a plan for what changes.
Start with the guide tonight.
Take the next step when you are ready.