Blended families are becoming more and more common in today's society. In many cases, stepparents will take on the role of a primary caregiver and both love and provide for their stepchildren as if they are their biological children. Unfortunately, the law does not provide stepparents with the same legal rights as biological parents regardless of what role they play in the child's life. As a result, it is only natural that many stepparents choose to seek out the option of adopting their stepchildren. If you are considering a step-parent adoption, there are a few facts that you should know before beginning this process.
Fact #1: A Child Can Only Have Two Legal Parents
The law only allows children to have two legal parents regardless of whether these parents are biological or adoptive. This means that to adopt your stepchild the legal rights of their absent parent will need to be terminated. This process is much easier if the biological parent is willing to surrender their rights. However, it is possible to have the absent parent's legal rights terminated against their wishes if the court believes that they are either an unfit parent or have abandoned the child. This can be a long and complicated process and will often require the assistance of a qualified attorney.
Fact #2: Your Step-Child May Need To Consent To The Adoption
While laws vary slightly from one state to the next, most states will require the consent of the child once they reach a certain age. If you are planning to adopt an older stepchild, the consent of this child will be necessary for the adoption to move forward. Be sure to talk with your stepchild about what being adopted means so that they can make an informed decision when asked to provide their consent.
Fact #3: Your Rights As A Parent Will Survive A Divorce
While the hope is always that your marriage will last forever, the fact is that some marriages will ultimately end in divorce. If you and your spouse get divorced, you should know that your rights and your responsibilities as an adoptive parent will survive the divorce process. This means that you will still have all the same legal rights as a biological parent even if you are no longer married to the child's natural parent. Additionally, you will still be required to care for the financial, physical, and emotional needs of the child until they reach the legal age of maturity in your state.
For more info, contact a company like The Up Center.
Share10 November 2022
Hello, my name is Bernice Jessland. I am excited to talk to you about maintaining your close relationships with family. As you grow older, it becomes more difficult to maintain the connections you made as a kid. You may move away, take on time-consuming jobs or simply fall into the daily routine without much thought on its toll on your relationships. I want to use this site to help everyone keep their family relationships intact over the years. I invite you to visit anytime to learn more about keeping your relationships alive. Thank you for coming to visit my site.
