As the number of blended families has increased, step parent adoption has become more common. Step parent adoption can become important to a child if their biological parent becomes incapacitated or dies before the child reaches the age of majority. Step parent adoption is also important in issues of inheritance.
The Basics of Step Parent Adoption
Step parent adoption requires the consent of both biological parents of the child, unless paternity has not been established or one of the biological parents is deceased. Any child over the age of 12 must also consent to the adoption process.
It’s important to note that step parent adoption typically terminates any legal connection – including inheritance rights – to the biological parent who is not married to the step parent. It does not, however, terminate the legal relationship to the spouse of the step parent.
Consulting with an attorney can help you understand the complexities, not only of the adoption itself, but also of inheritance rights and other associated concerns.
If you are seeking legal advice about step-parent adoption, please call us at 317-708-9410 to schedule a confidential consultation, or email us at info@watanabelawin.com