You can build a familial bond with your stepchildren even if you don’t formally adopt them. That said, why is stepparent adoption still worth considering?
It goes beyond showing your commitment to being a parent, although that can be a big part of it. When you adopt your stepchildren, you formalize your relationship and open up legal, financial and estate-planning benefits. Here are some of the most important ones.
You gain legal rights and responsibilities
Adoption grants you full legal parental rights and responsibilities. This means you can make crucial decisions about your child’s upbringing, including choices about:
- Education
- Healthcare
- Religious upbringing
It also allows you to sign legal documents on behalf of your child, such as school forms or medical consent forms. Essentially, adoption makes sure you can fully participate in all aspects of the child’s life, providing a sense of security for the whole family.
You can build better family unity
Adopting your stepchildren can greatly strengthen family bonds and create a more cohesive family unit.
If you have other children, adoption removes the legal distinctions between biological and step-relationships, treating all children equally under the law.
You can minimize contact with a difficult or abusive biological parent
Tennessee mostly follows standard stepparent adoption procedures. If the child’s biological parent is willing to consent to the adoption, they must sign documentation giving up their parental rights.
This process is easier if the parent is cooperative. If they object to the adoption, you must convince the court to terminate their rights involuntarily. For example, you may need to show that the parent abused, neglected or abandoned their child.
In such cases, adopting your stepchildren can help minimize contact with a parent who treats them poorly.
Your stepchildren will gain automatic inheritance rights
Stepchildren will not automatically inherit from your estate unless you adopt them or name them in your will or trust.
Stepparent adoption will give them equal footing with your biological children when it comes to inheritance. That is, they have the right to your estate if you die without a will.
However, it is always best to establish a will and/or trust to ensure all your children receive a fair share. Even if you choose not to adopt your stepchildren, naming them in your estate planning documents will mean they inherit.
As you can see, stepparent adoption can be a great advantage in many aspects of family life. Consider talking to a family law attorney who can help you understand the process and know what to expect.