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Adopting your partner’s child is a voluntary act and not all stepparents actually do it. But many stepparents in California wish to adopt their spouse’s biological children. It is a great way of showing your love and devotion to your stepchild.
Studies show that children who have two active parents are emotionally and physically healthier and perform better in school. But this is not a decision to be made in haste. You’ll have to work closely with a Fresno family lawyer to help you handle the legal implications of the process.
Once an adoption is formalized, both you and the child will enjoy some extraordinary benefits. In this blog, we will discuss the advantages of adopting your stepchild in Fresno, CA.
What Are the Benefits of Adopting My Stepchild?
Blended families are increasingly becoming common in our days. We have more stepparents and stepchildren. Some of the benefits of adopting your stepchild include:
Right to Make Decisions in Your Stepchild’s Life
While you may informally be a stepparent to your child, unfortunately, you won’t be considered the legal parent without adoption. Yes, you may hold a special place in your stepchild’s life, but you won’t have the legal rights and responsibilities associated with being a legal parent.
Adoption guarantees that you are able to take part in the decisions related to the child’s welfare and upbringing. Even if you split up or your spouse passes away, you still remain the legal parent to the child.
Adoption allows you to amend your stepchild’s name to match your own, and decide on critical things like medical care, education, and religious observance. Visiting the child in hospital or going with the child to certain places may be a problem if you’re not their adoptive parent. Without an adoption, the other biological parent who isn’t actively in the child’s life may still have some legal rights. Only an adoption will transfer these rights and obligations to you.
Custodial Privileges
Once a child’s primary custodial parent dies, custody is often given to the grandparents or other relatives before a stepparent is considered. But if you had already adopted the child, it’s easier for you to retain custody should your partner pass away and leave you with the child. A Fresno family adoption lawyer can explain how to do it. And in the event of a divorce or separation, you should be able to secure some custody or visitation rights.
Emotional Benefits
This is perhaps the greatest benefit of an adoption; receiving the love, security and a sense of belonging to the stepparent and the stepchild. A formalized adoption strengthens the family and the bonds between you and the kid. You end up giving them your name and recognizing them as your own.
Adoption Gives Your Stepchild Access to Financial Benefits
Adopted children are entitled to financial benefits from their adoptive parent, even after divorce or the death of the spouse. Your adopted stepchild will have the right to health insurance through your insurance and even be a beneficiary of government benefits you may get like Social Security or veteran’s benefits. Your stepchild can also receive inheritance benefits from you.
All these are the financial benefits of stepparent adoptions in California. With the help of a Fresno adoption lawyer, your stepchild will have a guaranteed positive future even when you’re not around.
Minimize The Influence of a Problematic Biological Parent
The good thing with stepparent adoption is that it terminates any parental rights the other biological parent not living with the child had. Whatever rights the biological parent shared previously with your spouse are rendered terminated, including visitation. The biological parent cannot also be given a court order to interact or influence your stepchild going forward.
If you and your spouse are trying to protect your stepchild, adoption allows you to do that. Allowing the other biological parent to connect with the child will remain a voluntary action if that parent is a positive or neutral influence on the child. But you now have the right to stop and avoid all contact with that parent if you feel that their interaction with your adopted child is negative.
Ability to Demonstrate Your Continual Devotion to The Stepchild
Adopting your stepchild is a statement by itself. You’re demonstrating that you’re devoted to your child’s wellbeing. You’re giving a pledge to your stepchild, your spouse, and everyone else that you will take care of the child as your own and you are willing to provide them with the security of a complete family and the support of a parent no matter what happens.
What Are the Requirements of Stepparent Adoption in California?
While stepparent adoption is different from other types of adoptions in California, it still has some requirements to be met. Generally, California examines this requirement when a stepparent is looking to adopt.
- You must be married to or be a registered domestic partner of one of the child’s biological parents
The stepparent and one of the child’s birth parents must be legally married or be in a legal domestic partnership. The court seems to view marriage as a sign of commitment. But because one of the parents is already a biological parent, it can sometimes be a simple process than other forms of adoption. With the help of a California adoption attorney, you can begin this process of formalizing the relationship with your stepchild.
Family-Oriented Law Firm Protecting Families in Fresno
Stepchild adoption can seem overwhelming to you, but it carries a lot of benefits not just for the child but also for you, your spouse, and your family. If you don’t know where to begin, trust the counsel of a qualified family lawyer in Fresno, CA.
Fresno adoption lawyers at Tomassian, Pimentel, & Shapazian are quick to provide you with efficient legal guidance and help you save on time and money. Get in touch for a smooth stepchild adoption process in Fresno, CA