I was recently involved in a car accident. Unfortunately, since it was my first accident, I was scatter-brained and anxious. What I did not realize at the time was that the actions you take immediately after the accident can affect a personal injury case and the outcome of that case. I wanted to find a way to share my experiences and mistakes with other. Since the Internet is so popular, I figured this would be a great way to do so. While you likely aren't planning on being in an accident soon, if you are, hopefully you remember some of the tips I share on this website.
Yvonne Russell
If you're the stepparent of a kid due to a new marriage, there is a possibility that you'll have the chance to officially adopt them. This can come up for a variety of circumstances, such as their biological parent not being around or their biological parent deciding to give you permission to adopt their child. These are a few things to consider when adopting a stepchild.
Determine Your Reasons For Adopting
You may have good intentions, but adoption is not always the best decision when you get married to someone with a child from a previous relationship. Some common reasons for adoption are wanting to give the child an inheritance, ensuring they have health insurance, and because their biological parent isn't around anymore.
Things may not change in how you live your daily life after a child is officially adopted, but it is a very serious and personal decision. Make sure to think it over thoroughly, and do not just make the decision because you married the child's mom or dad.
Take Classes About Parenting
A judge may request that you take some parenting classes prior to granting an adoption, and it's still a good thing to do anyway. As the child's parent, you will be responsible for much more than you were in the past. You will have a legal right in deciding how the kid is raised, as well as making joint parenting decisions.
Classes can help you learn how to raise a child at any age. It could be how to take care of small children, and learning about the difficulty that come with raising teenagers.
Get Your Paperwork In Order
There will be a lot of paperwork you need to get in order before you can move forward with an adoption. The most important step is to get legal consent from the child's biological parent when possible, and to have that document notarized. Sometimes the child needs to agree to being adopted when they reach a specific age.
Meet With A Judge
You must meet with a judge for your adoption to be approved, and that cannot happen until you submit all the paperwork to the courthouse. You will be assigned a court date, and may be asked to bring the stepchild along for verbal consent. Your rights as a parent will begin immediately if the adoption is approved.
If you have questions about legally adopting a stepchild, speak with a family law attorney for more information. They can walk you through the entire process, and warn you about potential complications along the way.