If you have a stepchild, you might wonder if it makes sense to adopt them. Becoming the legal parent of your spouse’s child in Michigan is a big step, and it might make sense for you if you want to pass along some of the legal and emotional benefits of adopting your step-child.
Top reasons people choose to adopt their spouse’s child
One of the most common reasons that people choose to adopt is for the financial benefits that you can pass along to your step-child. They can receive insurance benefits when you legally adopt them. People also like the permanence of adoption of a step-child, both for the child, the step-parent, and the rest of the family. Finally, when you’re recognized as a legal parent, many daily tasks become easier. For instance, getting medical records and picking your child up from school often require proof of legal guardianship.
Potential roadblocks to adopting a step-child
When you want to adopt a step-child, you might run into some hurdles to adoption, especially if the other parent is still in the child’s life. Whether they have joint custody of the child or the spouse of the potential adoptive parent has sole custody of the child can play a role in whether or not step-child adoption is possible.
Adoption of a step-child can be cumbersome and can be a lengthy and complicated process, even if the child’s legal parent is no longer paying child support. But it can be worthwhile for the family, especially when the other parent is no longer around, such as in the case of the death of a parent.