Can You Legally Adopt and Adult

Adoption is not just for kids.  Adult adoption is a real thing and is both legal and possible.

So many people I speak with don’t realize that you can adopt an adult (assuming the adopting parent is at least 10 years older than the person being adopted).  This is great news for people that have always wanted to adopt their stepchild (or child they have raised), but for whatever reason were not able to do so when they were a child.

The most common hindrance in a stepparent adoption is that they are unable to get the consent of the biological mother or father to relinquish their rights.  This prevents the stepparent from completing the adoption as the biological parent’s consent is needed so that the stepparent can take their place as father or mother.  The beautiful thing about adult adoption is that you don’t need the consent of the biological father or mother.  We don’t even need to know who they are, or where they are.  You can proceed with an adult adoption entirely without them.

What does an adult adoption get me?

If you want, you can be issued a new birth certificate.  The adopted party can change her or his last name, and all the adoption records will be sealed.

The most common reasons to adopt an adult is to formalize and make legal a parent/child relationship you know and believe to be there.  There are also inheritance rights that may be beneficial (you’ll need to consult with an estate planning attorney to see if this would be beneficial to your unique situation).

If you need assistance with an adult adoption, please feel free to contact Mioni Family Law at (424) 259-1770.