Search
Not Logged In
0
Your Username:
Your Password:

[ sign up | recover ]

Discussion Forums » General Discussion
Page:  1 
adoption at the age of 18?
0 likes [|reply]
22 Nov 2009, 02:45
xox
Post Count: 30
my biological father has almost NEVER been around in all of my 18 years. he was around for a brief period about 3 months ago until he got together with his now current 21 year old girlfriend. my stepfather has been in my life since i was around 8 months. when i was younger my father was asked to give up custody so that my stepfather may adopt me, he absolutely refused. i'm now 18, and am wondering does anyone know if able, can he adopt me at this age?! i mean, i'm not sure my biofather would agree, but i'm going to try to explain to him it really will be the best gift he has ever given me. i live in ny, btw. i'm sure the law varies by age but i'm so curious and can't seem to find much on the subject on the net!
0 likes [|reply]
22 Nov 2009, 02:51
Chris
Post Count: 1938
No. You have no legal guardian at the age of 18.
0 likes [|reply]
22 Nov 2009, 03:53
Lauren.
Post Count: 885
I would think Anonymous Source is right. No one would have to sign away rights to you, because at the age of 18 no one legally has rights over you anymore. You could, if you wanted, legally change your last name to your step-fathers, however.
0 likes [|reply]
22 Nov 2009, 04:15
♥Amanda
Post Count: 3
Im not sure but you can legally change your last name to your step father's if your mom hasn't already. I bet that would be something your step father would truly love!!

Im thinking that u might still be able to have him tech adopt you for your BC information. I mean in all honesty i dont see why he can't still "adopt" you. I would go in the phone book and look for a family lawyer and just call and ask, what u have to lose?

Good luck hun!! Let me kno what u find out!!
0 likes [|reply]
22 Nov 2009, 04:20
♥Amanda
Post Count: 3
Hey hun, It is possible!! I went on google and found this forum of someone asking the same question u are

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090917090642AAQ6zS8

there is the link! I do wish u the best of luck hun!!!
0 likes [|reply]
22 Nov 2009, 15:24
Chris
Post Count: 1938
Almost every answer on there is incorrect. You can not change your biological parents, nor can you change any legal information that shows your biological parents as your biological parents. If this were the case, and you come up with some genetic disease later in life, you're fucked.

A legal guardian (i.e. your step father) has all the financial rights as your father does, and it DOES pass over when the child turns 18, so there would be no financial gain for adoption anyhow. Post-18 adoption doesn't exist.
0 likes [|reply]
22 Nov 2009, 16:00
♥Amanda
Post Count: 3
She never said anything about this being a financial reason. & You are right, You can't change your biological parents, But you can change who your parents are!! It would be the same as if she was 10 years old. But at the age of 10 she would need her biological father's permission. At the age of 18, she wouldn't!!

Just like if I was to marry & my husband wanted to adopt my son he could, We would just need my sons Biological Fathers permission

There are just rules to adopting a person over the age of 18 and she has to find someone who would be willing to do and follow the rules!!

There's nothing wrong with it!!! I would do the same thing, It's not about money its just about him legally being her father not just a legal guardian...

Again Hun, Good luck!!! Call a few lawyers and adoption agency's and see what they say!!
0 likes [|reply]
22 Nov 2009, 16:07
Chris
Post Count: 1938
Well I was referring to some of the answers in the Yahoo Answers link you posted.

As far as the OP's situation goes, if post-18 adoption DOES exist, I just don't see a reason for it. It's just a waste of money for some arbitrary title that doesn't mean anything, even in the eyes of the law.
0 likes [|reply]
22 Nov 2009, 04:54
kayden's mom
Post Count: 7
I live in Canada and adult adoption/step parent adoption is very common, but like you said every place is different.
0 likes [|reply]
22 Nov 2009, 17:06
Greta Garbage
Bloop Community Organizer
Post Count: 309
I could have written this!! My parents divorced when I was 5 and the last time I saw my real dad was when I was 8 or 9. It's been 19 or 20 years since I last seen or heard from him. He barely paid child support, we never got birthday cards, phone calls, nothing from this man yet when my step dad tried to adopt my brother and I he refused as well. It would have excused him from paying child support if he had. It wasn't like he was taking an active role in our lives or taking care of us in any way. My mom sued him for back and future child support and he's still paying it now even though my brother is 26 and I am 29. Thats how much he owes my mother.

Let me tell you something. I understand your situation all too well. My stepdad has been in my life for 20 years now and he's the best father in the world. He never got to adopt me but do I consider him my stepdad? Hell no. He considers my brother and I his kids, never his stepkids. He doesn't tell people "I have one son and two stepchildren." He tells people he has 3 kids. I call him dad. I only refer to him as my stepdad when I am explaining this situation to differentiate between them. You don't have be adopted for someone to be your dad. You love him like he was your real dad and thats what matters, not whats on a piece of paper. A piece of paper and biology doesn't make someone your daddy.

I agree with what Lauren said.
0 likes [|reply]
23 Nov 2009, 03:18
theseeker
Post Count: 11
I know someone who adopted someone once they were past 18. I don't remember what state it was, but there are some states that recognize adult adoptions.
0 likes [|reply]
22 Nov 2009, 06:59
.Blue Bella.
Post Count: 743
I hope it is possible for you! My partners step-father wanted to adopt him and his brother but it wasn't allowed. As soon as they were able to, they made the decision to change their surnames to his.
0 likes [|reply]
22 Nov 2009, 18:27
The Narnian Ninja
Post Count: 44
we were looking into the same thing for my sister(she's twenty one),and yea,it is possible (atleast here in florida)they told us we would have to take out an ad in the local newpaper in last town we knew her bio dad was in,stating she was being adopted an all his rights were being terminated,i think they said we had to run the ad for atleast three months,an then we would have to pay a certain amount,an they (she and our parents)would have to sign some paperwork,an then she would be given a new birth certificate changing her last name.(it was like a 'special' one,it would still list her birth parents,but would also list her adoptive parents)it may be slightly different for you tho,because it's just your biological dad you're fighting against,where as neither of our parents are my sister's birth parents
0 likes [|reply]
22 Nov 2009, 19:39
Chris
Post Count: 1938
Perhaps I'm missing something here. What are the rights of a parent when their kid(s) is over 18? Maybe I would understand this more if I knew.
0 likes [|reply]
23 Nov 2009, 03:48
Finally Mrs. Bailey
Post Count: 181
It seems to me like some people are missing your point, Anon. I agree that it would be foolish to go through a legal adoption if the person in question were already 18.
0 likes [|reply]
23 Nov 2009, 03:58
Chris
Post Count: 1938
My thoughts exactly. It seems to be nothing more than a waste of time and money just to give some guy an arbitrary title with no rights whatsoever.

Someone in the Y!answers link said something about changing legal information so that the step-father is in the "biological father" field on all legal documents, which is flat-out the stupidest thing you can do in your life aside from printing your social security number and handing it out to strangers.
0 likes [|reply]
23 Nov 2009, 04:09
Finally Mrs. Bailey
Post Count: 181
It would make sense to me if she were UNDER 18, but since her bio dad said no, I would say just to think of the stepfather as the real father, as she said she always has. That, I think is more important.
0 likes [|reply]
23 Nov 2009, 20:34
The Narnian Ninja
Post Count: 44
there really are no parental rights once the child is 18 (unless the kid in question is mentally handicapped),the whole adoption thing at that point is really more for peace of mind then anything else honestly.an there's the bonus of if the adopted child has children of their own one day,there adoptive parents would be legally considered the grandparents,an could possible take custody of the kids if something happened.
0 likes [|reply]
22 Nov 2009, 19:06
xox
Post Count: 30
:) thanks guys for all your advice.
0 likes [|reply]
23 Nov 2009, 04:03
Winged Centaur
Post Count: 301
You don't need a piece of paper to declare who your dad is. Being a father is more than donating dna. Ask yourself who is going to walk you down the aisle when you get married, and you have all the answer you need.
0 likes [|reply]
23 Nov 2009, 20:27
Khoquetishღ
Post Count: 47
Actually, I think a couple of you aren't quite understanding. She was asking if it was possible to be adopted at the age of 18, not your opinion on it. If it means that much to her, then it's not a waste of time and money. It's called sentimental value and that is never a waste of time or money if you have to pay for something that means a lot to you.
Post Reply
This thread is locked, unable to reply
Online Friends
Offline Friends