If I Adopt My Wife’s Child, Will We Still Get Child Support?
If you are planning to adopt your wife’s children from her previous marriage, you might be wondering whether she will still be eligible to receive child support. The short answer is – no. In order to understand why, you need to first understand how the process of stepparent adoption works in Auburn, Alabama.
Adopting Your Wife’s Children in Auburn, AL – What You Need to Know
Under Alabama law, in order to adopt your wife’s children from her previous marriage, you must first petition the court to terminate her ex-spouse’s rights as a parent. Once their rights are terminated, you can step into their shoes as the parent.
Once the relationship between the other parent and the children is legally severed, the other parent will lose their right to visitation or custody and will no longer be able to play any role in the child’s life – since they are no longer the parent. Along with their rights as a parent, their duties and obligations towards the children also end. Correlating with this, they are not required to pay child support or provide financial assistance in any other form to the children.
Simply put, once you adopt your wife’s children in Auburn, AL, they are your responsibility, and it is your duty to provide for them – since you are the natural parent under the law.
What You Need to Know about Your Obligations as a Stepparent
Once you adopt your wife’s children in Auburn, you will be considered legally the same as their natural parent. Your duties and obligations towards your adopted children are no different from your duties and obligations towards your biological children – if you have any or if you are planning to have any.
What it means is that if you and your wife choose to end your marriage, you may have to pay child support to your wife, since you are legally responsible for providing for the children. If your wife were to pass away or become incapacitated due to an injury or illness, you will be granted custody of the children. Your children would be able to inherit your assets in the event of your death as well.
Adopting your wife’s children from her previous marriage is a big step, which needs to be carefully thought over. But it can also be extremely rewarding!
You need to make sure that you can provide a caring and loving environment for the children and take care of all their needs. You also need to determine whether you will be able to fulfill your obligations (financial and otherwise) towards your children as the stepparent.
Planning to Adopt Your Wife’s Children? Our Auburn Family Law Attorneys Can Help
Stepparent adoption in Auburn, Alabama is a complicated process, which requires the expertise and guidance of an experienced family law attorney. Without the assistance of a skilled lawyer, you might have a difficult time getting through the process.
At Alsobrook Law Group, we have decades of combined experience in handling adoption cases, and we know how the process works. We can guide you through the process, make the right arguments to convince the court that you should be allowed to adopt your wife’s children, and take the necessary steps to bring you together as a family.
To find out how we can help you with stepparent adoption, call us today at 334-737-3718 or contact us online and schedule a free and confidential consultation with one of our attorneys.
