There is no one way to grow your family. Ultimately, what matters is the love and dedication we can give to one another in the home. As a stepparent, the love you give can be just as much, if not more, than that of a biological parent.
When you assume the role of stepparent, you take on the responsibility any other parent would but you don’t automatically receive the same rights as a biological parent. This is precisely why it’s important to legally adopt your child – protecting them and giving you the rights you have earned through the care you have given.
We take great pride in helping Virginia families through the adoption process. Virginia stepparents should not wait to file for adoption for a number of reasons.
Eliminating Legal Barriers
Legalizing your relationship with your child creates additional financial and legal responsibilities, but you’ve likely already been fulfilling those duties. When you adopt, you take down legal barriers that prevent you from having physical and legal access to your child.
If you do not have legal parental rights, you may not have access to your child’s vital financial and medical information. Consider a situation where your child is taken to the hospital and their other parent is not available. Without adoption, you do not automatically have the legal right to access them, their medical information, or be involved in the decision-making about their care.
These rights expand to education, religion, and other important matters in life that allow your child to be raised the way you prefer and believe is best for them.
Solidifying the Family Unit
Families take many shapes and forms. Children in one-parent homes can have success, but numerous studies show children in two-parent homes have better outcomes on average. When a child has two parents in the home they have access to more resources, diverse perspectives, better emotional support, and more.
We want to mention that this includes two-parent homes where both parents identify as the same gender and scenarios where one or both parents are gender fluid. Adoption is particularly important for members of the LGBTQ+ community to protect their parental rights.
Protect Your Rights In Divorce
Contrary to popular belief, divorce does not undo an adoption. If you are married to your stepchild’s biological parent and end up getting a divorce, you retain the parental rights you secured through adoption in Virginia.
You love your child and want to be a part of their life. Adoption can give you peace of mind knowing that you will retain a role in your child’s life barring other circumstances that would lead the court to remove your access or terminate your parental rights[LINK TO JUNE BLOG]. This also means you would be responsible for child support if the court gives your ex-spouse custody and issues a support order.
Rinehart Bryant is Ready to Help You Adopt Your Stepchild
Virginia stepparents love their children. We believe they deserve every right of a biological parent as long as they are willing to assume the role and responsibility of parenting that child.
If you are looking for a law firm to help you through the Virginia adoption process, contact Rinehart Bryant today.
Rinehart Bryant, PLLC
