step parent adoption

[eringerke]

michigan

My husband and I would like to get my daughter adopted by september of this year before the school year starts. Her biological dad is begging us to do this as well. Would it be faster to just have her name changed or go ahead and start the adoption?

[ErynSMA]

Originally Posted by eringerke

michigan

My husband and I would like to get my daughter adopted by september of this year before the school year starts. Her biological dad is begging us to do this as well. Would it be faster to just have her name changed or go ahead and start the adoption?

How long have you and your husband been married? Her dad is really okay with giving up all rights to his child?

If your husband truly wants to adopt the the child, and dad is truly willing to give her up, then you need to retain an attorney and do a proper adoption. Simply changing her name will NOT give your husband rights over your daughter, and would open up the door for dad to change his mind in later years and go to court and get custody.

[haiku]

What you would like, and what is legal reality is two different things.

Consult a lawyer as to how to proceed.

[cocoapop123]

You need to do the adoption than. If the bio is willing to do the adoption, than it is an easy process. They sign over their parental rights and than your spouse than is the legal guardian as they need to sign the paper work. If you just change the name, than if something does happen, than the bio might be left with the child wether they want the child or not. If you do the adoption, than you know if you make your will who will care for your child. Adoption is the best answer for you. Good luck.

[Dogmatique]

Originally Posted by cocoapop123

You need to do the adoption than. If the bio is willing to do the adoption, than it is an easy process. They sign over their parental rights and than your spouse than is the legal guardian as they need to sign the paper work. If you just change the name, than if something does happen, than the bio might be left with the child wether they want the child or not. If you do the adoption, than you know if you make your will who will care for your child. Adoption is the best answer for you. Good luck.

OP could declare in her will that she wants her kids to go to Bill Gates and Donald Trump; it wouldn't matter - you can't "will" your kids to someone. Yes, OP needs to go through with the step-parent adoption, but what she puts in her will is neither here nor there.

[stealth2]

Originally Posted by cocoapop123

You need to do the adoption than. If the bio is willing to do the adoption, than it is an easy process. They sign over their parental rights and than your spouse than is the legal guardian as they need to sign the paper work. If you just change the name, than if something does happen, than the bio might be left with the child wether they want the child or not. If you do the adoption, than you know if you make your will who will care for your child. Adoption is the best answer for you. Good luck.

Seriously, cocoapuff? You haven't done so well in your own quest for a stepparent adoption, so you may want to lay off the advice.

And it's "then", not "than".