Adult Adoption on a Budget

[MissDallas]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? Tennesse

My 29 year old fiance would like his step-father of 23 years to formally adopt him. His biological father died of cancer 20 years ago. Money is an issue and his family is under the impression that it will cost around $5,000. I assume that because he is an adult and all parties agree, this can't be the cost.

His parents have recruited me (and my internet skills) to obtain some direction on how/where to find:
1) Order of proper steps to take
2) List of what needs to be filed with where and when
3) What to expect
4) Idea of what it will cost

Also, he moved from Tennesse (where his mother and step-father reside) to Texas in November 2004. Which state should this be filed in?

Thank you

 

[nextwife]

He should start by contacting the appropriate court in the parent's county and ask if they would have jurisdiction if an uncontested adult adoption were filed there. He can call and ask which court handles adoptions and check there.

He can also check and see if there is an adoption forms packet available there. In my county for example, we did our daughter's "re-adoption (a local US court adoption following a foreign adoption) ourselves without an attorney. For simple, uncontested adoptions, there is a $25 forms packet available at Children's Court that is super simple to complete and file to get a court date. The entire re-adoption here, including new birth cerificates cost less than $100! I sincerely doubt much is needed by the court, and likely there is no homestudy requirement in such circumstances.

 

[AHA]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? Tennesse

My 29 year old fiance would like his step-father of 23 years to formally adopt him. His biological father died of cancer 20 years ago. Money is an issue and his family is under the impression that it will cost around $5,000. I assume that because he is an adult and all parties agree, this can't be the cost.

His parents have recruited me (and my internet skills) to obtain some direction on how/where to find:
1) Order of proper steps to take
2) List of what needs to be filed with where and when
3) What to expect
4) Idea of what it will cost

Also, he moved from Tennesse (where his mother and step-father reside) to Texas in November 2004. Which state should this be filed in?

Thank you

Sorry, but why does a 29 year old want to be adopted?? And why does a 23 year old want to adopt a 29 year old??

 

[MissDallas]

oops

I think you mis-read what I typed. After reading it, I can see how. Sorry. Let me clarify:

When my fiance was 3 years old, his parents got divorced. When he was 6, his mother re-married. Two years later, when my fiance was 8, his biological father died. His step-father is the only father he has known. His mother has been married to his step-father for 23 years. His step-father is not 23 years old - he is 60 something.

Why does he want to formally adopt his 29 year old step-son? After all these years, why wouldn't he?????

 

[AHA]

I think you mis-read what I typed. After reading it, I can see how. Sorry. Let me clarify:

When my fiance was 3 years old, his parents got divorced. When he was 6, his mother re-married. Two years later, when my fiance was 8, his biological father died. His step-father is the only father he has known. His mother has been married to his step-father for 23 years. His step-father is not 23 years old - he is 60 something.

Why does he want to formally adopt his 29 year old step-son? After all these years, why wouldn't he?????

He's an adult now and they've been a family for 3 decades without the adoption. I'm just saying, since money is tight for this family and they've been happy as they are(presumably) for so long, why agonise and worry about it now? It won't change their family values with each other, would it?
They should get a free consultation with a lawyer for the formalities if they want to do this.