Can someone tell me more about adult adoption?

Question

I know that when someone has MRDD or some form of mental handicap and can not care for themselves they can be adopted and or have a guardian. But being on here i have heard of adult adoption. Where a fully functioning adult has another one adopt them

What does this mean? Are you abel to make your own legal decisons after this or is the person who adopts you become your guradian and POA

Answer 1

Adult adoption is a wonderful thing. My great aunt and uncle could not have children, but they adopted four adults with mental and physical handicaps. They were devoted to them, and loved them very much.

Each state is different, but an adoption agency in your area should be able to help you or direct you to the right place. Mostly it's just a matter of transferring the guardianship from the state to you.

Answer 2

yes, it is a legal document that makes you the child of the person adopting you. You can still make your own decisions just as a child that has been born into a family and grows up. This is often done when a person wants the other person (one adopted) to be thier hire.

This isn't done often but it is done.

Answer 3

In most states (not all) an adult can adopt another adult.  What this does is create a new parent - adult child situation and cancels the old arrangment.  The most common instances involve inheritance, medical decisionmaking, unable to adopt person as a child, and reclaiming family.

Cases where you are adopting an adult with a mental handicap do require involvement of a social worker, home study and such.

Cases that I know of personally (none were had mental handicaps:

Foster parent adopting foster child - legally impossible when f-child was under 18.

Aunt adopting niece - parents are fanatical and this prevents them from having legal access to her children in event of her death.

First mom adopts reunited daughter who was adopted at birth

Elderly couple adopts guy who was already taking care of them and owned their home.  Allowed him to enforce medical care that they wanted (their adult kids, who never visited, had other ideas).

Couple adopted single mom - she grew up in foster care; this gave her children grandparents.

Several cases of stepparent adoption of adult child.

A power of attorney is completely different, btw.  For one thing, a POA can be revoked, while adoption can't.