How difficult and expensive is second parent adoption?

Question

Since we live in MA, my wife's name will be on the birth certificate as the second parent when I have a baby, but it's been advised that we go through having her adopt the baby anyways so that we don't run into problems if we happen to be out of state. Is there a specific way she would have to adopt "federally"?

Answer 1

Why not have the birth certificate read the truth?   I can tell you as an adopted woman, that it would make for a healthier child.

Certainly you can relate to living a lie, and having to pretend you were someone you were not born to be--why insist that a child in 2008 live that way?

To make YOU feel better?

Answer 2

My sister's female partner just completed a second parent adoption of their new baby. They are in Washington state, so the details would be different, but I do not believe it would be difficult or expensive. In Washington they filled out paperwork and then went before a judge. It was not too much of a hassle, and was a lovely ceremony, actually.

There is no "federal" adoption. All adoption matters are handled by the states, and the laws can vary quite a bit.

Hmm, not sure about the implications of your being married but the marriage not being recognized in other states. It is possible that therefore the birth certificate might not be considered valid proof of a parent child relationship either, and so it sounds as if you have received wise counsel about doing the second parent adoption.

Here is a legal article recommending the same thing:

http://family.findlaw.com/adoption/same-...

But that makes the birth certificate issue a little tricky, perhaps? Can your wife actually adopt the baby if her name is already on the birth certificate? Hmm.

You can't be the only family in this situation. Ask your friends what they did, or the person who advised you. Or contact one of these organizations: The National Center for L*****n Rights (http://www.nclrights.org), the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund (http://www.lambdalegal.org), and g*y and L*****n Advocates and Defenders (http://www.glad.org)

And are you saying you are expecting a child now? Congratulations if so!

Answer 3

You could actually just file a Power of Attorney giving her rights to make any major medical, life, or legal decisions about the baby.  You draw one up (you can get templates from different websites), sign in front of a notary, and file it with your county's clerk at your courthouse.

Answer 4

An adoption finalized in any state is recognized in all states.  You will need to go through the proper channels required by your county's court s.  I don't know the method by which you will become pregnant, but if there is a father involved, his legal rights exist and must be help up as well.  Contact the family court in order to find out what path must be followed and what fees must be paid.

eta:

When reading the post below mine, I realized that you are planning on having your wife's name on the birth certificate.  A birth certificate is supposed to be a factual record of one's birth.  Please consider that this is someone else's birth certificate you are completing.  That someone else -- your child -- deserves a factual birth certificate.

Thanks