You’ve built a bond that feels like family. Now you want the law to recognize it and are wondering: Can you adopt an adult? If you are in Bowling Green, the answer may be yes. From honoring a parent-like relationship to securing legal decision-making power, adult adoption can turn deep personal connections into a recognized legal bond. Understanding the valid reasons for adult adoption and the process involved can help you decide whether it’s the right step for you or your family.
Can You Adopt Someone Over 18 in Kentucky?
Kentucky allows adult adoption with the consent of the adult being adopted. Their spouse’s consent may also be required. File a petition with the court and consult a family law attorney.
Reasons for Adult Adoption
People often ask, Can you be adopted as an adult? The answer is yes if both the adopter and adoptee agree. But can adults be adopted for any reason? Kentucky courts generally approve adult adoptions for valid personal, familial, or legal reasons.
Common reasons include:
- Establishing inheritance rights. Adult adoption allows the adopted person to inherit from the adoptive parent in the same manner as a biological child.
- Formalizing an existing relationship. This is common for stepparents, foster parents, or other caregivers who raised the person but never legally adopted them.
- Securing decision-making authority. Legal adoption can give the adoptive parent authority to make medical or personal decisions if the adult adoptee becomes incapacitated.
- Ensuring continued caregiving arrangements. Adult adoption can help secure legal rights and responsibilities when one party depends on the other for long-term personal or medical care.
- Reconnecting with former foster children. Adoption can provide a permanent legal bond for foster youth who aged out of the system but maintained a strong relationship with their former caregivers.
The court will deny the petition if the purpose is to create a false legal relationship for financial or other improper gains. Having an experienced and knowledgeable attorney present your case to the court is vital to ensuring your reasons are presented clearly.
Can You Adopt Someone Older Than You?
If you’re older than the adult you want to adopt, you may ask, Can you adopt someone older than you? Yes, you can adopt someone older than you as long as the adoption serves a legitimate purpose and meets the statutory requirements. Courts will review the relationship to confirm it’s appropriate and not intended to defraud the law.
Adult Adoption Process in Kentucky
If you are wondering how to legally adopt an adult in Kentucky, here are the basic steps:
- Filing a petition. You’ll start by filing an adoption petition in the circuit court for the county where you or the adoptee lives. The petition will include identifying information and the reasons for adoption.
- Consent of the adoptee. Because the person is over 18, they must give written consent to the adoption. This is a key difference from adopting a minor.
- Court hearing. The judge will review the petition, ask questions about the relationship, and ensure the adoption is in both parties’ best interests.
- Final order. If approved, the judge will issue a final order of adoption, legally creating the parent-child relationship.
Adult adoptions do not typically require a home study, background checks, or parental termination of rights, making them more straightforward than adopting a minor.
An experienced adoption lawyer can guide you through each step, prepare the necessary documents, and present your case to the judge.
Work with Attorney Pamela C. Bratcher for Your Adoption Needs
With over 35 years of legal experience, Pamela Bratcher has handled adoption matters ranging from complex contested cases to deeply personal adult adoptions. She offers straightforward, compassionate guidance to help you understand the law, prepare your petition, and present your case to the court.
Pamela’s work is informed by decades of legal practice and a long history of community involvement and service. She has a unique perspective on the personal meaning behind every adoption. Pamela approaches adult adoptions with sensitivity and awareness that these cases are often about honoring lifelong relationships or providing legal security for someone you care about. Her commitment to Bowling Green families is evident in how she listens, explains each step of the process, and treats every client with respect and compassion.
If you’re asking, can you adopt an adult, and believe it may be right for your family, call our office today to learn about your options and start the process.