Illinois Law Regarding Adult Adoption

 Posted on July 04, 2012 in Estate Planning

For many people who do not have biological heirs to leave their estate to, adopting an adult who shares a close relationship is a viable option.  The state of Illinois does allow for adults to be adopted, and the process is much easier than that to adopt a minor child.

When a person adopts an adult, only the consent of the person to be adopted is required.  This consent is to be in written form in order to be valid.  And state law requires that the person to be adopted has lived in a parent- child relationship with the person petitioning to adopt them.  Many times, elderly persons will adopt adult caregivers as a way to ensure that they have someone in place who can give them end of life care before that care is needed.

The relationship can be one of several types that also exist when the persons are family by blood or by remarriage:  Step children, grandchildren, sibling, first cousin or other relationships can qualify as a parent child relationship.  Just as our definition of what defines a family has expanded over the last few decades, the court has followed that example to allow several different family units to be considered when looking at adoption for adults.

If you are in the process of adopting an adult or being adopted as an adult, you will need to help of an experienced DuPage County adoption attorney who can help guide your case through the courts.  Contact our firm today to schedule a consultation.