However, if you have not legally adopted your
stepchildren, then they would not qualify as your "child" and cannot make a claim.
By law, you have no financial obligation to your
stepchildren. Your paraphernal properties are solely your own, neither part of the dowry nor part of the marriage.
With regard to
stepchildren, the researchers note several factors that are associated with an increase in the parents' intended estate share.
Willfuhr and Alain Gagnon from the University of Montreal investigated if and how strongly parents neglected their
stepchildren by looking at the mortality of children in historic patchwork families from the 17th to 19th century.
Campbell was particularly concerned that many participants would not assume their
stepchildren would be part of the list of potential beneficiaries, that benefits could go to
stepchildren who were not necessarily close to the beneficiary and that the inclusion of
stepchildren would create "uncertainties and additional expenses for the plan by giving rise to disputes about whether [an] individual had been 'equitably adopted.'"
This week the Legal Assistance Centre released a report showing real step families are on the increase, yet there exist no laws that govern the relationship between stepparents and
stepchildren. The latter are regarded as "legal strangers".
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said he appreciated that Morgan, of Tomatin, Inverness-shire, was in a "difficult situation" with his
stepchildren. But he told the accused: "This is not the way to behave.
"He will be deeply missed by his many friends and family: his loving wife Irene, his four children, Paul, Stephen, Diane and John, and also his
stepchildren Graham, Chris and Darren, and all his many grandchildren." His funeral will be held next Tuesday.
A MAN who raped and sexually assaulted his children,
stepchildren and a grandchild overa30-year period was jailed yesterday for 11 years.
Along with his wife he leaves a son Daniel with his first wife, actress Vivien Merchant, and six
stepchildren.
a higher proportion of adopted children under 18 than biological and
stepchildren under 18 had a least one disability." (1)
Henry is survived by his wife, Lou, five
stepchildren and seven grandchildren.
Kenneth is just one of millions of
stepchildren in the United States.
Hughes was given three life sentences in 1996 for the murder of his two
stepchildren and the manslaughter of his wife.
Also surviving are his
stepchildren, Maryann Waters, Orange Lake, FL, John Shuhart, Dallas, TX and Michael Redner, Philadelphia, PA, along with eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
