Rights of Children in Gay Relationships
Some state laws now recognize gay marriage and administer civil-union ceremonies. If there are children born prior to the union, these children have rights that are legally declared by the government. Adopted children by gay couples also have rights. Gay parents should be aware of these rights and not neglect them.
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Inheritance Rights From Parents
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After a legal separation from your spouse, ensuring the welfare of your minor children is still your primary responsibility. This will not change even if you decided to marry another partner. If there is no existing will and testament, a child born prior to a civil union inherits from his natural parents. In most states, children under the legal age are automatically entitled to their parent's properties and assets. If you have an adult child, inheritance can be discussed and formally stated in your will.
Inheritance Rights From Parent's Partner
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Unlike inheritance from adoptive parents, a child's inheritance from his parent's gay partner is not automatic. At the first years of a same-sex marriage, the child's second parent can process an adoption. Your partner will then be the adoptive parent of the child, making his inheritance rights similar to the legal parents'. Without the completion of an adoption, the non-genetic parent will not have a recognized parental relationship with the child for inheritance purposes.
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Right to Track Biological Family
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Gay couples who don't have a biological child have the option to adopt. This is a good way of completing the family that many same-sex married couples dream of. Child adoption comes with great responsibilities. Firstly, you should respect the fundamental rights of your adopted children, and one of these rights is to know their origin. They have the right to trace their biological families to understand their existence.
Inheritance Rights From Relatives
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Sometimes, relatives of a non-genetic parent opt to leave some of their properties to a child. In order for an un-adopted child to receive inheritance from her non-genetic parent's relatives, the relatives must mention the child's name and specific provisions in their wills.
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References
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