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Here is advice: * As far as I'm aware, the "adoption" of a person over 18 only happens in a few isolated circumstances ... one, an adoption may be in process prior to the child's 18th birthday, and is granted after the birthday, meaning that the child (now adult) is legally related to the adoptive parent and entitled to all rights of inheritance, etc. The second might be for a person with significant developmental or other disabilities that prevent them from taking on legal adult status. More likely, this second relationship would be a legal guardianship, not an adoption. I've never heard of an older, non-disabled adult being legally adopted ... I can't see that there would be any legal reason for it! * I can see a reason for it. If you want to be legally family, with all the legal rights of family - such as visitation rights in a hospital, insurance rights, etc. So, can adults, who don't want to be a couple, but would like to be considered legal family adopt one another? * Adults cannot "adopt" other adults even in circumstances where the prospective adoptee is mentally and/or physically impaired. The legal process would be to petition the court to become the legal guardian and conservator. This is only applicable to persons who have been deemed legally incompetent and are unable to conduct their personal and/or financial affairs. * Actually, in America, adults can adopt other adults. This process is known as "adult adoption". It has been used in many states by gay and lesbian couples who want to be accorded the legal rights of family members in areas where there are no civil union laws, although in some states it would be considered incest for someone to adopt their partner. It is also used by people who are not partners, but have ties that they want to cement as family ties for the purpose of inheritance rights, hospital visitation rights, and other rights generally considered the domain of family. It can be used by adults who want their step-parents to be considered their legal parents, as well. There are many different reasons and uses for adult adoption, but it definitely exists and goes on all the time.

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19y ago

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