This not D.I.Y

[chirpychippy]

My Step Daughter whom is an adult at the age of twenty two has changed her surname by deed poll from McGregor "her Father's name" to Edwards "my name", I am absolutely chuffed to bits.

Whilst Deed Poll enables a surname change, to make this legally binding would I have to adopt my step daughter, I would do this in a heart beat?

Thank you.

 

[Notch7]

Unfortunately I don’t think you can adopt somebody over 18

But that doesn’t detract from your step daughters decision - she clearly thinks the world of you.

 

[big-all]

my understanding
it has no legal consequences, no advantage or disadvantage, no different to being known by your middle name rather than your first all' liabilities transfer but may cause problems in changing information to gain access to say your own insurance pension bank accounts etc

 

[AngleEyes]

Unfortunately I don’t think you can adopt somebody over 18

As Notch7 said:

Can you adopt an adult under UK adoption law?
Under UK adoption law you can't adopt an adult. The law applies whether you are hoping to adopt an extended family member, an adult step-child or a non-relative. The law also applies whether the person you want to adopt is a UK citizen or has settled status in the UK or requires a visa and entry clearance to come to the UK to be adopted.

Who is classed as an adult in UK adoption law?
In UK adoption law you are classed as an adult if you are age eighteen. Therefore, a prospective adoptive parent can only start adoption proceedings in the UK if the young person they want to adopt is under the age of eighteen at the time that the adoption court application is started.
https://www.otssolicitors.co.uk/news/can-you-adopt-adult-in-the-uk/​

It's the same in Ireland:

No. An adoption can only be effected in Ireland if the child is under the age of 18 years at the date the Adoption Order is made. There is no provision in current legislation to adopt anyone over the age of 18 years.
https://aai.gov.ie/en/faqs.html#:~:text=No.,the age of 18 years.​

 

[conny]

If you are concerned that she may miss out on any inheritance when you die you can counter this by ladging a formal statement with your solicitor/bank stating that you confer the same rights to her as though she were a blood relative. My eldest brother caused a family rift when my dad died because my eldest sister had adopted twins when they were 6 weeks old. The whole family have always regarded them as equal family members but he thought they shouldn't benefit from dads will as they were not 'blood' relatives. This is why I think it best to make your family aware of your wishes and also put it officially in writing to avoid these kind of problems.

 

[Mottie]

My understanding is that adoption is for people to take on the parental responsibility of a child. I think that only applies to potential adoptees up to the age of 18.

 

[AngleEyes]

This is why I think it best to make your family aware of your wishes and also put it officially in writing to avoid these kind of problems.

That wouldn't per se override other country's inheritance laws.
Yes, I recognise there was no mention of international application in the OP post. Just adding additional detail.
But the natural inheritance, from husband to wife to daughter should take care of any such other problems.

 

[BlueLoo]

I wrote a long reply but i can't word it properly enough for it not to come across as hard and insincere so i deleted it.

The point i wanted to make is that the right reasons for changing a name are few and the wrong reasons are many and that those reasons may not be immediately obvious.

Hope you get sorted.

 

[big-all]

I wrote a long reply but i can't word it properly enough for it not to come across as hard and insincere so i deleted it.

The point i wanted to make is that the right reasons for changing a name are few and the wrong reasons are many and that those reasons may not be immediately obvious.

Hope you get sorted.

yes that was my first though "something to hide" or "mislead" ??
but lets not think that way as the genuine shouldn't suffer for the sins off others

 

[conny]

Changing your name by deed poll will not obliterate your history under your previous name. I added my 'future wifes' surname when we got married over 4 years ago. Las year I filled in a questionnaire for something and I received a reply asking if I was previously known as XXXXX. So it will show up in searches by organisations. Maybe not in a cursory search but an in-depth one, such as checking relatives/beneficiaries of a will, will show it.

 

[gas112]

no hassle at all changing name by deed poll , on doing certain stuff such as initial passport , getting married claiming company pensions few other things a copy of deed poll will have to be shown.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

If you are concerned that she may miss out on any inheritance when you die you can counter this by ladging a formal statement with your solicitor/bank stating that you confer the same rights to her as though she were a blood relative.

The formal statement would need to be a clear, unambiguous, properly drawn up Will.

 

[Mottie]

I'm changing my name to Windsor-Trump.

 

[charliegolf]

The formal statement would need to be a clear, unambiguous, properly drawn up Will.

Correct- nothing else is required.

 

[charliegolf]

The point i wanted to make is that the right reasons for changing a name are few and the wrong reasons are many and that those reasons may not be immediately obvious.

A friend's soon to be son in law approached the family and asked if they would object if he, against tradition, changed his name to the bride's family name. Why? He had long since felt abandoned by his own family; and his new in law family were the exact opposite- open and welcoming. Would that do?