Stepfamilies

Many stepfathers emotionally distance themselves from their stepchildren and stop participating in daily routines that involve the children. Men pull away because being a stepdad can be difficult, especially when they don’t know how to do it. However, stepfathers can play … Read more

Blended families are now very common and bring their own unique problems to a relationship. Suddenly instead of just being a couple, you are often a family of six, with your two children and his two or three children. The … Read more

When two families combine as one, there are many questions that arise. For example, do stepparents have legal rights to stepchildren? Stepparents do not generally have any legal rights to their stepchildren unless the stepparent adopts the child. As with … Read more

If you are expecting a new baby in a blended family, there may be some mixed feelings from all members of the family for different reasons. And what do you do if a stepchild is jealous of a new baby? … Read more

Adding a stepchild to your health insurance plan might be scary if you have a mixed household with complicated health insurance needs. Can you add your stepchild to your health insurance? A stepchild can be added as a dependent on … Read more

Blended families confront distinct estate planning issues than typical families, especially when there are children and stepchildren involved. What are your inheritance rights as a stepchild? Stepchildren have no inheritance rights unless they were adopted. If the stepparent dies without … Read more

Benefits under the GI Bill assist in paying for college, graduate school, and training programs. Further, GI Bill benefits may be transferred to another family member. But what about a stepchild? Can a stepchild use a GI Bill? A stepchild can … Read more

The United States military provides its military families with a wide range of benefits as a way of making sure that our military families are provided for. But do stepchildren qualify for military benefits? Stepchildren are considered dependents and qualify … Read more

When you first become a stepparent, it’s natural to question if you should act like a parent right away or wait and see. Also, how do you make sure you get along with your stepchild? To get along with your … Read more

Stepparents can serve a parental role in their stepchild’s life and create enduring familial relationships with them. But what if the marriage doesn’t last? Are stepparents responsible for child support? In most cases, a stepparent is not obligated to pay … Read more

There are so many things to think about and plan for your wedding day. Who will be on your guest list? What wedding dress will you choose? And oh dear, do stepparents sit at the top table? Stepparents may be … Read more

Stepparents play an important role in the lives of many. When it comes to planning a wedding, there are ways to include stepparents in the wedding to help them feel just as important as the biological parents. There are several … Read more