Leveraging Legal Guardianship for Revenue Growth: Insights for Step-Parents
Many businesses and people in general are familiar with step-families, in which a parent has remarried, creating a blended family, now living under the same household. In many cases, the non-biological parent has had a strong influence on the child’s development despite not having had custody. Now suppose this role was more significant and structured. When a step-parent becomes a legal guardian of their step-child, they gain many of the same rights so that the family unit is legally recognized. This process, while beneficial to all parties involved, is often not completely understood. While many businesses reward step-parents by allowing them to take paid time off, we will examine how can a step-parent become a legal guardian from a business perspective. In particular, we will describe how step-parents can become legal guardians of their step-children, and discuss how it is analogous to lead nurturing and customer journey mapping.
Legal guardianship is a legal process in most jurisdictions whereby an adult (the guardian) seeks legal authority over another (the student) for the purposes of providing care. Legal guardianship is a strong form of guardianship in which the child has similar rights as a biological child to the guardian. In most situations, the student has lived with the guardian for at least six (6) months. Alternatively, if a child does not have a legal guardian, the step-parent can petition in lieu of adoption. The step-parent typically contacts the family lawyer to determine if they should legally adopt the child, or become their legal guardian. If the latter, the step-parent will file a petition similar to an adoption petition. The applicable forms to become a legal guardian can often be obtained online and completed. The step-parent submits the following information: Once the petition is approved, the parties usually attend a court hearing, after which the clerk will issue guardianship papers appointing one or both parents as guardian. The process for guardianship is usually straightforward and if approved, can save considerable legal fees in an eventual adoption scenario.
Although there are many legal steps involved, much of the process is similar to marketing automation or “revenue operations”, in which data is collected to improve decision-making and targeting. For example, in step-parent guardianship: – the legally-recognized decision-maker is the step-parent. – the parties to be notified are limited to interested parties (e.g. the other biological parent). – the data sources contain medical history, social impact studies, evaluations, and financial reports. – the types of evidence contain satisfactory evidence and allegations. – the petition and supporting documentation must be filed with an appropriate filing fee. – the court hearing requires petitions, court filings, notices, and certificates of service, and an order appointing the Guardian. Thus, obtaining guardianship is usually akin to an initially less expensive adoption process.
While becoming a legal guardian of a step-child can be straightforward, it may be a good idea to consult with a family lawyer to ensure that the process is carried out properly. This is similar to collecting data for a marketing automation campaign with the potential adoption of that client as a customer. One day their result may mean the difference between a successful trial and a lost opportunity. Whatever the case may be, and whoever the party may be, the decision to continue with the business appointment or family appointment will be up to them.
For more information on legal guardianship, you can visit Child Welfare Information Gateway.
