Responsibility of step parent

[JeriBayless]

What is the legal responsibility of a step parent to his step children. I recently remarried and retired from my position to relocate and join my new husband. Now he says he has no financial responsiblity towards my children. If my income is not such to support them, does he not have a legal responsibility to do so? In this case, the father of my children is not supporting them in any way. Steps are being taken to collect the child support but even that is almost nothing.

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

What is the legal responsibility of a step parent to his step children. I recently remarried and retired from my position to relocate and join my new husband. Now he says he has no financial responsiblity towards my children. If my income is not such to support them, does he not have a legal responsibility to do so? In this case, the father of my children is not supporting them in any way. Steps are being taken to collect the child support but even that is almost nothing.

My response:

A step-parent's "legal" responsibility is extremely limited. Other than the basic responsibility of protection from danger of those within his care, custody or control - - as he would with any visitor, he has no lawful financial responsibility to your children.

There is a "moral" side to this coin since he married you knowing you had children; however, this is a "legal" site. So, I'm not going to get into the moral aspects.

IAAL