A person's mother or father. In legal contexts, particularly inheritance and family law, "parent" typically includes biological parents and adoptive parents, but generally excludes step-parents unless specifically stated otherwise or they've legally adopted the child. For intestacy and family provision claims, parents are a defined class with specific rights.
Your mother or father. For legal purposes: biological parents and adoptive parents are legal parents with full inheritance rights. Step-parents are NOT legal parents unless they've legally adopted you—even if they raised you from childhood. This matters for inheritance: if your step-father dies without a will and never adopted you, you don't inherit under intestacy rules, even if he raised you for 20 years.
⏱ When you'll encounter this term
- Intestacy (dying without a will)—parents inherit if no spouse/children
- Family provision claims by parents
- Adoption and step-parent situations
- Estate planning for blended families
- Inheritance rights and family relationships
"My step-dad raised me from age 5 and we're very close, but he never legally adopted me. When he died without a will, I couldn't inherit under intestacy laws—only his biological children could. He should have made a will."
💡 Did you know?
Step-parents have no automatic inheritance rights to step-children's estates, and step-children have no automatic rights to step-parents' estates—unless there's been a legal adoption. If you want step-children to inherit, you must name them specifically in your will or legally adopt them.