A Family Story of a Different Sort
Most of the stories I write about involve parents helping out their adult children and how that might affect their own finances, especially when they need long term care. As a result of divorce, losing a job, having special needs that restricts or prevents the ability to earn a living, an adult child often needs financial assistance or may need to live/move back in with aging parents. This has an impact on the parents’ finances especially if they must consider qualifying for Medicaid.
But, what if the situation reverses itself? What if the parents have had enough? What if an adult child refuses to leave the home and refuses to seek employment but would rather continue to look to his/her parents for support? What rights do each of the parties have?
In upstate New York, parents went to court seeking to evict their 30 year old son from their home. Mark and Christina Rotondo sent their son, Michael several letters asking him to move out and get a job. In an interview explaining himself, Michael said that he was unemployed because he needed to concentrate on being a father to his child rather than focusing on his career, although he reportedly lost his parental rights. It’s not clear why he can’t “multitask” working and being a parent as so many adults must do.
His parents even offered him $1100 to help him find a place to live. In court, however, Michael requested he be permitted to stay 6 more months to allow him the time to get on his feet. The judge declined the request, however, Michael has told reporters that he intends to appeal the judge’s decision.
From a legal standpoint, it does not appear that Michael has “a leg to stand on”, however, it appears that his parents were advised to send eviction notices, as landlord/tenant laws may give me him rights similar to other tenants. Nevertheless, the law does not provide Michael , as an emancipated adult child, with the right to live indefinitely in his parents’ home against their wishes while he focuses on fatherhood.