Family Member definition: Copy, customize, and use instantly
Introduction
The term "Family Member" refers to individuals related by blood, marriage, or legal adoption, often defined in contracts and legal documents to specify relationships that carry specific rights, obligations, or benefits. It is essential for clarifying eligibility, responsibilities, or entitlements in various contexts, such as employment, insurance, or estate planning.
Below are various examples of how "Family Member" can be defined in different contexts. Copy the one that fits your needs, customize it, and use it in your contract.
Definition of "Family Member" as immediate relatives
This definition ties "Family Member" to immediate family.
"Family Member" means a spouse, child, parent, sibling, or other individuals directly related to a person by blood, marriage, or legal adoption.
Definition of "Family Member" as dependents
This definition connects "Family Member" to dependents.
"Family Member" refers to individuals who are financially dependent on a person, including minor children, a spouse, or elderly parents living in the same household.
Definition of "Family Member" as legally recognized relations
This definition links "Family Member" to legal recognition.
"Family Member" refers to individuals recognized by law as relatives, including those related by marriage, civil union, or legal guardianship.
Definition of "Family Member" as extended relatives
This definition applies "Family Member" to extended family.
"Family Member" includes immediate relatives as well as extended family, such as grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, or cousins.
Definition of "Family Member" as next of kin
This definition ties "Family Member" to next of kin.
"Family Member" means an individual designated as next of kin, including a spouse, children, parents, or siblings, based on priority under applicable laws.
Definition of "Family Member" as household members
This definition connects "Family Member" to household composition.
"Family Member" refers to individuals residing in the same household as the person, including spouses, children, and other dependents, whether related by blood or marriage.
Definition of "Family Member" as beneficiaries
This definition links "Family Member" to beneficiaries.
"Family Member" includes individuals designated as beneficiaries in legal documents, such as wills, trusts, or insurance policies, who are typically related by blood, marriage, or legal adoption.
Definition of "Family Member" as step-relations
This definition ties "Family Member" to step-relatives.
"Family Member" includes step-relatives such as stepchildren, stepparents, or stepsiblings, when recognized as part of the family through marriage or cohabitation.
Definition of "Family Member" as legal dependents
This definition connects "Family Member" to legal dependency.
"Family Member" refers to individuals legally dependent on a person, including minor children, disabled family members, or others recognized under dependency laws.
Definition of "Family Member" as guardianship relations
This definition links "Family Member" to guardianship roles.
"Family Member" includes individuals for whom a person has legal guardianship, such as foster children or wards under court-appointed care.
Definition of "Family Member" as in-laws
This definition ties "Family Member" to marital relations.
"Family Member" refers to individuals related by marriage, such as parents-in-law, siblings-in-law, or children-in-law, as recognized in familial contexts.
Definition of "Family Member" as estranged relatives
This definition connects "Family Member" to estranged relationships.
"Family Member" includes individuals who, despite estrangement or lack of contact, are recognized as relatives by blood, marriage, or legal adoption under applicable laws.
Definition of "Family Member" as foster relations
This definition links "Family Member" to foster care.
"Family Member" refers to individuals placed in a family through a foster care arrangement, recognized under applicable legal or social service frameworks.
Definition of "Family Member" as cultural or customary relations
This definition ties "Family Member" to cultural definitions.
"Family Member" includes individuals recognized as family based on cultural, tribal, or customary definitions, in addition to legal relationships.
Definition of "Family Member" as those eligible for benefits
This definition connects "Family Member" to benefit eligibility.
"Family Member" refers to individuals eligible for benefits under an agreement or policy, typically including spouses, children, and other close relatives as specified.
Definition of "Family Member" as legal heirs
This definition links "Family Member" to inheritance rights.
"Family Member" includes individuals who are legal heirs under inheritance laws, such as children, spouses, parents, or siblings, recognized in probate proceedings.
Definition of "Family Member" as adopted relatives
This definition ties "Family Member" to adopted individuals.
"Family Member" refers to individuals legally adopted into a family, holding the same rights and recognition as biological relatives.
Definition of "Family Member" as partners in civil unions
This definition connects "Family Member" to civil unions.
"Family Member" includes partners in legally recognized civil unions, who are entitled to familial rights and responsibilities equivalent to those of spouses.
Definition of "Family Member" as those providing care
This definition links "Family Member" to caregiving roles.
"Family Member" refers to individuals who provide or receive care within a familial relationship, including spouses, parents, or children, whether or not they reside together.
Definition of "Family Member" as minors under custody
This definition ties "Family Member" to custodial roles.
"Family Member" refers to minor children or dependents under the legal custody of a person, whether through biological, adoptive, or guardianship relationships.
Definition of "Family Member" as domestic partnerships
This definition connects "Family Member" to domestic arrangements.
"Family Member" includes individuals in domestic partnerships, recognized under applicable laws as having familial rights or obligations.
Definition of "Family Member" as distant relatives
This definition links "Family Member" to extended lineage.
"Family Member" refers to distant relatives, including great-grandparents, great-grandchildren, or second cousins, recognized in familial contexts or legal frameworks.
Definition of "Family Member" as survivors
This definition ties "Family Member" to surviving dependents.
"Family Member" includes individuals recognized as survivors for the purpose of benefits, inheritance, or other entitlements following a family member’s death.
Definition of "Family Member" as cohabiting relatives
This definition ties "Family Member" to shared living arrangements.
"Family Member" refers to individuals related by blood, marriage, or legal guardianship who live in the same household as the person.
Definition of "Family Member" as extended guardianship
This definition connects "Family Member" to extended care responsibilities.
"Family Member" includes individuals under the extended guardianship of a person, such as nieces, nephews, or grandchildren for whom legal responsibility has been assumed.
Definition of "Family Member" as military dependents
This definition links "Family Member" to military benefits.
"Family Member" refers to individuals eligible as dependents under military benefits programs, including spouses, children, and other qualified relatives.
Definition of "Family Member" as customary adoptions
This definition ties "Family Member" to non-legal adoptions.
"Family Member" includes individuals adopted through customary or informal practices, recognized as part of the family based on long-standing cultural traditions.
Definition of "Family Member" as marital descendants
This definition connects "Family Member" to descendants through marriage.
"Family Member" refers to individuals who are descendants of a spouse or partner, such as stepchildren or grandchildren through marriage.
Definition of "Family Member" as legacy heirs
This definition links "Family Member" to inheritance rights.
"Family Member" includes individuals identified as heirs through family legacy agreements, wills, or other estate planning instruments.
Definition of "Family Member" as close relations by affidavit
This definition ties "Family Member" to legal declarations.
"Family Member" refers to individuals identified as close family through an affidavit or other sworn document, often used in legal or immigration contexts.
Definition of "Family Member" as socially recognized kin
This definition connects "Family Member" to social recognition.
"Family Member" includes individuals regarded as family due to close personal bonds or social acknowledgment, even in the absence of formal legal ties.
Definition of "Family Member" as pre-adoptive placements
This definition links "Family Member" to pending adoptions.
"Family Member" refers to children placed in a pre-adoptive home awaiting finalization of the adoption process, recognized under applicable child welfare laws.
Definition of "Family Member" as marriage-equivalent partners
This definition ties "Family Member" to partnership rights.
"Family Member" includes partners in a committed, marriage-equivalent relationship, as recognized by domestic or civil union laws.
Definition of "Family Member" as collateral relatives
This definition connects "Family Member" to lateral family ties.
"Family Member" refers to collateral relatives such as siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews, typically defined for purposes of inheritance or familial obligations.
Definition of "Family Member" as legal wards
This definition links "Family Member" to court-ordered guardianship.
"Family Member" includes individuals for whom a person has been appointed as a legal guardian or ward under court authority.
Definition of "Family Member" as blended family relations
This definition ties "Family Member" to blended households.
"Family Member" refers to individuals in blended families, such as step-siblings or half-siblings, created through remarriages or cohabitation arrangements.
Definition of "Family Member" as shared custodial responsibilities
This definition connects "Family Member" to joint custody arrangements.
"Family Member" includes children or dependents for whom a person shares custodial responsibilities with another guardian or parent.
Definition of "Family Member" as immediate support network
This definition links "Family Member" to support systems.
"Family Member" refers to individuals forming part of a person’s immediate support network, including those providing or receiving care within familial relationships.
Definition of "Family Member" as statutory dependents
This definition ties "Family Member" to statutory definitions.
"Family Member" refers to dependents recognized under statutory provisions, such as tax codes or government assistance programs.
Definition of "Family Member" as surrogate relations
This definition connects "Family Member" to surrogate care.
"Family Member" includes individuals acting as surrogate parents or caregivers, formally or informally integrated into the family structure.
Definition of "Family Member" as common-law spouses
This definition links "Family Member" to informal unions.
"Family Member" includes common-law spouses recognized under applicable laws, even without formal marriage registration.
Definition of "Family Member" as temporary caregivers
This definition ties "Family Member" to temporary roles.
"Family Member" refers to individuals temporarily assuming caregiving responsibilities for a relative, often in emergencies or transitional periods.
Definition of "Family Member" as foster-to-adopt individuals
This definition connects "Family Member" to foster adoption processes.
"Family Member" includes individuals placed in a foster-to-adopt arrangement, pending legal adoption, and recognized as part of the family.
Definition of "Family Member" as recognized kinship by affidavit
This definition ties "Family Member" to legal affidavits.
"Family Member" refers to individuals officially identified as relatives through a legal affidavit, often used in immigration, inheritance, or benefit claims.
Definition of "Family Member" as those eligible for insurance benefits
This definition connects "Family Member" to insurance eligibility.
"Family Member" includes individuals eligible to receive benefits under an insurance policy, typically including spouses, dependents, and immediate relatives.
Definition of "Family Member" as shared financial dependents
This definition links "Family Member" to financial dependency.
"Family Member" refers to individuals financially reliant on a person, such as children, spouses, or elderly parents, as defined in financial agreements or tax documentation.
Definition of "Family Member" as court-ordered guardianship wards
This definition ties "Family Member" to court-mandated guardianship.
"Family Member" includes individuals for whom a person has been appointed as a guardian or custodian through court order, often including minors or incapacitated adults.
Definition of "Family Member" as registered domestic partners
This definition connects "Family Member" to domestic partnership registration.
"Family Member" includes individuals in registered domestic partnerships, recognized as family under applicable state or municipal laws.
Definition of "Family Member" as caregivers in residence
This definition links "Family Member" to caregiving roles.
"Family Member" refers to individuals providing caregiving support within the household, such as caring for children, elderly relatives, or individuals with disabilities.
Definition of "Family Member" as culturally adopted relations
This definition ties "Family Member" to cultural adoption.
"Family Member" includes individuals integrated into the family through cultural or traditional adoption practices, recognized by the community even without formal legal processes.
Definition of "Family Member" as long-term cohabitants
This definition connects "Family Member" to cohabitation.
"Family Member" refers to individuals who have cohabited with a person for an extended period, creating a familial bond recognized by custom or agreement.
Definition of "Family Member" as siblings by foster care
This definition links "Family Member" to foster sibling relationships.
"Family Member" includes individuals who have shared a household as foster siblings under a recognized foster care arrangement.
Definition of "Family Member" as trust beneficiaries
This definition ties "Family Member" to trust distributions.
"Family Member" refers to individuals designated as beneficiaries under a family trust, often including immediate and extended relatives.
Definition of "Family Member" as reciprocal caregiving relations
This definition connects "Family Member" to mutual caregiving roles.
"Family Member" includes individuals within the family who provide or receive caregiving support on a reciprocal basis, such as spouses, siblings, or parents.
Definition of "Family Member" as estate planning designees
This definition links "Family Member" to estate plans.
"Family Member" refers to individuals named in estate planning documents, such as wills or trusts, as recipients of assets or responsibilities.
Definition of "Family Member" as domestic dependents
This definition ties "Family Member" to household dependency.
"Family Member" includes individuals residing within the household who are financially or legally dependent on the head of the household, such as children or elderly relatives.
Definition of "Family Member" as marital relatives
This definition connects "Family Member" to relatives by marriage.
"Family Member" refers to individuals related by marriage, including parents-in-law, siblings-in-law, and other family members connected through a marital relationship.
Definition of "Family Member" as recognized in adoption decrees
This definition links "Family Member" to formal adoptions.
"Family Member" includes individuals formally recognized in adoption decrees, granting them the same legal status as biological family members.
Definition of "Family Member" as kinship caregivers
This definition ties "Family Member" to caregiving under kinship.
"Family Member" refers to relatives who assume caregiving roles for children or dependents under kinship care arrangements, often recognized in social services or legal contexts.
Definition of "Family Member" as emergency contact relations
This definition connects "Family Member" to emergency designations.
"Family Member" includes individuals designated as emergency contacts for medical, legal, or other urgent situations, typically close relatives or legal dependents.
Definition of "Family Member" as spouses in common-law unions
This definition links "Family Member" to informal marriage arrangements.
"Family Member" includes individuals in common-law unions, where a couple is recognized as married without formal registration, based on state laws or longstanding cohabitation.
Definition of "Family Member" as legal proxy designees
This definition ties "Family Member" to proxy roles.
"Family Member" refers to individuals designated as legal proxies or agents, such as in healthcare decisions or power of attorney agreements, often limited to close relatives.
Definition of "Family Member" as shared household kin
This definition connects "Family Member" to household sharing.
"Family Member" includes individuals sharing a household with a person, forming part of their immediate living and support network, regardless of formal legal ties.
This article contains general legal information and does not contain legal advice. Cobrief is not a law firm or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. The law is complex and changes often. For legal advice, please ask a lawyer.