A bereaved child; one who has lost father or mother.

A son or daughter of one's wife or husband by a former marriage.

A child that was born to your spouse prior to your marriage and whom you have not legally adopted.

Child of one of the spouses by a former marriage - not their natural child.

a child of your spouse by a former marriage

a child for whom a spouse stands in the place of a parent

a child of a person's husband or wife by a previous marriage.

child of one of the spouses by a former marriage who has not been adopted by the step-parent.

A stepchild is not your natural child but is the natural or adopted child of your spouse. To have a stepchild, you must have at some time been married to the child's parent.

A child born to your spouse before your marriage whom you have not legally adopted. If you adopt the child, he or she is legally treated just like a biological offspring. Under the Uniform Probate Code, followed in some states, a stepchild belongs in the same class as a biological child and will inherit property left "to my children." In other states, a stepchild is not treated like a biological child unless he or she can prove that the parental relationship was established when he or she was a minor and that adoption would have occurred but for some legal obstacle.