[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 20, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 20CFR222.34]

[Page 418]
 
                      TITLE 20--EMPLOYEES' BENEFITS
 
                  CHAPTER II--RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD
 
PART 222_FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS--Table of Contents
 
                     Subpart D_Relationship as Child
 
Sec. 222.34  Relationship resulting from equitable adoption.

    In many States, where a legal adoption proceeding was defective 
under State law or where a contemplated legal adoption was not 
completed, a claimant may be considered to be an equitably adopted 
child. A claimant will have the relationship of an equitably adopted 
child for annuity and lump-sum payment purposes if, in addition to 
meeting the other requirements of this part--
    (a) The employee had agreed to adopt the claimant; and
    (b) The natural parents or the person legally responsible for the 
care of the claimant agreed to the adoption; and
    (c) The employee and the claimant lived together as parent and 
child; and
    (d) The agreement to adopt is recognized under applicable State law 
such that, if the employee were to die without leaving a will, the 
claimant could inherit a share of the employee's personal estate as the 
child of the employee.