Insecure housing, substance abuse, and incarceration among emerging adults aging out of foster care: Examining associations with legal orphan status

•Thousands of youth age out of foster care as legal orphans each year.•Males and Native or multiracial youth may be more likely to become legal orphans.•Legal orphans experience longer foster care stays and greater placement instability.•Legal orphan status was associated with higher risk of experiencing homelessness.•Native youth, males, and youth with delinquency histories also had worse outcomes.