Private Adoption

Adoption is such a wonderful opportunity to expand your family. Today there are a variety of ways to adopt. Private adoption is a way to adopt without using an adoption agency. There are varying state laws regarding private adoptions. A family law attorney familiar with private adoptions in your state should be consulted prior to beginning the adoption process.

Private adoption is like any adoption, there are pros and cons to consider prior to beginning the adoption process. The pros for a private adoption can include allowing the adoptive parents to have more control over the adoption process and gaining parental rights from the birthparents directly not from an agency. Private adoption also can allow the birth family to gain more information about the adopted child including their medical, religious and family histories prior to the adoption. Private adoption may also decrease the amount of time that it takes to locate a child. One of the best things about a private adoption is the child usually is given to the adoptive parents shortly after birth instead of spending time in a foster home or orphanage (which may occur in an international adoption).

Unfortunately, there are some downsides to consider prior to a private adoption. There could be varying timeframes by state for a birth parent to change their mind which could add to the stress of the adoption. In addition the costs may not be completely fixed and may vary greatly. In addition, you may not have the option to determine the gender of the child prior to adoption.

Costs For Private Adoptions
Private adoption costs are a little more difficult to determine then if you adopt through an agency. Agency adoptions tend to have more pre-determined costs. Costs for a private adoption generally range from $10,000- $15,000. However, costs may be as high as $30,000. The main expenses for the private adoption can include:

Legal counsel for the birth parents
Legal counsel for the Adoptive parents
Costs for a home study
Travel Costs
Medical Costs

*All advertising costs to locate the child

There have been tax credits established by the federal government to offset the cost of the adoption. For more information regarding these credits contact the IRS or your family Law Attorney.

Do I need a Family Law Attorney to assist with the adoption?
Private adoption laws can vary by state and it could be beneficial to get the help from a family law attorney to guide you through the adoption process. In some states family law attorneys can be involved in each phase of the private adoption. In other states an attorney can only help finalize the adoption after the child has been matched to an adoptive family. If this is the case, an experienced attorney can help make sure all documents are filed correctly and court dates are met. An attorney can also help file papers to finalize the adoption process.

An attorney can also help monitor and approve the expenses related to the adoption process. This can be done with a trust account. There are varying state laws regarding costs that can be paid to the birth mother and an attorney should be consulted to review your state's restrictions. It is illegal to pay a birth mother directly for the baby in every state.