Adoption Costs

Legal

Legal expenses are fairly uniform regarding costs but it is important to understand the risks associated with poor adoption legal services. Some families try to use in experienced attorneys to handle their adoption legal services. These families are usually looking to save some money. The problem is legal issues is the most important and final step in the adoption process.

Legal representation is always needed for the adoptive family (adoption agency). This is how the adoption is finalized. In some states, they require legal representation for the birth parents. Some states allow the same attorney to represent both the adoptive family and the birth parents. In other states, there must be a separate attorney. In either case all attorney fees are the responsibility of the adoptive family. In many cases, the attorney expenses for legal work performed are at risk.

Facilitators - In most cases, families are expected to locate the attorneys for both the birth parent(s) and adoptive families. This invariably means the legal expenses are at risk.

Attorneys - The attorney handling your case will arrange for other attorneys to represent the birth parent(s). This means the legal expenses are at risk.

Small, medium, and large agencies - They will handle or arrange for attorney(s) to represent both the birth parent(s) and the adoptive family. With some agencies, they build significant relationships with attorneys and thus these attorneys reduce or eliminate at risk expenses. In other words, they collect legal fees only upon a successful placement. This is not the case with every agency or every adoption so it is important to ask.

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