There are so many questions that come up when you start your adoption journey. Here, we’ve compiled the most commonly asked questions about adoption for you. This list of questions covers only general topics. Once you enter the Adoption for Life program, we’ll help you with more specific questions about adopting a baby.
Are there any states where you cannot work with adoptive parents?
We can work with all states except New Jersey and New York, unfortunately.
How old do you need to be to adopt?
You must be 21 years old and prefer if one parent is under 50.
Are single women able to adopt through your program?
Yes, we have successfully helped single women adopt.
We are living together but not married, can we adopt together?
In almost all states, couples cannot adopt a child together if they are unmarried.
Do you offer grants or adoption loans for adoptive parents in your program?
Yes, we will share with you various adoption programs offering grants, loans, and scholarships for domestic and international adoptions; this is covered in the Financial module of our consulting program.
Do we work with an attorney and an agency?
Depending on the type of adoption, state laws and where your birth mother resides, you will probably need an attorney for finalizing your adoption. Some agency fees include legal requirements or finalization fees. We will refer you to an adoption attorney in your state or that of the birth mother when a match is pending. This is covered in the Adoption Professional module.
Can we request a boy or girl when adopting?
Yes, gender specifics are allowed in the Adoption for Life program. For some this can take longer to match when gender isn’t known before birth.
Where do we get our home study done?
We have reputable home study providers and licensed social workers we will refer you to for your home study. This will be one of the first steps you’ll take when we start working together on your adoption. This is covered in the Home Study module.
How can we prevent a scam?
We cover avoiding scams and frauds in great detail, including the signs to look for. We personally preview each potential birth parent situation for professional recommendations before you commit to an adoption match you are considering.
We are US citizens living overseas, can you work with us?
Yes, we work with military families abroad and others working out of the country as long as they are US citizens.
Who will help us with our adoption profile?
We give you great proven suggestions and advice for writing and presenting your Dear Birth Mother letter both offline and online. We include a personalized review of your profile. This is covered in the Adoption Profile and Website module. We will also have educational webinars to cover what’s important to include and how to be seen by more birth mothers.
We are just starting out – what services do you offer for newbies to adoption?
We have extensive guidance and support through our modules, monthly educational webinars and phone consultations, as well as outside resources we provide each adoptive parent through our program. As a member, you’ll have an abundance of information to help you succeed.
What can we expect a completed adoption to cost?
Common adoption expenses include adoption fees to your home study provider, any legal representation and adoption finalization. We provide information to help defray the cost of adoption including ways to fund your adoption and federal adoption tax credit. Adoption cost varies on individual situations and states. Realistically, before grants, tax credits and any other discounts, we have seen most adoptions range with expenses varying between $15,000 and $38,000. You have a lot more control over your expenditures in our program. We cover this in the Funding Your Adoption module.
How long does a typical match take?
The average wait time is often determined by many factors including how soon the qualified adoptive parents to be complete their home study, turn their paperwork in, complete the modules and get their profiles ready. The amount of networking you do can greatly affect your wait time. Proactive families will adopt faster usually. A match can occur within 2 to 24 months. It depends on many combined factors and preferences.
In the Adoption for Life program do you place children with adoptive parents?
We have set up this program to assist you in locating a birth mother and for networking throughout the United States with a huge database of resources and proven methods for locating birth mothers. You will be saving money in most adoptions by doing a great deal of the legwork yourself with our guidance and monthly assistance. We will refer you to professionals that come in contact with birth mothers and assist you in proven methods that work to your advantage. We walk you through, step by step what to do and when to do it, how to avoid being scammed and where to find funding for your adoption. Our original formula has been working since 1986. Birth mothers will place directly with you through these time tested methods and handy resources.