Why You Need an Adoption Attorney to Finalize Your Adoption

Why You Need an Adoption Attorney to Finalize Your Adoption

When it finally comes time to finalize your adoption, you have likely already been on a long and emotional journey. So the last thing you want is to experience any last minute bumps in the road. An adoption attorney can help your finalization go off without a hitch.

Why hire an attorney who specializes in adoption rather than simply getting help from a lawyer friend? While that friend may be a fine attorney, he or she may neglect certain laws or procedures, both state and federal, that an adoption lawyer specializes in.

Here are just a few of the reasons why hiring an adoption attorney is your best bet to a problem-free adoption finalization.

Interstate Adoptions

Adoptions that cross state lines are very common, but cannot be completed without the go-ahead from the Interstate Compact for Placement of Children (ICPC). Because adoption laws differ from state to state, the ICPC sees that adoption laws in each state are complied with before a child can be placed. An adoption attorney will help you both understand and comply with different state laws regarding adoption, so that your child can come home as soon as possible.

Birth Parent Rights

An adoption cannot be finalized until both the biological mother and biological father’s rights have been terminated. Things can sometimes get muddled when it comes to the birth father’s rights, and an adoption attorney will make sure the father’s rights have been legally and totally terminated.

Open Adoptions

Over the past few decades, open adoptions have become increasingly common and are typically the norm when it comes to domestic adoption. An adoption attorney can educate you on the ins and outs of an open adoption, and counsel you on the best practices when it comes to post-adoption communication and contact agreements.

Taxes and Costs

There are a lot of financial hoops to jump through when it comes to adoption, and an adoption attorney can help navigate contracts with agencies, different adoption costs, and taxes, like the Federal Adoption Tax Credit. An adoption attorney can also let you know about any adoption grants you may be eligible for.

You never want to cut corners when it comes to adoption, especially the closer you get to finalization. A specialized adoption attorney is a great resource for reasons far beyond those listed above, and will do absolutely everything to make your adoption and finalization go as well and as quickly as possible.

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