How do you privately adopt?

Private (or independent) adoption is a procedure in which the birth parents select the adoptive parents and place the child directly with them. Custody is transferred directly between the parents, rather than through an agency. Private (independent) adoption is not legal in some states.

How much does a US adoption cost?

According to Child Welfare Information Gateway, working with a private agency to adopt a healthy newborn or baby or to adopt from another country can cost $5,000 to $40,000. Some agencies have a sliding scale based on the prospective adoptive parent’s income.

How are birth parents chosen for private adoption?

In private adoption, the birth parent, or parents, voluntarily place their child for adoption, often choosing the family with whom they will place their child. Birth parents can either find a family on their own through word of mouth or profile searches, or via the help of an adoption agency or attorney.

What’s the difference between private and public adoption?

Broadly speaking, private adoption describes the process by which a birth parent or parents voluntarily place their child for adoption and that child is then placed with adoptive parents.

Can a lawyer help with a private adoption?

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.

Is there a way to adopt without an adoption agency?

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.

What does it mean to have a private adoption?

Broadly speaking, a private adoption occurs when hopeful adoptive parents work with a private adoption agency to adopt an infant from the U.S. On the other side of this process, a prospective birth mother voluntarily chooses to create an adoption plan for her baby.

How much does it cost to adopt a baby through a private agency?

But the National Adoption Center ballparks that adopting a healthy infant of any race through a private agency or attorney in the U.S. can range from several hundred dollars (independent) to $30,000 or more (agency). A 2017 survey published in Adoptive Families magazine found that domestic infant adoption cost families on average of $43,000.

What kind of adoption agency is American adoptions?

The first thing to do, after you know that this is the type of adoption you want to pursue, is to seek out private adoption services. This means finding a private adoption agency to work with. American Adoptions is a full-service, fully-licensed national private adoption agency.