Analyzing adoption alternatives can be an overwhelming, strenuous, complicated, and protracted process. It becomes all the more tricky when you’re exploring the adoption process (either placement or adoption) for the first time. A clear-cut understanding of the fundamentals is necessary before beginning this process. Because of this, hiring our Texas adoption attorneys would be your best bet.
An adoption attorney is one who focuses solely on adoption cases or who provides the client with legal services on adoption matters while simultaneously providing services in other cases unrelated to adoption. They will focus on providing legal services in adoption matters within the jurisdiction of Texas. You might discover that contracting the services of an adoption attorney with Eddington & Worley offers an excellent opportunity to understand the adoption process better.
Having a lawyer protects your rights as a parent, and at the same time, assists you through complex and protracted adoption processes. In some cases, parents tend to feel a little more at ease hiring a lawyer who specializes in handling adoption matters or who only accepts adoption cases. While it is always advisable to be comfortable with your choice of representation for both your child and yourself, it’s essential to note that there is no extra qualification required for being an adoption lawyer.
If your family is seeking to adopt, call Eddington & Worley at (281)809-9185 and speak to our experts. They will answer any questions you may have about your adoption case and can provide guidance throughout the entire adoption process.
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How Much Does Adoption Cost In Texas?
Adoption is a major life-altering event which substantially affects every facet of family life. Receiving a new member into your family always has far-reaching implications.
Although your parental responsibilities to the child (both financial and legal) come to an end when the child attains his majority (which is 18 in most cases); the inherent commitment adoption brings spans a lifetime.
Similar to adoption processes anywhere within the country, there are inherent costs incurred in undertaking this process in Texas.
Adoption costs are generally influenced by different circumstances such as; the type of adoption you intend to pursue, the kind of adoption attorney that will be representing you (taking into consideration their qualifications and experience), as well as the duration of the process.
With regards to the types of adoption available, below, we discuss the adoption options available in Texas.
What Are The Different Types Of Adoption Available In Texas?
When you are seeking to adopt a child in Texas, there are several potential options to explore. Our Texas adoption attorneys can help you decide what is the best course of action for your family.
Local Adoption
It is alternatively referred to as Domestic Adoption, and it depicts scenarios, where the children put up for adoption, are based within the country’s territory.
This adoption option occurs when a child’s biological mother or biological parents put their child up for adoption of their own volition.
Domestic adoption is generally based on several reasons ranging from a parent being financially incapable of providing for the child to the child’s birth parents being mentally unfit to raise a child, among other reasons.
Numerous adoption agencies, facilitators or law centers are 1established to assist parents in expediting domestic adoptions.
When looking to adopt a child within the state of Texas, your overall costs can be expected to range from $30,000 to $45,000. Intending adoptive parents would necessarily be required to be ready for the following fees:
- Fees accrued towards hiring expert adoption services.
- Networking expenses accrued from finding a child’s biological mother/parents where necessary.
- Fees collected towards home study.
- Fees accrued towards securing child abuse clearance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
- Monetary payments to the child’s biological parents in line with the provisions of Texas Laws.
- Traveling costs.
- Expenses associated with the court process.
However, potential adoptive parents must be aware that the provisions of Texan law are available to mitigate the costs of adoption in the state. Foster parents have the option of exploring loans, credits, employer benefits, and so on; where they need assistance in financing their adoption process.
Foreign Adoption
Foreign adoption means that the child to be adopted is a resident in another country. This option is quite distinct from the conventional adoption process, which begins and concludes within the United States. This is because it consists of a unique set of requirements as well as expenses which the adoptive family should be prepared to pay.
Contracting a registered adoption agency is advisable to ensure proper guidance through the international adoption process. The adoption agency is responsible for ensuring strict conformity to the substantive laws applicable to international adoption. These laws being: the United States laws which guide adoptions, the statutes which govern adoptions in the country where the child resides as well as the adoption laws of Texas.
Some unique fees for international adoption include the travel expenses the prospective parents would be required to make to visit the country they intend adopting from, the costs involved in traveling within the foreign country and the expenses involved in securing a visa, passport and other necessaries for the child.
The following are the standard fees potential adoptive parents who intend to adopt internationally should expect. These amounts may, however, vary depending on what country the child to be adopted resides.
- Fees accrued towards hiring expert adoption services
- Expenses accrued in traveling both within and outside the country
- Adoption costs specific to the countries involved.
- Fees accrued towards securing child abuse clearance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
- Expenses accrued in acquiring necessaries for the child.
Major Source Countries of Foreign Adoptions and their Estimates:
- Columbia: $32,000 – $44,000
- China: $33,000 – $43,000
- South Korea: $39,000 – $54,000
- Haiti: $45,000 – $59,000
These statistics reveal that the rate of foreign adoption has declined steadily in recent years. Countries like China (which was once a major source point for international adoption) have adopted more stringent laws limiting the number of children allowed for international adoption from the country.
The exponentially growing costs of international adoption make the venture financially unwise, thus dissuading parents from adopting foreign children. Instead, they often choose to explore more cost-effective means of fulfilling their dreams of parenthood.
Step-Parent Adoptions
In situations where a child and the intended adoptive family already have a step-parent relationship, the adoption process becomes a lot easier and less expensive.
This, however, does not rule out the possibility of conflict, especially where a biological parent is opposed to giving up their rights and parental responsibilities.
This process can be daunting when embarked upon alone; an experienced Texas adoption lawyer at Eddington & Worley can guide you through the process by avoiding conflicts while ensuring that the adoption process is smooth and hitch-free.
Private Adoption
In a private adoption option, the process is arranged, verified, and executed privately between the child’s biological parents and the intending adoptive parents. This option is facilitated with assistance from a previously contracted registered adoption agency in collaboration with our Texas adoption attorneys.
While a Texas adoption lawyer may not aid clients in locating children, he may inform them on viable avenues to explore in finding a child for adoption. Private adoption in Texas may either take the form of a close-record process or an open-record process.
Under the closed-record process, the records of adoption are placed under seal by a court upon completion of the process. In some cases, neither the biological nor adoptive parents make any form of contact with each other with the latter sometimes opting to have their identities permanently shielded from any record.
Open-record adoptions, on the other hand, are primarily characterized by both parents (adoptive and biological parents) working in tandem to ensure a seamless transition for the child.
These have become commonplace in America; with the biological parents remaining an integral part of the life of the adopted child in some cases. Considering that there are significantly more emotions at play in this form of adoption arrangement, it is advisable to hire a Texas adoption lawyer at Eddington & Worley to mediate the open adoption process.
The extent of the birth parents’ involvement must as of necessity be a part of the adoption decree. That way, your attorney can ensure that your interest is duly protected.
Every adoption requires the legal termination of the parenting rights of the biological parents by the court. In some private adoption cases, the birth father or mother may be resistant to the adoption process or unwilling to sign the required paperwork.
This situation requires the help of our competent Texas adoption attorneys; attempting to manage these complex negotiations and relationships on your own can be fraught with uncertainty and emotional turmoil.
Adoption Via Foster Care
This adoption process is very cost-effective and consists of simpler and more straightforward procedures. It is one of the least expensive adoption options in America.
Its operational cost is its main distinguishing factor from the private adoption option. Also, the typical age distribution of children in the foster care system range from seven years and above.
Under this system of adoption, a parent might decide to foster a child before adoption or adopt the child from the get-go.
It’s imperative to note that the ultimate purpose of this adoption structure is to see a child return to his or her biological parent(s). Adoption can only occur when re-unification is ill-advised or impossible.
Are There Adoption Assistance Programs Available?
Assistance does indeed exist to help mitigate the financial strain adoption can cause. However, there are some criteria which must be met to qualify for such assistance:
- The adopted child must not be less than age six.
- That the adopted child being part of a group either ethnic or racial which deprives him/her of necessary parental care is no less than age two
- That the child was adopted with a sibling
- That the adopted child suffers infirmity of body or mind.
Program Benefits
- Access to health care for the child
- Financial remuneration for some adoption-related expenses
- Allowance provided every month to cater to the necessaries of the child.
Internationally adopted children may benefit where they are confirmed to be disabled at the time of adoption.
The DFPS website provides information which can enable you to determine if you qualify for the assistance or not.
Why Should I Hire A Texas Adoption Lawyer?
People hire Texas adoption attorneys for various reasons. However, one prevalent motivation for hiring a lawyer is because the law can generally prove hard and complicated for non-lawyers.
The Texas adoption law is extraordinarily complicated. This is not just about the legal complexities involved, it’s also about the fact that adoptions involve real people, real families, and powerful emotions make it harder to handle.
Adoptions require delicate handling of the issues associated with it. That’s why contracting a qualified Texas adoption lawyer is necessary. Besides, having an experienced attorney handling the ins and outs of your case affords you time to focus on building and strengthening your family.
Contact The Texas Adoption Lawyers At Eddington & Worley For A Consultation
Whether it’s the biological parents who are considering putting their child up for adoption or the adoptive parent who’s intent on adopting children, the requirements of the law may seem complicated and overwhelmingly confusing.
The legal process involved in adoption is what facilitates the successful transfer of the permanent parent-child relationship from the biological parents to the adoptive parents. This process transfers the rights and responsibilities of legal parenthood to the adoptive parents.
Adoption in its entirety might seem different from family to family, depending on the location of the biological and adoptive parents, and typically because adoption laws are dynamic, varying from state to state.
There are many reasons which make it best for the parents (both biological and adoptive) to contact one of the Texas adoption attorneys at Eddington & Worley for this process.
Here’s one significant reason: both parents are entitled to someone who has their best interest at heart, someone who’s ready to ensure that these interests are not just reflected but met in the adoption process. Call our offices today to have an experienced adoption attorney guide you through the entire process.
This is what we at Eddington & Worley offer our clients. Contact us today for assistance in any of the areas we serve: