Are you considering adopting an older child? If so, be prepared for a lot of hard work, but also for the possibility of one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. You’ll need a lot of patience, but you’ll also have the benefit of almost immediate engagement and feedback from your child. Here are […]

As surprising as it seems, adoption as a legal process in the United States dates back less than two centuries, to a time just before the American Civil War. Before states started establishing legal guidelines, adoption was little more than an informal practice. But much has changed in the last 150 years. Here’s a snapshot […]

Adopting a child through the foster care system can be a great option for many. There’s a large pool of children in the foster care system—estimates put the number at or around 200,000. The costs of adopting through the foster care system are typically far less than through a traditional adoption and many states offer […]

In January of 2017 the final stages of the Adoptees’ Birthright Act went into effect. Now children who were born in New Jersey and who were adopted can have access to a copy of the original birth certificate. This Act has also provided preferences for contact. This could include no contact at all, contact through […]

If you are struggling to start or build your family, you may have considered adoption. One of your first questions, and an important one—how much will it cost to bring a new child into your home through an adoption? Here’s an overview: The Factors Affecting the Ultimate Cost of an Adoption The total cost of […]

You may be considering adopting a child, but you’re concerned that you may be too old. You’ve heard others say that most agencies won’t consider you if you are over the age of 40. Are there restrictions or age limits on potential adoptive parents? What are your options? Until the last couple of decades, there […]

If you are seriously considering adoption as a way to start or build a family, you may be under the impression that international adoptions just always take longer than domestic adoptions. While the process of adopting a child from another country can be an involved process, there are countries and situations where the international process […]

If you are considering an international adoption or have recently adopted a child internationally, you may have heard a caseworker or other person make reference to the readoption process. What is that and how does it affect you? This blog provides an overview of readoption and explains when you may want to consider going through […]

Even though same-sex marriage is the law of the land now, there can still be legal challenges, especially when there are minor children involved. Typically, this is the parent who is biologically tied to the child. In many same-sex marriages, that person (the biological parent) is customarily the only one with actual parental rights. This […]

For potential scammers, the emotions of the victim are often a powerful tool, convincing the mark to do things that border on the irrational. And there are fewer actions that are laden with more emotion than adoption proceedings. Unfortunately, the desire for a child has led many prospective adoptive parents to become victims of unscrupulous […]