Adoption isn’t exactly an easy path to take when growing your family. Whether you’re choosing to adopt a baby or an older child, you’re going to have to jump through too many legal hoops to keep track of. Adoption is expensive, and no matter how prepared you feel for it, it will likely take much longer than you expect.
Some people hire an adoption lawyer to help them through the process. These professionals know the ins and outs of adoptions in their state, so they can help you navigate the system faster and with less stress.
Before you hire an adoption lawyer, though, you need to consider the following.
If your state is an agency state, you may not be able to hire an adoption lawyer. These states require adoptive parents to work with adoption agencies instead. If you’re adopting across state lines, make sure you talk to your lawyer about the state you’re planning to adopt from.
You also need a lawyer to establish guardianship. Make sure you find a lawyer who is comfortable with setting this up before a child is born if you’re adopting a baby. Make sure your lawyer also has a secondary plan if the guardianship falls through.
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