We will prepare a letter for you explaining that an adoption plan has been made and the birth mother signed a surrender transferring custody to their insured (You). You will give the letter to your insurance company. Occasionally, the insurance company will require a copy of a court order, if that is the case, the Court will sign an Order approving the surrender – thereby legally recognizing the transfer of custody. It will take a few weeks to get this Order back from the Court, but we can submit that to the insurance company as well.

The birth mother may apply for the child’s SSN at the hospital. If she does apply for it, the card will be mailed to the address she discloses on the application. However, she is not compelled to do it and occasionally, she does not. If the birth mother does not apply for it, the adoptive parents will be able to apply for a new SSN for the child after the adoption is granted. In the meantime, they could apply for and receive a temporary number for the child from the IRS for taxes just while the adoption is pending.

Our team will prepare paperwork necessary for the adoptive parents to bring the child back to their home state, this will be referred to as ICPC paperwork. Once both states approve the placement, the adoptive parents can bring the child to their home state. Many of the adoptive families choose to finalize the adoption in Louisiana, but it is not required. The birth certificate must be revised or amended by the state in which the child was born but the application for the SSN will not be affected.

The answer really depends on which court and which judge is overseeing the case. The judge’s style and protocols vary so much. However, it will include a presentation of some kind with a question and answer period. OPL has successfully appeared in more than thirty district courts over the last twenty-two years and can set reasonable expectations for the client.

Adoptive families can offset the expense of adoption by claiming the Adoption Tax Credit. Currently, the maximum adoption credit and exclusion is $13,570 per child. The amount changes each year to adjust for inflation. The credit is available for families that fall below a certain income amount.

When a child is adopted by a stepparent, grandparent or other relative it is considered an Intrafamily Adoption; it is sometimes referred to as grandparent adoption, stepparent adoption or kinship adoption. These adoptions are different from Private Adoptions because there is only a six month waiting period before finalizing and the adoptive family is not required to have a home study.

Yes, but the child’s other parent’s rights must be terminated first. After the adoption is finalized, the other parent no longer has any rights or responsibilities for the child, including child support.

Yes, but the child’s biological parents’ rights must be terminated first. Termination is often the most difficult part of the process. After the adoption is finalized, the biological parents no longer have any rights or responsibilities for the child, including child support.

In Louisiana, a child must be in the home with the family member wishing to adopt the child for at least six months before we can file to finalize the adoption.

The cost for this kind of adoption depends on the level of cooperation from the biological parents. If the parents refuse to sign a consent to the adoption, there will likely be a termination hearing which requires customary trial preparation, such as gathering evidence and locating witnesses.