Adoption!?

Question

My husband and I have been together for 5 years. However, we just got married this saturday [7/7]. But, we have been trying to have a baby for the last year or so. We've talked about adoption, and we are just wondering alot of things. Like, do you have to own a home? Are their requirements as far as income? How long do you have to be married, how old do you have to be? And is it possbile for someone to just sign custody over to us instead of going thru an adoption agency?

If anyone knows anything about adoption please share. thanks.

Answer 1

Well, I am ...younger than you (definatly) but I am adopted from South Korea. My parents said its a long process but worth it in the end!

Answer 2

There aren't requirements about owning or renting or whether it's a house or an apartment.  You just need to be able to show that you have adequate space to add another family member.

The income requirements depend on your method of adoption.  I think you'll need to show a social worker at the very least and possibly an agency and/or birth parents that your income is adequate to support another family member on.  Some international adoptions require a certain amount of income per family member (including the new one you're adding), but it's not required everywhere.

Generally an agency will want you to be married for 1 to 5 years, but that may depend on where you are, too, and where you're adopting from.  If you do a private domestic adoption where you hook up with a birth mother, it may be up to her discretion.  If I was a birth mom, though, I'd want to see some longevity of marriage just so I know the child would be going to a stable family that is likely to stay together.  (again, a social worker may have requirements to go by, too)

It might be possible to get custody of a child without going through an adoption.  I don't know.  This might be another thing that depends on where you live.

My thought is to give your marriage a year, feel free to keep trying to get pregnant if you want and after a year if you still want to adopt, begin contacting adoption attorneys or agencies to see if you can move forward with it.

SG

Answer 3

Most adoption agency want you to be married 3 years. Someone could sign custody over to you but that would only make you a guardian and not an adoptive parent. With adoption, a new birth certificate will be issued and your names will be in the spot of mother and father. Income is not a big deal as long as its enough to support a child. As far as owning or renting, I think each adoption agency is different. This is generally info. You can do a web search on adoption agency and get more specific info from there. Good luck

Answer 4

Typically you need to be married for a couple of years, but it depends on the agency.  Income need only be high enough to support a child, you don't have to be Bill Gates or anything.

If an expectant mother decides to give you her baby, then yes, you can adopt that way.  You will need an attorney at some point to get the papers through, but that's generally cheaper than going through an agency.  Adopting a child from foster care also tends to be cheaper.

Answer 5

We have an adoption forum if your interested.

Answer 6

My husband and I are in the beginning stages of adoption through MA Deparment of Social Services.  It is free through them and the classes you need to take are free (may be different in each state).  Here you need to be 18, can be single, married, whatever.  They do take down what you make but don't seem to solely base it on this.  They want to know you have the room for a child or children but don't need to live in a house.  Remember, home is where the heart is!  I highly recommend looking into DSS...it's just not for foster care.  And once parents give up their rights, they can't take the child back.

Answer 7

You can use a lawyer for private adoption, if you know someone who wants to give you their baby...any adoption is long...1 year for the biological parents to change their mind in most states...usually public adoption has a long waiting list...you move up by doing foster care...they have to do a background check and such on you for adoption, the sooner you start the paperwork, the sooner it can happen, usually minimal income requirements...you can't add an adopted baby to wellfare, but, you don't have to be rich...it's just an added bonus if you want to adopt privately.

Keep in mind you still can get pregnant, I know 3 people who adopted and got pregnant within months!

Answer 8

We adopted both of our children, and I know restrictions can vary for each agency (and country if internaional). You'll need to be married at least 1 year (and 2-5 years for many agencies/ countries) You usually will not need to own your home, and can live in an apartment. Some have income requirements but they are pretty low. We adopted from Korea and the yearly minimum family income was only $30,000 per family) Age can very, often is 25 years+ (sometimes older, and some agencies or countries have a cut off at 45 or 50.

Although you don't have to go through an agency, even if you locate a potential birthmother on your own, you'll still need to go thru the legal process of adoption, and will probably still need a homestudy and background check, and will need to hire a attorney. You won't have to meet all of the agency requirements, but it should still cost sveral thousand dollars, and in some cases can be just as expensive as an agency adoption.

Also, the amount of time birthparents have to decide not to proceed with the adoption in the US can vary from state to state, but it is NOT 5 years. Usually it's a few weeks or months, but some allow a period of one or two years ONLY if it is proven that the adoption process was corrupt. In international adoptions the birthparents rights have usually been relinquished once the child is in the US.

Answer 9

TRY GOING TO ADOPTION.COM

Answer 10

I know your questions are about adoption but you are jumping the gun a year is not that long it took me 23 years to get pregnant. first of all see a fertility specialist first before you give up! I don't remember everything about adoption but I know there are stiff rules and very expensive and the real hard part is that the parents have 5 years to change their mind.

Answer 11

I myself have looked into adoption. Its a great thing to do when your struggling to have a child. it doesnt mean you can stop trying.

First things first. It all depends on where you want to adopt the baby. If you want a baby from China or Africa the requirements are different.

Yes you do have to own a home.

Yes there are requirements as far as income.

You have to be married for at least 2-3 years.

Some agencies prefer to have married couples in there late 20's or early 30's.

If you really dont want that much paper work and you find someone willing to give you their child then yes, they can sign over custody to you.

Although i feel that its safer just going to an agency. Only for the fact that people tend to regret things once they get older or think it through so they have every authority to take back their child even if they signed over the custody.

you can always look up information on adoption. Its not that hard and they do answer a lot of questions.

Make sure that the agency is well known. Beware fake agencies!!!

Best of luck.

Answer 12

You don't have to own a home to be able to adopt, you just need to have a safe, clean home. And as far as income requirements, you need to be able to support the child. Although you will receive money for this child monthly until they reach the age of 18. And you DO NOT have to be married in order to adopt a child. There are many children out there who need a home, I would know, I work for this department. There are many websites and hotlines that will provide you with information if you are considering adoption. Contact your state department to get all the info.