[cagurl]

I am a new member and have mainly lurked.I am so excited to share the arrival of our baby who is our second and final adoption.We are doing a private/attorney adoption.I know everyone is concerned with high fees so I wanted to share that you should not be afraid to consider private adoption.I was afraid that it was too expensive until we went and talked to an attorney.Our agency adoption was (3 times) what this adoption cost will be.Our last adoption involved a facilatator and 2 agencies since we had to travel to a different state and stay until interstate compact(the two states must communicate before a baby can leave one state and go to another)was complete. Now that we have our son(2yrs old) the price was well worth it but if you can pay less why not .I want every one to learn from my experience.With private adoption the finger prints,home study are done after placement.You must find a birth mother but sometimes they show up in the lawyers office looking for help and find you!which is what happened to us.The lawyers have great networking skills.I am tired and need to rest but I will read posts when I can.I wish everyone the best.Please pray that our 10 day revocation period comes and goes quickly.

[cagurl]

Look for an Attorney through the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys(the fees vary from 3k to 21k) The 21k is a Hollywood Ca attorney.Pick one with lower fees. AA babies have lower fees. Get the word out that AA familes are needed we must learn how and where to look. I hear fees are going up this year(can anyone tell me why?) We checked with several agencies who told us their fees were going up.

[BeckyS]

1st, Congratulations!! I know the 10 days are tough - we went thru Georgia & had the same.....my theory on the increase of fees is the increase of the adoption tax credit....my local agency that we went thru just sent a notice of increase - although they went up a lot less that what I've heard of others. My dh called the GA agency & they have not gone up & say they do not intend to anytime soon.......so, it's not all of them. I may be cynical but it seems more than a coincidence that so many agencies are increasing their fees at the same time........again, Congratulations!!

[PHaley]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

May I ask what agencies you ladies used?
Who will complete the homestudy after the baby is born? Is that legal in ALL states? What state are you in? I am in VA and very much hoping to become a mommy (of an AA or BR infant) through adoption...

Have either of you heard of Family to Family in TX or PACT in CA? They both come highly reccommended but I do not know on what path I should go towards adoption. I've also thought about private...What are the differences?

Sorry to be so long winded I really just want to send my CONGRATS and BLESSINGS to you and your family

Answer at your convenience and thank you in advance.

[cagurl]

pact is a great organization but they are not an agency.They are a facilatator which may not be legal in all states.The first adoption witth pact and 2 agencies was expensive.Private is MUCH cheaper and less complicated.

Good Luck!

[BeckyS]

PHaley - we used nonprofit agencies in Idaho & in Georgia. Our homestudy had to be complete before we went on the waiting list. I have not heard of the TX agency & not aware of an actual agency using the name PACT. I am not familiar with the process of private adoption however many people on these boards seem to have had great experiences....research & trust your instinct is all I can really tell ya....Good luck !!!!

[Jus1guess]

I am here in sc and on a waiting list i went through the department of social services here and I have an approved homestudy done and ready, they told me that i could start looking for myself and i have but u can't find 0 to 3 on the web, i see that everybody is doing private or international adoption but i can't afford that, I don't have thousands of dollars, that was one reason why i went the way i did but i see may post on the aa adoption and biracial adoption, they leave numbers to call but i still don't have lots of money, but i do want a child so much, we don't have any, and all my friends have kids and i don't tag along when they are spending time with there children, but i do love seeing it and wish that oneday my husband and i can do the same thing but it just don't seem like its going to happen because everythings is thousands of dollars i just don't have, do any one has an answer for me what can i do? hOw can i adopt without spending thousands of dollars?

[Linny]

First off: Congrats to 'Cagurl'! This is wonderful news. Next, your suggestions on how and where to go through private adoption are well accepted! This IS a cheaper way to go!

I live in a state where facilitation is illegal......but 'networking' can be accepted---if the situation is made w/ a licensed attorney or licensed agency. But, as you mentioned, the more people involved, the more expensive it becomes.

In regards to fees .........I believe it is very true that they are going up!!! And, it is incredible the amounts that are being quoted w/in the last few months! Yes, I think the adoption tax credit is part of the reason.......but I'm also told, that it may be due to the fact that there are 'more scams'. Let's face it, the economy is tough in a lot of areas since 9-11.....and I'm told there are unscupulous birthparents who will say they are going to place, but, will ask for expenses, then 'suddenly decide to parent' after their bills are paid. This makes for more loss to agencies (not to mention adoptive couples!). I hate to think of this.......but this type of scenario has been suggested to me!

In regards to the comment about 'Family to Family'......just today we were told about this agency....but I've not been able to find anything on the net about them.

Finally.........best of luck to anyone. We, too, are in search of another AA or bi-racial baby. May our 'waits' be short!

Most sincerely,

Linny

[tbright]

Hi all...I just learned about Family to Family a few days ago. There are located in Richmond, Texas. I did have the opportunity to speak with someone at the agency and receive an information packet. They were extremely helpful and offered me a great deal of information.

We plan to make an appointment to meet with them...after all, they are located approx. 11-15 minutes from us.

Here is the website www.fam2fam.org

[bromanchik]

PACT is an excellent agency in CA that deals with adoption of children of color. Here is their website.
http://www.pactadopt.org/

[Brat]

Congratulations, Cagurl!!!

If anyone has nitty gritty details on their experiences in working with Pact, please share! I got their packet and they seem like a good organization if you are looking to adopt a child of color, and they seem to really care, especially, about the child. They promote open adoption however they do not dictate to the birthmother or to the adoptive parents what that looks like. They work on a sliding scale; I think most people would pay between $1500 and $3000, and most of it is due at placement. I noticed that they really emphasize education and have published/promoted many books, and hold lots of seminars on interesting adoption-related topics.

Anyways, if one's state allows facilitation, they might be an agency worth exploring.

[MzPleasant]

Cagurl,

Hi I noticed you said something about AA adopt for less, Please tell me where , we have been looking and thought we could go with lifetime, but they went up on the fee that they told us, so now we are out looking again. I tell you the fees that I been getting in some of the packets that places sent me, have just about knocked me out my chair. I had to do a double take on two of them..

[ren]

Hi there,

Pact adoption is a facilitator and therefore illegal in Va. Someone, I think Linny, stated that "networkers" are ok. This is true. You just have to be very careful and also look at how much they are charging upfront.


Also in VA hoping to adopt----
Renae

[michelleb]

LINK adoption runs strictly on DONATION!!!
They are a facilitator!
They are awesome.
I met someone who spent $3700.00 on her adoption and someone who was matched in 12 HOURS!!!
www.linkadoption.com
Good luck!