[angel_bayou]

Or contract read that all foster care fees, medical fees, and trip to the embassy were included and this is all I paid. However while I was in Guatemala picking up my daughter the facilitator kept asking for money for this and that and I refused to pay it!! i called the agency and they didn't do much about it other than to say well it's not that much, which was no help. I'm sure they were mad at us because we stood firm and didn't pay!!

Could you possibly tell them you will not pay it until your child's passport is in hand and you leave the embassy then don't pay them a red cent over what you can agree on!! I have heard several cases of this happening and word is the attorneys are trying to milk whatever money they can from folks since adoptions are closed!!! Truly sad and sickening to me!!

[kathleenmag]

I payed the final fees at PGN approval. I had to pay for
foster care for 11 months. This was more than I wanted to pay but it was in my contract I was responsible for foster care after 6 mos. Good luck!!!!
Kathleen

[littlegirl2]

I am so sorry for this added stress!! I am praying for you and some quick answers.

[RGirl]

I paid what and when my contract required - a flat fee with half due at the acceptance of a referral and half due at PGN exit.

What does your contract say???? That is really your starting point. If you signed a contract with an agency here in the U.S. that provides specifically for fees, amounts, times of payments, etc., they should not be able to change it at this point. Good luck!!!

[mysweetbabygirl]

Tracy,

We had to pay for additional foster care as well. Our baby was 13 months old when we brought her home. Our case was in PGN a total of 5 months. Our contract said that we paid 1/2 at referral and the rest after we were out of PGN.( I received my final bill 3 weeks after we were out of PGN.) It did say that anything over 6 months of foster care we would need to pay 350.00 per month.
I'm sorry that with all the problems on your case that you are being charged for all the foster care. I would check with your agency and see if you may be able to work something out with your attorney.

Lisa

[JoshGuat]

The total was paid right after PGN. Sorry to hear about the charges. That is what our contract said.

[iwantmybaby]

Thank you for everyone's help. Here is an update for you. It is in our contract that the agency covers all foster care expenses until adoption is completed. Those are the exact words in the contract. However, back in June of 2006, our attorney did request that we agree to pay for foster care after 6 months. At that time we did agree to it. So, we do legitamitely owe the foster expenses. However, the reason our case took so long is because our attorney made a HUGE mistake on one of the forms and it sparked an investigation. All that being said we have decided to pay and be done with this whole ordeal. We did agree in the beginning to pay the foster expenses, so we feel it is only fair to follow through on what we agreed to. Last night our attorney reduced the ---Okay, I can't put amounts, hmmm.... she agreed to reduce the fees by about 5 months worth of charges. We feel that at least she was willing to negotiate some, so we agreed to that.

Thanks again everyone and I still would appreciate your prayers today!
Tracy

[susy...patience]

I never paid final amount until I was pink -- paid a small portion towards that upon getting out of PGN.

I would caution you that some people find themselves in hard place if they pay everything to atty upon getting out of PGN -- because then what incentive does attorney have to do work to get BC (and these days it is work). When visiting and picking up, I met several people who had long, long delays to get BC and they tended to be people who had made all final payments (and sometimes were fostering too).

Your attorney should have a monetary incentive to get work done to get you to PINK or to actual Embassy appointment. It sounds cold to say it -- but I think it's true!!

[dkateriz]

Hello
I have never posted before but had to respond to this thread. I paid the first half at referral, the 2nd half before (well before) PGN entry. I was then asked for an additional (rather large) payment after exiting PGN which was NOT in the contract. Now after 2 months waiting for Mixco BC I am asked to pay for that. This is in addition foster care fees which were specified in the contract... all of which adds up to a lot of money...and I still don't have BC. This comes from what I believe to be a reputable agency. By the way, I am happy to "meet" you all. This is my 2nd Guatemalan adoption and my DD just turned one.