Considering Adoption

Foster Care Adoption Month

admin — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:44:00 +0000

Celebrate May as National Foster Care Month by Thanking Those Who Make a Difference

There are extraordinary people who walk among us every day, yet you wouldn’t know it by looking at them. These are the same people who put the needs of children unrelated to them at the forefront of their lives; these are the same people who open their homes to hundreds of thousands of children and teens every year. Continue reading →

I am Pregnant – What are My Options?

admin — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 15:50:46 +0000

Facing an unplanned pregnancy can be very scary, and deciding what to do can be even harder. Pressure from friends and family members often result in more confusion rather than less. It is best for you to take some time and explore all of the options listed below. It will allow you to fully understand all of your options so you can make the best decision for you and your baby. Continue reading →

Adoption Tax Credit

admin — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 16:15:31 +0000

A big change was made to the adoption tax credit in 2010, making it now refundable. In the past it was non-refundable, meaning if the adoptive family didn’t owe any taxes, they didn’t benefit from the remaining balance of the adoption tax credit. With the revised adoption tax credit, adoptive families who owe no taxes will now get a tax refund from the government. Continue reading →

Open, Closed or Semi-Open Adoption

admin — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 15:55:33 +0000

You are considering the difficult yet selfless decision to place your child for adoption, and you need to decide which relationship to have with your child and the adoptive parents long-term: open, semi-open or closed. There is no right or wrong adoption relationship - the correct one is the relationship that works best for all parties involved, but especially for your child. For generations closed adoptions were the norm, but in the late 1990s feelings about adoption shifted in favor of more semi-open adoptions. Today adoptive families are more open to communicating and interacting with birth mothers than ever before, which results in you receiving pictures and letters from the adoptive family to ensure you that your child is doing well. You are also able to send pictures and letters to the adoptive family, who will present them to your child at the appropriate age. Continue reading →

Adoption Simplified

admin — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 22:54:37 +0000

Adoption is a legal process whereby custody of a child is transferred from the biological parents to adoptive parents. The actual legal process varies according to state law and in many cases may also vary by county. Continue reading →

Adoption Process

admin — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 22:53:37 +0000

Just as the world of adoption has undergone a tremendous change over the past decade, the adoption process has continued to streamline, making it an efficient legal process for all of the parties involved. The Adoption Process for Birth Parents For many pregnant women today, the adoption process often begins before the birth of the baby. Once deciding upon adoption, a pregnant woman will usually seek the assistance of an adoption agency, lawyer, facilitator or other adoption professional. Although each adoption professional will have their own specific steps to adoption, the adoption process typically includes gathering the social and medical background of both the birth mother and birth father; the selection of an adoptive family by the birth parents; the birth of the baby and the signing of the consent to adoption papers by the birth parents; placement of the baby with the chosen adoptive family and the legal finalization of the adoption. It is important to note that adoption laws vary state to state and sometimes county to county. Continue reading →

Adoption and The Stages of Development

admin — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 22:52:50 +0000

Now that you have adopted a child and life is beginning to settle down, you may find your thoughts moving to the future. When shall I tell my child that s/he is adopted? How will s/he feel about it? At what point will s/he want more information? What will s/he want to know from me? How can I help my child feel comfortable about being adopted? Whether children are adopted as infants or when they are older, whether they are healthy or have physical or psychological problems, their adoption is bound to influence their development. You need to understand how and why. Continue reading →

Crisis Pregnancy

admin — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 22:44:27 +0000

Thousands of women each year face a crisis pregnancy. Although you may still be in shock by your positive pregnancy test, you must now begin to examine your options - what do you do now? Continue reading →