Pact, An Adoption Alliance - Adoption Finances

Adoption Finances - California

Understanding The Costs

Adoption Service Providers are entitled to charge $500.00 for their services. This service includes meeting twice with the birth parents (or parent) for the advisory consultation and the signing of the adoption placement agreement; as well as meeting once with the adoptive parents (or parent) for the signing of the adoption placement agreement. It is common practice for ASP's to be paid in full before any meetings occur. Payment is non-refundable. The ASP is entitled to offer further counseling services to the birth parents, which must be paid for by the adoptive parents at a reasonable and customary hourly rate.
After completion of the home study and before the adoption is finalized in court, the adoptive parents must pay $1,250 to the State of California, reimbursing the state for the cost of the home study.

Understanding The Laws

Buying, selling, or attempting to buy or sell any person to another, or paying or receiving anything of value for having a person placed in the custody of another, is a crime. Penal Code Section 181.
Paying a parent anything of value for placement for adoption, for consenting to adoption, or for cooperation in the completion of an adoption of his or her child, is a crime. Penal Code Section 273a.
Obtaining benefits from prospective adoptive parents for payment of hospital or medical expense or financial benefits such as necessary living expenses related to the pregnancy of the birth mother or the birth of a prospective adopted child, with the intent to receive the benefits but not complete this adoption or consent to the adoption, is a crime. Penal Code Section 273b.
Advertising placement of children for adoption or publishing a solicitation of a child for adoption without holding a license or permit to place children for adoption is a crime in some states. Civil Code Section 224p.
Placing a child for adoption without holding a license or permit to do so is a crime. This statute does not apply to the birth parent of a child placed for adoption. Civil Code Section 224g.
Intentional falsification of the accounting report made under penalty of perjury is a crime. A full accounting will be required of all disbursements of anything of value made by the adoptive petitioners in connection with the birth of the child, the placement of the child with the petitioners, any medical or hospital care received by the birth mother or by the child in connection with birth, or any other expenses of the birth parents or the adoption. Civil Code Section 224r.