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Why use All for Love Adoptions?
At All for Love Adoptions you will find that we are a very caring adoption agency. We truly love adoption and want it to be a great experience for our adoptive families and our birth mothers. Our goal is to make adoption affordable and safe. Our staff is experienced and adoptive parents themselves, so we understand how emotional adoption can be. We are always availabe to you if you have any questions or concerns.
Why does adopting a child cost so much? How much does it cost to adopt? When do I pay the fees? What happens if she changes her mind? What is not included in this fee?
The fee for adopting through our agency will be $23,800.00. The only time this would be more is if the birth mother had a c-section or other exceptional medical problems. All for Love Adoptions only pays for a normal vaginal delivary. If your birth mother elects to keep her child you will not be billed for any services, once again making our agency virtually risk free. The adoption fee includes medical (normal vaginal delivary), legal (both of the birthparents) and birth parent counseling (three 55 minute sessions). It does not include travel for either you or your birth parents, home study, post-placement visits, medical expenses that are extensive, the use of an out of state adoption agency or attorney and living expenses.
There is a lot of work that goes into locating birth mothers. For instance, we do a lot of advertising across the United States, provide housing, counseling services, travel expenses, medical expenses, and case managers support services for each of our birthmothers. As well, we assist birth mothers financially to get back on their feet after giving birth to your child. We also complete all Interstate compact (ICPC) services for you (within the state of Utah). The culmination of all these services is the reason for the expense.
Is there an application fee?
At All for Love Adoptions you will find that we charge a $500.00 application fee, which is non-refundable however it will be put towards your $23,800.00 adoption fee.
How do we get the applications?
We ask that you pull all of the applications off of our website to help us keep costs down. Also this way when we receive your packet back we know that you are serious and ready about adopting a baby from us. Please call (801) 525-2099 ext 2 and Lisa will give you the password.
http://www.allforloveadoptions.com/a_p_applications.html
What financial assistance is available to prospective adoptive parents?
There are numerous financial assistance grants, subsidies, and tax credits that support families in moving forward to adopt a waiting child. We have listed some of the many available options.
Tax deductions
Talk to your tax professional about tax deductions you can claim for the year of your adoption. The current Federal deduction is set at up to $10,390.00. Check to see what the deduction is for your state of residence. For more information click on the following link:
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc607.html
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i8839.pdf
What if I wish to adopt now but do not have the necessary resources?
It is virtually free to adopt from your state foster care system and many children even have state subsidies that assist the family who adopt them to meet their needs. As well, there are many grants, subsidies, and lines of credit available to assist families who wish to adopt but do not have the necessary resources. Please review the financial assistance sheet provided to review and decide what course of action is best for you and your family.
How long before I am placed with a child?
That really all depends on you. If you are not gender specific and are able to pay the required adoption fee then you will more than likely be matched and placed quickly. Gender and race/ethnicity specific families may wait longer.
How long after does a birth mother have to change her mind?
Every state has different laws and revocation periods. Most of the states we deal with have good laws and the child isn't placed usually until the adoption is secure. We understand how scary this can be, so we have decided to utilize temporary cradle care when possible.
What happens if a birthmother elects to parent after she has selected us as prospective adoptive parents?
Only the expenses that were used would be lost (living up to that point, and travel). The rest would be rolled over to a new situation.
How do I know that I am being placed with a healthy child?
We do our best to assess the health of the birth parents and the child. As you know, there are many conditions that cannot be detected before birth or even after. We encourage our birth mothers to receive good prenatal care and refrain from any substances that would be detrimental to the unborn child. If there is any concern as to the health of the child or any substance abuse we will give you all the facts and details that are available. Your doctor will be provided with the child's medical records. A detailed health and social history is given to you when you receive your child.
Does All for Love Adoptions ever place twins?
YES we do place twins, and in the event of a birth mother having twins, we will not separate the siblings. Their is an added fee for adopting twins, it is $11,900. This fee also includes everything that was mentioned in the above paragraph about the cost of adopting. If you are interested in adopting twins please be aware of this cost increase. And please indicate on your application that you are available to accept twins.
Does All for Love Adoptions conduct the home study?
All for Love Adoptions employs adoption professional's that are licensed to conduct home studies in the state of Utah. As well, All for Love Adoptions maintains a large network of other adoption agencies and professionals outside the state of Utah to assist families who reside in other states. All for Love Adoptions charges a one time home study fee of $600.00 This home study is transferable to the agency of your choice. In addition, All for Love Adoptions willingly accepts home studies that were completed by other licensed adoption agencies or licensed professionals. All homestudies must be updated yearly for the same fee of $600.00.
Does All for Love Adoptions conduct post placement visits?
All for Love Adoptions also conducts post placement visits we require you have two of them and we ask that you make your first appointment within the first two weeks of receiving your baby, this is the law and we ask that you please abide by it. The next appointment should be made a few weeks before you go to court to finalize your adoption. The cost for the visits are $200.00.
How long does it take to adopt?
Generally the wait times to adopt a child are as follows:
To adopt a full Caucasian infant is 8 – 12 months, to adopt a bi-racial child the wait is 3 – 5 months, and to adopt a full African American child the wait is between 1- 3 months. The wait periods above can vary as each individual birthmother chooses her adoptive family by reviewing the adoptive family profiles.
Why do the Birth Mothers place their child for adoption?
There are many different explanations as to why Birth Parents choose to place their child for adoption. For instance, a single mother may desire for her child to have two stable parents, believe they are too young, or may not have the financial resources necessary to raise a child. The situation changes with every Birth Parent because every situation is unique.
Do you work with birthmothers all over the United States?
Yes, All for Love Adoptions works with birth mothers in all 50 states. We do not discriminate on the basis of location.
When and how do birth mothers select the adoptive parents?
There are generally two ways in which a birth mother can select an adoptive family for her child:
1) the birth mother can choose for All for Love Adoptions to select an appropriate family for her child. If this is the case, All for Love Adoptions makes all efforts to be timely in selecting the most appropriate family for the waiting child.
2) If the birth mother wishes to select an adoptive family on her own, she will begin the selection process as soon as she has arrived in Utah, completed her initial paper work, and visited the doctor for the first time (It depends on her situation). An All for Love Adoptions employee then provides the birth mother with adoptive individual or couple profiles until the birth mother selects the individual or couple that she feels is right for her child.
If she is not going to give birth in Utah we will give her your profile 3-4 weeks before she is due. This way there is not a long waiting process for you or the birth mother.
Your Profile:
When you create a family profile, this will included a birth mother letter and pictures of your family. Just remember that this is the only window she has into your life, so please say what is in your heart. Don't use plain white paper for your letter, only send pictures that are well focused and concentrate on your family being together. It is wise to send twelve to fifteen pictures and mount them well. Do not send originals, create your pages then have them color copied. If you enjoy scrap booking, then this is the time to use your talent! We do ask that you do not use a lot of pictures of you and your animals, some birthmothers don't like animals and this may be a turn off for them. Also we ask that you don't put a lot in about your religion again to much may be a turn off as well, especially if they are not of your faith and they do not understand it well. Have all of your family and friends critique your profile and ask them to be totally honest. Adorn your profile with ribbons and stickers, make it unique. Remember, she will keep this forever. If you need assistance for developing your profile please don’t hesitate to call us. We have some examples we can show you, just let your creative juices flow! Also here is a great web site you can check out for help, www.adorableprofiles.com
Is our Adoptive Profile shown to more than one birthmother at a time?
No. Birth mothers are generally provided with any where from 3 to 5 adoptive individual and couple profiles at any given time. All for Love Adoptions strives to present the birth mother with the profiles which best correspond to the wishes of the individual birth mother and the adoptive individual or couple. More profiles are shown to a birth mother upon her request.
Can we choose the gender of our baby?
All for Love Adoptions does allow our adoptive individuals and couples to be gender specific. It may be the case that you are matched with the birth mother prior to the gender of the child being revealed. All for Love Adoptions hopes that all adoptive individuals and couples would not reject a baby because it ends up being the “wrong” gender, but we do respect the wishes and desire of our clients. In the end, All for Love Adoptions strives to match you with the child you request.
What are the ages of children being adopted?
All for Love Adoptions most often places newborns. We have though placed sibling groups of the ages ranging from an infant to three years of age.
Do I need to be married to adopt a child from All for Love Adoptions?
No, you do not need to be married to adopt with All for Love Adoptions. All for Love is willing to work with individuals as well as couples. However, you may not be co-habitating with someone of the same sex as you, this is Utah law.
Is there any age criterion to adopt?
The only age criterion to adopt is set forth in the Utah State Adoption Code which reads as follows:
78-30-2. Relative Ages
A person adopting a child must be at least ten years older than the child adopted, unless the petitioners for adoption are a married couple, one of which is at least ten years older than the child.
Does All for Love require HIV and Drug testing for birthmothers?
Yes, All for Love Adoptions does require that the birth mothers complete HIV and Drug screenings.
Can a birth mother change her mind and take the baby back? How secure is our adoption?
Adoption security is the number one issue on the minds of most adoptive individuals and couples today. Over the last ten years there have been more than 1,000,000 children placed for adoption. Only a fraction of these adoptions have ever been DISRUPTED, and the baby returned to the birth parents. In most of these instances, incompetent attorneys made severe errors that contributed to the unsuccessful adoption. Judge's grant custody of the children to the appropriate family that will be in the best interest of the child.
The state of Utah protects the rights of Adoptive Parents. All for Love Adoptions legal contemporaries have the knowledge and know-how to guide you through the legal steps of adoption. We are committed to providing you with a secure adoption.
What will she know about us? Will she have our address and phone number? Will she know our last name? How much contact will we have after placement?
She will know what you put into your profile, so that is up to you. She will never receive information regarding your home address, phone number, or last names from All for Love Adoptions. We cannot guarantee confidentiality in any placement. You need to be very specific as to the amount of contact you are comfortable with after placement (i.e., pictures, letters, phone call, visits...) We will only present families that feel just as comfortable as she does with openness. If you truly do not feel as though you will be able to send updates, please don't say you will. We ask that you be cautious of the information you give to your birth mother until you really get to know her, this is for your protection.
Can we be at the hospital when the baby is born?
This is completely up to the birth mother. The birth mother has the sole discretion to decide who will be in the delivery room when the child is born. Many times the birth mother and the adoptive family have built a strong relationship, and the birth mother will request that they be in attendance during the birthing process. Be sure to discuss with your birth mother your desires while at the same time respecting hers. Our birth mom coordinator has the birth mother make a birthing plan which allows her to make decisions from who and when people may come to the hospital. Please keep in mind that this is her baby if or when she signs the relinquishments.
I have heard of Interstate Compact, what is it and how does it affect me?
If you adopt a child from out of your home state, then you must have approval from both states to take the child out of the state he/she was born in. This is not to be taken lightly, we realize you have probably heard of others leaving before and that they were just fine. It is a federal offense to violate interstate compact laws, and they do have the authority to disrupt placements. Usually the time period is three to five days after the birth mother signs her relinquishments, it can and may take longer. This does not mean you cannot have your child during this time, you just cannot go home. You must know and realize that there is nothing we can do to expedite this process and you will need to make arrangements and be prepared to stay as long as needs be.
What is the criminal clearance?
In the state of Utah, you must have current criminal and child neglect clearance before you are presented to any potential situations. These can take up to six weeks. Anyone in your home over the age of 18 must have criminal clearance. If you have lived outside of the state within the last five years then you must submit fingerprints and the process is more like twelve weeks. If you do not live in Utah, then you will need to have your clearances done within that state's code.
How do I know that all of the paperwork will be done properly?
We must adhere to the state licensing rules and regulations. Our job and obligation is to act within the best interest of all involved in the placement. Our reputation depends on you; we want you to refer us to your friends and family. We want to be the best, in being the best, we must do all things legally and right the first time.
There are so many adoption agencies out there; we know it is difficult to find an agency you feel at home with... we hope you will feel at home with us!
We hope this has answered most of your questions.
If you need further assistance please call us at
1-801-525-2099 ext 2
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