You can structure the adoption as you wish. There are three categories:
1. A “closed adoption” means that there is no contact between the birth parents and the adoptive parents.
2. An “open adoption” means the birth parents and adoptive parents are in direct contact with each other and there is no third party facilitating communications.
3. A “semi-open” adoption means that there is a certain level of openness facilitated by a third party and there is a level of privacy maintained for all parties.

Final home investigation must be conducted before the adoption becomes final. The report must contain an evaluation of the placement with a recommendation for adoption and any other information the court requires regarding the minor. There must be two scheduled visits with the minor and adoptive parents, one of which must be in the home. 

A hearing on a Petition to Adopt may not be held sooner than 30 days after the date the Judgment terminating parental rights was entered or sooner than 90 days after the date the minor was placed in the physical custody of the adoptive parents.

Yes. There are additional regulations governed by the Interstate Compact of the Placement of Children that must be satisfied when adopting from another state. F.S. 409.401 et seq.

Please refer to IRC sec. 23 for the allowable tax credit amount. Said amount fluctuates on a yearly basis. Expenses can include attorney fees, court costs., home study fees, and birth mother expenses. For the year 2021, the maximum tax credit was $14,300.00 per child.

It is highly recommended that the prospective adoptive parents start the home study process. Recommendations can be made for said service. Once you have retained our law firm, we will immediately supply you with the information to begin the preparation of your profile and marketing campaign. We will work side by side with the professionals to ensure that your profile is marketed in an efficient and appropriate manner.

It completely depends on certain factors that may or may not be under your control. The more stringent requirements that adoptive parents have in being matched with a birth mother, the longer the process could be. No one can provide you with any definitive answer on how long it will take. It is important to work closely with your attorney to monitor your profile exposure.

Yes. As a matter of fact, there is no home study requirement for relative or step-parent adoptions. Relative adoptions extend as far as the third line of consanguinity.

You will create a profile, which will show your family. Your profile will include information that can help a birth parent learn about you. The profile is not your life story and therefore will not disclose confidential or personal information. The profile will consist of pictures, general information about your family, and maybe poems or art that represents you. We will help you with your profile or recommend a profile specialist. You do not have to do this alone!

The birth mother will complete a social and medical history that will be provided to you. You will also receive medical records relating to the pregnancy. It is usual and customary to request HIV and drug testing as soon as prenatal care begins. Sometimes, adoptive parents are offered the opportunity to attend medical appointments and/or sonograms. When the birth father is accessible, an attempt will also be made to receive a social and medical history of him. Criminal records are also offered to adoptive parents.

Absolutely. Many adoptive families choose Florida as their forum to adopt. All out-of-state adoptions require approval from the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children. We will conduct all legal requirements to satisfy ICPC.

Pursuant to Florida law, birth mothers are entitled to reasonable living expenses if the birth mother is unable to pay due to unemployment, underemployment, or are not employable. Such expenses may include rent, utilities, basic telephone service, food, toiletries, necessary clothing, transportation, and expenses found by the Court to be necessary for the health and well being of the birth mother and unborn child.

The payment of living or medical expenses by the prospective adoptive parents prior to the birth of the child does not, in any way, obligate the birth parent to sign the consent for adoption.  Birth mothers may be required to sign a financial agreement requiring that they reimburse the adoptive family should they choose to change their adoption plans. While few birth mothers have the resources for this, you may pursue a judgment against them, which is valid for 20 years. You may also consult with your tax advisor, as those expenses can be considered a deduction.

Yes. In Florida, if able and aware of the pregnancy, a birth father that desires to establish and/or protect his rights are expected to pay a fair and reasonable amount of the expenses incurred in connection with the mother’s pregnancy and the child’s birth, in accordance with his financial ability, when not prevented from doing so by the birth mother. There are other statutory requirements that a birth father must comply with in order to assert parental rights.

We will initially attempt to locate and contact birth fathers if we have information sufficient to make them locatable. A birth father may choose to voluntarily cooperate with the adoption plan made by the birth mother and sign a consent or affidavit of non-paternity.

For unmarried biological fathers who are locatable and choose to not cooperate, Florida law requires that the adoption entity or agency serve them with a notice of the birth mother’s intended adoption plan. The notice gives the potential biological father 30 days in which he must show his intent to contest the adoption by taking certain actions. If the unmarried biological father fails to timely complete ALL required actions, we seek a court ruling that he no longer has rights to the child. If the unmarried biological father timely completes the required actions, he preserves his right to notice and his consent to the adoption is required. If a birth mother is married, her husband is known as the legal father and his consent to the adoption is required.