Legal Help
After your match with a birth mom, you will want to choose an attorney with adoption expertise to help you finalize the legal aspects of your adoption plan after the baby is born. The attorney you choose will provide you with an Attorney-Client Fee Agreement applicable to the specific circumstances of your particular adoption plan.
The Sacramento Adoption Center’s in-house adoption attorney, Thomas Volk (CA State Bar No. 67904), will provide you with a complete assessment of the legal aspects of any adoption plan you are considering. The fact that Tom provides you with the up-front legal assessment needed to ensure a good outcome does not in any way obligate you to choose him as the attorney who helps you finalize your adoption plan — although, under most circumstances, he will be available to do so, if that is your request.
Sample Adoption Budget – $25,000 – $35,000
- $7,500.00 – Adoption Outreach flat fee (pre-match) – see above description
- $7,500.00 – Case Management flat fee (post-match) – see above description
- $7,000.00+ est. – Attorney Fees – (20 hours or more at average of $350.00/hour, dependent on attorney chosen) – A legal fee to an attorney selected by you to legally finalize the adoption plan with the birth mom whose baby you are adopting. The attorney will provide you with a written attorney/client fee agreement identifying the legal steps needed to finalize your adoption plan – and the legal fees and costs related thereto. Realistically, it may take 20 attorney hours, or more, to finalize the adoption, depending on case circumstances;
- $500.00 est. – Birth Parent legal fees – A reasonable attorney fee (up to a maximum of $500.00, unless a higher fee is agreed to by the parties) for legal services rendered on behalf of the birth parent, if she elects to be represented by separate counsel (please see Family Code §8800(d)(1));
- $1,000.00 est. – Social Worker fees – A reasonable fee to the adoption services provider who is statutorily mandated to provide specified adoption-related services to the birth parent (please see Family Code §8801.5(f));
- $300.00 est. – Birth Parent Counseling fees – A reasonable counseling fee to the adoption services provider or licensed psychotherapist who may be asked by birth parent to provide her with adoption-related counseling (please see Family Code §8801.5(c)(5));
- $4,500.00 – Adoption Investigation fee – A statutory fee due to the state agency [the CA Department of Social Services] which investigates your adoption and submits a report regarding the granting of your adoption petition to the court in which your adoption petition is pending (please see Family Code Section 8810(a)(1)); and
- Travel expenses – Charges for travel expenses (e.g., mileage at prevailing IRS rate) related to the adoption services which you and your baby’s birth parent(s) are provided at the Center.
- Birth Parent Expenses, if applicable – In addition, you may agree to pay birth parent adoption-related expenses — e.g., uninsured medical expenses incurred during pregnancy, if any, and adoption-related living expenses (food, housing, utilities, cell phone, transportation and maternity clothing) incurred post-match during the pregnancy and the six-week to two-month postpartum period [depending on whether your baby is delivered naturally or via c-section]. Any request by birth mom for adoption-related financial assistance must be in writing; and you will be provided written receipts for any money disbursed to birth parent. (Please see Family Code §8812.)
“est.” is an estimated cost depending on the actual circumstances of your adoption plan. Adoption budgets will vary; this sample budget is provided for informational purposes only.