Hoping To Adopt FAQ's

> What does Angel Adoption provide us?
> How long is the contract valid?
> What is the cost?
> Is Angel Adoption a licensed agency?
> Where do the children come from?
> What background information will I receive on the birthmother?
> What is open adoption?
> How long does it take to adopt through Angel Adoption?
> Is there a fee to apply for your program
> Can we come and meet the staff at Angel Adoption?
> Do we need a home study before we contract with Angel Adoption?
> Do you have a waiting list?
> Who can apply to Angel Adoption?
> How do we get accepted into Angel Adoption’s program?
> Are all families successful in adopting?
> What will our birthmother be like?

What does Angel Adoption provide us? < back to top
The service is very basic. Our service consists of a fee to the adoptive families who are interested in adopting. The fee is based on two full years of advertising, answering birthmother phone calls 24-hours a day, help in designing a personal profile, presentation of profile to birth parents, until the families are connected in a successful adoption. This is a “cooperative” advertising fee, wherein prospective birthmothers have 24-hour access to our toll-free telephone lines to assist them.

We feel we have put together a program that works for both the birthmothers and the adoptive parents. We have combined the hands-on approach to adoption that our birthmothers desire; and for our adoptive parents, the security of an agency adoption.

All of our adoptions are assisted by a licensed agency. We will direct you to the agency we work with if you do not have a home study. Once you are connected with a birthmom, a social worker from the agency will be assigned to your birthmom.

We will provide you with questions to ask the birthmother and what “red flags” to watch for. We allow the adoptive parents the option to decline a birthmother situation at any time, within the two-year period. Being a medium-sized office, we are able to spend more time working on coordinating a custom adoption plan to fit your needs, both personally and financially. We are here to help, guide, and direct you along the way to finding your birthmother.

The birthmother is presented with resumes from our contracted families. She then makes a decision on the adoptive family from those resumes. The family would then speak with the birthmother and meet in person, if possible. Once a “match” is made, the licensed agency would take over. It is not part of our service to become involved in either the legal work or the social work aspect of the adoption. If the adoption plan goes awry, due to perhaps the birthmother changing her mind or health problems with the child, we will continue our advertising efforts for the balance of the contract at no additional charge. We will assist you to a safe adoption!

How long is the contract valid? < back to top
The duration of this agreement is two (2) years from the date of this Advertising Coordination Agreement, or at such earlier time that we are instructed by you, in writing, that you are no longer in need of our services.

What is the cost? < back to top
We charge a fee for services provided which is due with the signed Advertising Agreement and Questionnaire.

** Please remember to contact your tax specialist to see if you qualify for the Adoption Tax Credit. IRS Tax Credit Information:
http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/prod/tax_edu/teletax/tc607.html Effective 1/1/2002, the Adoption Tax Credit is $10,000.00. Most of Angel Adoption's families are able to benefit from this tax credit, which significantly reduces the cost of adoption.

** The National Adoption Information Clearinghouse web site provides general information on tax credits, employee adoption benefits, loans and other financing options: http://www.calib.com/naic/parents/finan.htm

Please note, you are not paying a "finder's fee". The majority of our fees represent the following:

• Placement of the adoption advertisements, which will run continuously
• 24-hour toll free help-line
• Assistance to the adoptive parents with the creation, design, and presentation of a personal profile
• We arrange and coordinate telephone communication and meetings between the birthmother (if desired) and adoptive parents
• Assistance with obtaining any applicable birthmother records
• Assistance in communicating with the birthmother, such as questions to ask her, and what `red flags' to watch for

The entire advertising process will ultimately depend upon where the adoptive parents and the birthmother are located. The majority of the birthmothers have some form of medical insurance. Usually Public Aid pays for most medical/hospital bills. We will provide referrals to local, state, and federal programs to help assist in financial support. Some states allow the adoptive family to support the birthmother throughout her pregnancy with 'maternity related' expenses. These expenses can include rent, food, utilities, medical needs, counseling and maternity clothing. Attorney's fees and agency fees are separate since they depend on the complexity of your adoption and your state laws. If you do not have an adoption attorney, please let us know and we can refer you to local adoption attorneys.

Is Angel Adoption a licensed agency? < back to top
No, Angel Adoption is a marketing and advertising company working as an independent contractor and under the supervision of Lutheran Child and Family Services, Illinois license # 012988.  We may act as an intermediary between Birthparents and Adoptive Couples.  Once you are connected with a birthmother, all of our adoptions are agency-assisted adoptions.  Your adoption becomes an adoption between you and the licensed agency we use.  This gives you the added protection our adoptive parents are always seeking. 

Where do the children come from? < back to top
Many of our contacts come from the Internet, personal referrals, hospitals, churches, physicians, crisis centers, newspaper ads, schools, yellow pages, and attorneys. We network with associated professionals and by word-of-mouth.

What background and medical information will I receive on the birthmother? < back to top
The birthmother must fill out medical forms and sign a release; thus allowing the agency assisting and adoptive parents access to her medical records. Angel Adoption may obtain information from the birthmother concerning, but not limited to, medical and social history (including drug, tobacco, and alcohol use before and during the pregnancy), and the whereabouts of the alleged and presumed birthfather. Please note, however, that Angel Adoption does not perform investigative services and cannot corroborate the veracity of any information received.

What is open adoption? < back to top
An open adoption can mean many things. The majority of the adoptions that we are involved in are considered 'open'. This means that the birthmother has had an opportunity to speak with the adoptive family and possibly may have had an opportunity to meet with them. Most birthmothers will request letters and pictures. We encourage that the adoptive family be in the delivery room if all parties are in agreement, since this is, after all, a once in a lifetime moment! However, there are times when a birthmother will request a closed adoption.

How long does it take to adopt through Angel Adoption? < back to top
Our 'connection' times range from anywhere between 2 months to 23 months. There are some obvious decisions that could make your connection time much shorter. If you are open to race, gender, expenses, and birth location, your adoption process could move quicker.

Is there a fee to apply for your program? < back to top
There is no fee for you to fill out our application. You can fill out an application on our website, or you can request one to be sent to you.

Can we come and meet the staff at Angel Adoption?
Yes. You are more than welcome to come and meet our staff. We at Angel Adoption actually encourage our adoptive parents to meet the directors before contracting with us. We take pride in the fact that when clients call us with questions, we know who we are talking to!

Do we need a home study before we contract with Angel Adoption? < back to top
Although you will need a home study to complete your adoption, you will not need one before you contract with us. You can work on your home study while Angel Adoption is searching for your birthmom.

Do you have a waiting list? < back to top
At times we might have a waiting list. It may all depend on the race of the baby you are looking to adopt.

Who can apply to Angel Adoption? < back to top
Angel Adoption has fewer restrictions than most adoption agencies.  We have no age requirement or religious belief requirement.  Families with biological children are also welcome to apply.  The choice of adoptive families is made by the birthmother; so our families with children do as well as our families without children.  You do not need to be a citizen of the United States.  We also work with couples who are “signed up” with another adoption agency/professional and have not had any luck yet.  Please remember we review all applications to determine if we are able to help you.

How do we get accepted into Angel Adoption’s program? < back to top
All couples must come in for an informational meeting.  There is no fee for this meeting.  If geographically impossible, a phone meeting will be set up. 

Are all families successful in adopting? < back to top
We are very proud of the fact that 98% of our couples that have joined Angel Adoption have been successful at adopting.  We work very had daily to make sure that every couple that has come to Angel Adoption has a successful adoption!

What will our birthmother be like? < back to top
Carrying a child for nine months and then giving him/her to another family to be raised is a painful and difficult action.  We have found that in order for a woman to plan this and then to carry through with her commitment, she must have some very motivating factors.  Some examples of motivating factors can include, but are not limited to, a strong conviction that this child must have a two parent, traditional family, or perhaps the mother is in school and is so ambitious that she will not sacrifice her career for child rearing. More commonly, we have women who find it impossible to raise a child due to financial or emotional reasons.  Perhaps the dysfunction is due to something that they themselves have endured or maybe they have several children already that they are raising on their own and they simply have nothing else to give.  As a result, the natural mother of your child will, in all probability, not be as “together” as you are or as “stable” as your friends and neighbors.  If they were, they would not consider placing their child for adoption. Keep this in mind; it is very important!

“Things that you think are coincidences are really little miracles”