Stepparent adoption should be affordable.

Stepparent adoption is such a special thing: the adoptive parent is legally committing to his or her stepchild, much in the same way that husbands and wives commit to one another. A stepparent adoption creates all of the legal rights and responsibilities of a natural parent-child relationship and is often a way of formalizing an existing parent-child relationship. Many people, though, fear that adoption will be time-consuming and costly, and may open a Pandora’s Box with the absent parent.  Our ALG attorneys will discuss the latter concern with you in a free consultation.  As for costs, Adoption Law Group is committed to keeping the cost of stepparent adoption reasonable, because we believe that every child deserves loving, committed, legal parents.

Costs if Biological Non-custodial Parent Consents

If the absent (non-custodial) parent is willing to sign a consent to the adoption or is deceased, it may be possible to do your own stepparent adoption without the assistance of a lawyer. Your county adoption court clerk should be able to give you a packet of forms to start the process. There is a $20.00 court filing fee to start the case. Then, the case goes to either the county-designated office to investigate stepparent adoptions, or you can choose a private adoption agency or social worker licensed to provide stepparent investigations. Both the county and private agencies usually charge the maximum fee allowed by law, which is $700. The county, however, has a sliding fee scale and may charge as little as $50, depending on your income and household size. If the absent parent will sign a consent, they simply need to have the proper form notarized (AD 2A_2B, available on the CDSS website). The agency investigating the adoption should be able to provide you with the correct form. Adoption Law Group charges a flat fee of $2,500 for an uncontested stepparent adoption. This includes everything necessary to complete your adoption, including contacting the absent parent to obtain his or her consent, except the investigation fee, payable directly to the investigating agency.

Additional Costs if Non-custodial Parent Does Not Consent

If the absent parent is either unwilling to consent, or their location is unknown, you will most likely need an attorney to assist you with terminating their parental rights. The legal action needed varies depending on the non-custodial parent’s legal status. If a termination action is needed against either the mother or a presumed father (generally, a father who was either married to the mom, or who lived with the child, or who has had paternity established and/or is on the birth certificate), an action based upon legal abandonment is usually required. Adoption Law Group’s legal fees for this type of action usually range between $2,800.00 and $3,650.00 if the parent does not appear to contest the adoption at the initial hearing. If they do show up to contest the adoption, an hourly fee agreement will be needed, or the adoptive parents may choose to hire a separate litigation attorney to handle the trial phase of the action. An action to terminate the legal rights of an “alleged” father is usually less costly, as it often does not require a formal court hearing. Adoption Law Group typically charges between $1,200 and $2,250.00 for the termination of parental rights of an alleged father, unless protracted litigation arises.

Thus, even when a termination of parental rights action is required, stepparent adoption in California, using Adoption Law Group’s services, does not usually cost more than about $6,000, plus the $700 investigation fee, unless the non-custodial parent actively contests the adoption by appearing in court. Because we love stepparent adoption, we are committed to offering reasonable payment plans for clients who need them. Start today with a free consultation with one of our attorneys, who will be able to provide you with a more specific estimate of costs.