For some reason I have the ballpark figure of $5,000 in my head. I know that this is the amount I told my husband when we started talking about adopting our three. Someone on here may have posted that, but I'm sure it can go way up or down depending upon whether it's contested, etc.

Ours was very expensive because bio dad remarried after our daughters death ant the woman was the original drama queen staging scenes for every visit and court date. By the time it was over, it was A LOT more than 5000. The big difference was that our gs was not in the system which made it their word against ours and it dragged on for over a year with the meter ticking. Also, gp are more accepted in the courts today, especially when parents are drug addicts. My theory is that i.most cases the bios w go away if it is lucrative for them to do so . They see entitlements they can get if they have kids. A savvy lawyer is needed.

I cost me around 2000 and took almost 2 yrs. Not because of court hearings, only had 2 hearings. Court just took their time and I wanted to wait til it had ben a year since bio dad tried to contact us. My daughter signed off on her parental rights for $500. Happy to pay it. One of the bio dad's refused to sign off (he's in prison now for raping a 14 yr. old) and the other bio dad couldn't be located. Best decision for the girls and me. Now I never have to worry about them being taken away. I was also very concerned that bio's may try to get girls should I die (in remission from stage 4 cancer). That was the biggest reason I went for adoption. I wanted some control over their future should I not be here. Now I have peace knowing a good friend will raise my girls and not their drug addicted, criminal parents.

Thank you for your comments. I to want the peace if knowing that the kids won't be ripped from the only home they know. Both parents will contest . My SD has been making it know that she wants her kids back and will get them back. It's been 6 and a half years. We've had them since birth and neither bio has ever supported them. Even when they were on welfare. Our attorney saids we have a great chance.

Sounds like mine. Mom visits a lot but dads rarely no support from either parent. The kids know her as mommy and love her so I don't know if I can terminate or not and would have to make sure kids are ready . I'd sure like to be done though.

My granddaughters know their mom. I explained to them that I will always be their grandma and my daughter will always be their mom. I told them I adopted them so they never have to worry that they may have to leave and live with mom some day. (They know their mom has problems, they've seen her high a few times)

I didn't adopt, but I have a friend who did, and it cost them over $20,000! If you go to an attorney, they will want $5000 to $8000 up front! If the bios are contesting it, it may go even higher, depending on how good of a case they have for retaining parental rights. Please, for your own sake, consult with an attorney in your area first1 In WA state where I am, the alternative is Third Party custody. The parents usually retain some sort of visitation right, but you can make it supervised visitation, at a facility who will do so, and the parents have to pay $20-$30 per hour for it. most stop visiting after a while because they would rather spend their money on their drugs.

When we were in court, grandparents raising grandchildren was still anew subject. Factors that added to the expense were the hystrioncs of the stepmother. They hired the lawyer from the "baby Richard" case.
The bio father left the country without knowing his gf was pregnant. She put the baby up for adoption and a couple with one son adopted him right out of hospital. When the boy was five, the father was awarded custody and the world watched as they plied the boy away from the only mother he had ever know, kicking and screaming. The lawyer, nor the father, had compassion for the little boy. This set legal precidence for parent's rights. Secondly, our gs was not in the system so everything was our word against theirs and the bio father had the rights. After over a year of court battles and hysterical visitations, they took our gs out of state because we had received permission to take him for a weekend trip to Disneyworld. The point is that each step of the way meant lawyer meetings and court dates which mounted up the dollars. Today, if the children are in the system, CPS helps with adoption costs. Just tread carefully and be very organized when you speak to your lawyer to keep the time down.

we just adopted my cousin's daughter after having custody almost three years... it cost us around 5000.00 and took about 4 months...

Thank you for all your comments! We consulted a lawyer that feels that we have a good case. My fear was that guardianship would be taken away should termination of rights not be approved. But the lawyer reassured us that it probably wouldn't happen. They recommended mediation first.