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Hi all,
New here obviously. My husbands grandson (my stepgrandson) was placed in our care in June 2013 as kinship caregivers. In September, we started the Foster classes/home studies and all of that. We finished everything by Nov 9th. After that, it was waiting on the adoption agency to get us our license, and we became licensed in January 2014. Today was the final hearing for the parents, and they relinquished their rights. The judge granted us PCM on the spot, therefore, taking CPS out of the equation.
My questions are
1) How soon before we lose the WIC/Medicaid that has been provided?
2) Since we are already licensed and he has been in our care for more than 6 months, how long should it take to finalize the adoption? I speak to a lawyer tomorrow.
3) How much should I be looking as a fair price to pay the lawyer to finalize the adoption? I don't know how much work he will actually have to do, since everything is done that I can think of. I just want to make sure i"m not being ripped off, though this particular lawyer was referred to me by the Gaurdian Ad Litem, so hopefully he is fair.
Thank you all
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Hi! speaking to a lawyer will get you the best answers but here is how I understand it:
1. you lose WIC/Medicaid once you sign intent to adopt. Normally after parents rights are terminated you move to adoption prep within CPS and they walk you through the next steps of the process. If in your case it sounds like you get to skip adoption prep then I would think you would lose WIC/Medicaid faster. WIC you could keep until the next time you reup and maybe even then you could still keep it.
2. Even though the parents relinquished I would ask the lawyer or CPS how long is the appeal window. Once my kid got his bio-parents rights terminated the parents had something like 60days to file an appeal. Even though he had been in my home for over 6months I could not adopt until that had passed.
3. I have heard you should pay between $1,500-$2,000. Even though there is not much "work" there is still legal docs that have to filed and they court time.
hope that helps, and if I have mis-spoken please someone correct me. I find there is a lot of different information out there.
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I agree with the first thing jamG said...speak to a lawyer...they know the law. (we just know our experiences)
That being said...
1.) If you've been named Permanent Managing Conservators, you may lose WIC and Medicaid right away (though, technically, you won't lose WIC until it's time to renew) unless you qualify for those services anyway.
2.) If the parents voluntarily relinquised, they typically won't be allowed to appeal. Our ADs mom relinquished & we were told once she signed the 18 page document doing so, it was irrevocable. Appeals can usually only happen when the court terminates rights.
3.) Our attorney charges $1200 for most typical adoptions. But all areas and attorneys will vary. (I've talked to attorneys who charge between $800-$2000...remember, some of that is filing fees with the courts)
Congrats on being able to move forward. Good luck.
Yes talk with the lawyer. Not all charge the same. Some charge less up front but then charge for court costs. I paid it all up front, I think it was $1500 (at least it was reimbursable on taxes).
At our last foster/adoption support group they were talking about some recent changes for kinship placements. These changes sounded very positive and are put in place so kinships don't have to loose all of the benefits as they have in the past. Not being in a kinship placement I don't remember exactly the details but any agency or lawyer should be able to tell you what you should expect.
It is good you will be able to adopt soon.
Thanks guys..
Spoke to WIC/Medicaid/Lawyer today..
Losing the Medicaid, but have to reapply on own or other insurance. I've already signed him up for BXBS, so that hes at least covered, until I see if I qualify for the medicaid for him.
Keeping WIC, no changes
Lawyer charged 1200. Said it should be about 30 days, to get everything done. Just a matter of how quick CPS and the adoption agency gets paperwork to him for our home study and the after placement interviews. Also still waiting on the Termination Orders for the parents rights, which will be in about two weeks.
We also lose the daily subsidy that was supposed to be provided to us by the adoption agency...Seeing as we haven't received a payment yet, its no big loss there. I think we're supposed to receive some as back pay, so it helps....
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We recently receive PCA of a little boy who was considered kinship then we got foster certified so his placement became a "foster placement". Because he was a sibling set he qualified for monthly subsidy, Medicaid until 18 and college is paid for. We did officially adopt a half sibling. CPS covered all our legal fees, do you have one child or 2. What is his age, and ethnicity. Age and ethnicity matter sometime if it is only 1 child.
Just an update.. the adoption was finalized April 30 and he just turned a year old yesterday. So, recap of timeline. Placed with us in June 2013 as kinship placement. Started licensing process in Sept 2013Licensed January 2014Birth Parents Relinquished rights Feb 2014Adoption Final April 2014
Just an update.. the adoption was finalized April 30 and he just turned a year old yesterday.
So, recap of timeline. Placed with us in June 2013 as kinship placement.
Started licensing process in Sept 2013
Licensed January 2014
Birth Parents Relinquished rights Feb 2014
Adoption Final April 2014
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