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My husband and I can't conceive, due to an illness I fought with a number of years ago.
We decided that next year we wanted to look into adopting a foster child.
However, out of nowhere we've been asked if we would be willing to privately adopt a baby due in October.
I'm acting like a chicken with my head cut off!
We are in WA, the baby is in Alaska, and is Native American, as far as I can tell, both states are OK with this. What I am not certain about though are any of the tribal laws. Hoping someone can point me in the right direction. (I'm more than happy to do the research, I just can't seem to find a jumping off point!)
Our finances have just finally got back to normal, the last year involved some pretty huge set backs, (family illness/deaths/etc), and our credit got hurt because of it.
So my next question is, does credit score work against you in a private adoption? We wouldn't even be considering it if we weren't financially stable now, but I just can't seem to find an answer to that.
We will be talking to an attorney, but I am wanting to get as much info as possible.
If anyone has any advice to offer, I would love to hear it!
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Tribal - adoption laws with Native Americas are VERY tricky. STRONGLY STRONGLY encourage you to hire a AAAA attorney (accredited adoption attorney) WHO HAS WORKED with tribal laws. Be prepared to go on a rollarcoaster with adoption but when adding native american laws, it heightens the rollarcoaster!
Credit - I know agencies defintely take a look at debt to income ratio but with a private adoption I wouldn't think it would be something that is a red flag unless obviously you simply can't afford a child. Your home study will be denied.
You need to hire someone that will do a home study in your home state. This will be needed to be done asap in case it takes a long time. Some agencies are better than others with time frame. Ours took 2 weeks from the time we finished our end of the paperwork - I know some on the boards go months from what they have written.
Do you know if your bio parent(s) are working with someone in Alaska? I would strongly encourage counseling on their part to help with their decision. Do they have an attorney or agency to help with things like terminating rights are complicated especially with native american hertitage so make sure they are getting the help they need on their end?
What tribe? Do you know if both parents or just one is the native american hertitage?
ICPC - you will need to travel to Alaska for the birth (I assume) and then you will have to wait out until Alaska clears you to leave and OK clears you to enter. Your AAAA attorney can help with that.
Google AAAA attorney to find out those in your area. That is the FIRST call I would be making right now.
Good luck and best wishes!
Your advice was perfect, i am srry for not thanking you earlier!It was definitely a rollercoaster!She didn't contact us again after the inital call, so we just assumed she changed her mind. Then called us 9 days before baby was born to ask if we still wanted him. We hadn't even started a home study!I started calling lawyers in Anchorage, and finally one referred me to an amazing lady.She knew exactly what she was doing, it was still a fight, but we finalized in Dec!Technically our home study wasn't completed when the adoption finalized, since the regulations are different in WA than they are in AK, but the judge felt we met all the requirements of that state.We had everything but our FBI fingerprints, which just arrived last week!