Adoptive Families Blog

Here's a question that we were just asked, and wanted to share with you today: "Are there peak times of year when adoptions happen more than at other times?"

This is actually one of the most common questions we hear from hopeful adoptive parents! Keep reading to learn the answer.

Plenty of us look forward to getting tax refunds this time of year. Many people dream of using their tax refund check on expensive purchases or plan to spend the extra cash on luxuries. But just a few people will use their refund on an investment of a lifetime.

As a hopeful adoptive parent, your tax refund check provides you with the opportunity to invest in your adoption. So once you get your tax refund, think seriously about what you'll do with it. This money could bring you one step closer to the adoption of your dreams! Read on to find out how.

Welcome to the third piece of Lifetime's newest blog series, "Your Adoption Checklist!" Our goal in this series is to share practical, easy-to-follow checklists for you to use during your adoption journey. We've shared ways you can effectively learn more about domestic adoption, and we also provided this checklist of questions to ask potential adoption professionals in the series.

Many hopeful adoptive parents find the home study process to be overwhelming. So today, Lifetime's sharing an adoption home study checklist to help you get ready!

We want to note that regulations differ depending on what state you live in. So, we've made this home study checklist general enough to cover the variety of documents and clearances most will need. If your home has any safety concerns, the home study professional will usually let you know of the issue so that you have time to correct them before finishing the home study.

If you're hopeful adoptive parents just beginning your adoption journey, you might have heard the phrases "sudden adoption opportunity" or "last minute opportunity." When you sign on with your adoption professional, they'll probably ask if you're open to this type of adoption situation.

These types of adoption opportunities happen when a birth mother is about to go into labor or has just given birth. She is typically contacting your adoption professional from the hospital because she doesn't have an adoption plan in place yet. So how do you know if this type of adoption is right for you? Read on as Lifetime describes what's involved in a sudden adoption opportunity, as well as important aspects to keep in mind!

Many adoptive parents-to-be have found it practical to create a baby registry while waiting to adopt.  Making a baby registry can give you the security of knowing you're ready for the day you bring your baby home. "Having an online registry was really a blessing for us. When we were traveling to meet our baby, I ordered some needed items and had them shipped to our hotel. The registry also helped my family and friends plan a baby shower for us when we were back home!" shares one adoptive mom.

So the news about Toys R Us and Babies R Us stores closing across the nation in the next couple of weeks might come as a shock.  According to CNBC, Toys R Us is planning to either sell or close all of its more than 800 stores across the U.S. The closing and liquidation of Toys R Us stores has lots of people wondering, 'what happens I have a Babies R Us registry?

If you're wondering how you'll possibly afford the costs associated with a domestic infant adoption, you're not alone. A lack of funds is the #1 reason otherwise qualified families state for not moving forward with adoption.

Adoptions can be expensive and include fees for the home study, agency, legal representation, facilitation fees and travel, among other items.

"We faced a financial issue 30 years ago when we were hoping to adopt. What we found is that when there's a will, there's a way," shares Mardie Caldwell, adoptive mother and Lifetime's Founder.

Today, Lifetime is giving you 6 tips for an affordable adoption will help you make your adoption dreams come true!

We're honored to be sharing Clayton and Sarah's beautiful domestic adoption story today as a part of our blog series "Then and Now." Adoptive mom Sarah says, "We were constantly encouraged by reading and listening to other couple's adoption stories as we were in the wait. We hope that our story can do the same for currently waiting couples."

Keep reading to hear Clayton and Sarah's cherished adoption journey to their baby girl, Aubrey! 

If you love Amazon Prime, you're not alone. Consumer Intelligence Research Partners has found that there are 90 million Prime members in the U.S. This means that around 77% of all households in the nation have Amazon Prime!* 

Today, Lifetime is sharing some exciting Amazon news. If you've never heard of their AmazonSmile program before, it's a great way to support the Lifetime Adoption Foundation every time you shop. Once you complete their simple set-up process, your donation happens automatically. Plus, it doesn't cost you anything to set up!

What a great reason to do some online shopping! Read on to get all the details.

"I heard that we can claim the Adoption Tax Credit even if we haven't adopted yet. Is that true? We paid the expenses in 2016 and are pursuing domestic adoption. How do we claim adoption expenses when we're still waiting to be chosen by a birth mother?  We don't have a SSN or ATIN for a child."

Question: "We just found out that since there was an adoption plan in place, the hospital could not apply for a social security number for our baby. We're getting ready to file our taxes, and we need our baby's social security number to take advantage of the adoption tax credit. What are we supposed to do?!"