The following article was originally posted on the FBI website. We are sharing it on our blog to help raise awareness of red flags to look for when pursuing adoption for both adoptive parents and birth parents. Adoption Fraud Unethical adoption service providers can take advantage of an emotionally charged process to deceive and defraud prospective adoptive parents or birth parents considering adoption. Learn what to look out for, how to protect yourself and your family, and what to do if you’re a victim. Common Schemes Double matching occurs when a birth mother’s baby is matched to ..read more

With the end of the year approaching and tax season following soon after, many adoptive parents or prospective adoptive parents may have questions about how their adoption affects their taxes, and what they are able to claim for the year. We have good news: the IRS allows adoptive parents to claim qualified adoption expenses including adoption fees, court costs,  travel expenses, and other expenses directly related to the adoption of a child. The maximum amount for the tax credit varies each year, but in recent years has exceeded $14,000. Visit the IRS website for the most updated inform ..read more

At the office one morning after just completing an adoption final hearing I received a call from an unexpected voice. It was from an adoptee whose adoption we handled more than 23 years ago. That “child” was now a hopeful adult, looking to connect with his birth mother.  I recalled (to myself) meeting his birth parents at their apartment in Tampa.  They were a sweet couple, looking to give their baby a wonderful home.  I remembered this placement well. Nearing 25 years since our first private adoption placement, we are hearing from an increased number of adoptees reaching out to ..read more

The following article was originally published by the Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA) and shared by Yahoo News. We felt it was important to share through our blog as well to highlight the importance of adoptive families researching the adoption professionals they are considering working with. Amy Hickman and Michelle Hausmann are members of AAAA, as well as Florida Bar Board Certified in Adoption which recognizes adoption attorneys’ special knowledge, skills, professionalism and ethics.  As Certified Adoption Attorneys, Amy and Michelle are experts in adop ..read more

Often throughout the adoption process, attention may be focused on establishing a relationship and communication between adoptive parents and birth parents, and planning for what that communication will look like after the adoption placement. But another important part of the process is considering what to expect during the birth and delivery at the hospital. Planning for what the hospital experience will look like for both the birth parents and adoptive parents can help make the experience a positive and meaningful part of the adoption process.  In the adoption arena this is often referr ..read more

Placing a baby for adoption can create a whirlwind of emotions. Many of these emotions can be positive, including the hope for a better life for your child, or joy from the act of helping an adoptive couple become parents for the first time. But the adoption process also involves heavier emotions including grief, loss, and possibly loneliness or frustration from feeling that others in your life may be unable to relate to how you are feeling or provide the emotional support that you need. These emotions often can take a toll on a birth parent’s mental health, and prioritizing care for your ment ..read more

Many couples desire to be parents and want to experience the joy of raising a child. Hausmann and Hickman’s child adoption services in Florida provide a full range of services to families of diverse backgrounds and situations, including single parents and same-sex couples. Hausmann and Hickman P.A. provides services which include private adoption, surrogacy, and reproductive law. Michelle Hausmann and Amy Hickman are Florida Board Certified Adoption Attorneys who specialize in reproductive law. They are experienced in handling various types of adoption cases and have an in-depth understanding ..read more

Florida adoption law allows birth mothers to receive financial support during pregnancy and for a period following delivery. Many birth mothers receive assistance with various expenses such as rent, groceries, and utilities that may be hard to afford due to difficulty working during pregnancy. Private adoption attorneys such as Hausmann & Hickman work with birth mothers to establish a budget that will help ease the burden of expenses during pregnancy. While working with an adoption agency or attorney, birth mothers may also receive counseling and legal services that are covered through th ..read more

Adoptions today are frequently open or semi-open with continued communication after placement between birth and adoptive parents, but adoptions 20 years ago often looked much different. Many birth and adoptive parents consented to closed adoptions, but with recent widespread availability of genetic testing, ancestry searches, and open adoptions becoming the new normal, many adoptees born in the 1990s and 2000s are turning 18 and beginning to search for their birth parents, and in the age of technology this can create challenges with adoptions remaining confidential. But this raises several imp ..read more

Having your parental rights taken away can make a parent feel like they no longer have any control over their child’s future. You can think of nothing else but your child and the kind of family he or she is with. You may be thinking: Is my child safe? Is the family too strict or too permissive? Would they be open to my child visiting with me? Will they want to adopt my child, or will my child move from home to home? But as a birth parent, until the court has actually terminated your parental rights, you have decision-making power and the right to choose private adoption. Statute F.S. 63.082(6 ..read more