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Does bankruptcy make it impossible to adopt?

On Behalf of | Jul 19, 2017 | Family Law

If you have gone through a bankruptcy in the past, you may be worried that you won’t be able to adopt because of it. The fact of the matter is that there are many factors that determine whether or not you can adopt a child. A bankruptcy may affect your adoption, but it also may have a limited impact depending on a number of factors like where you live or how you plan to adopt.

Adoptions nearly always start with a home study. That means that a social worker or agency professional will come to your home a few different times to talk to you. The person likely wants to see what kinds of difficulties you’re having if your married, see how you parent any biological children you have and to determine the kind of character you have. If a background check is run, your bankruptcy will likely come up to the caseworker, since it’s viewable by the public.

The adoption agency or state will ask if you have ever filed for bankruptcy on most adoption applications. Your social worker may want to ask you about it, like how you ended up in the position to file and to understand your current financial position. The caseworker just wants to know that you can be financially stable while raising a child. To help prove that you can, provide income documentation and financial statements that show you have gotten back on your feet.

You shouldn’t let a bankruptcy deter your wish to have a family. Your attorney can help you collect the correct paperwork to show your financial stability before you apply to adopt.

Source: The Nest, “Does Bankruptcy Cause Difficulty for an Adoption?,” Beverly Bird, accessed July 19, 2017