Findings from the ongoing longitudinal Early Growth and Development Study (EGDS), a long-term, prospective adoption study launched by a Yale psychiatrist, indicate that, while many studies have emphasized the role of parents in the development of a child, children can...
The Massachusetts State Senate passed legislation to give all adoptees the ability to retrieve their original birth certificates. As of now, adoptees born between July 17, 1974 and January 1, 2008 cannot access their own original birth certificates without obtaining a...
Adopting a child in Massachusetts can be expensive. Fortunately, there are many resources that can help. Here is a look at the costs of adoption and the various forms of financial assistance that may be available to you. What Does Adoption Cost? Adoption costs in the...
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker has signed legislation clearing the way for adults to adopt their siblings and younger aunts or uncles, a bill that the state’s official Child Advocate says will create more stability in the lives of the state’s most vulnerable...
Here are important Massachusetts cases on adoption: Adoption of Daphne, 484 Mass. 421 (2020) Discusses the Massachusetts court's jurisdiction in an adoption by the biological father when the gestational carrier lived in Massachusetts, but the father lived in another...
Tax benefits for a Massachusetts adoption include both a tax credit for qualified adoption expenses paid to adopt an eligible child and an exclusion from income for employer-provided adoption assistance. The credit is nonrefundable, which means it's limited to your...
Massachusetts adoptions are very complicated and, of course, very important. The information here is to help you understand the process of adopting a child and what it entails. Who can adopt? In order to adopt, you must be at least 18 years old. You or the child must...
Many studies document the negative effects of Massachusetts divorce on children, but having two parents who stay involved with their children can minimize many of these effects. However, if one parent is willingly absent, a stepparent adoption can provide many...
In today's world of blended families, adoption of a child by a step-parent in Massachusetts has become common as parents strive to form cohesive and stable family units. Under Massachusetts law a step-parent may file a petition to adopt a minor child who is the child...