How to adopt a child
Photo courtesy of Charlotte Morrall / Flickr

Adoptive parents may have gone through a lot of struggles and tough decisions before even beginning the adoption process. Rest assured that Adoption Arkansas and adoption attorney Justin Heimer have the experience and knowledge to make the adoption process as smooth as possible.

You can be confident, too, that Justin understands what adoptive parents are going through. The adoption process can involve a roller coaster of emotions, but we have helped many adoptive families to complete a successful adoption. We look forward to helping you, too.

Arkansas adoptions can be finalized as early as the 6th day after birth, and most of our adoptions happen within 10 days.  Many states require several months before they will finalize an adoption.  For this reason, many couples choose Arkansas adoptions for a quick, less expensive, and simpler process.

We are a boutique law firm that works specifically in the area of adoption law throughout Arkansas.  We work with a limited number of adopting families and offer personalized care.

We work with experienced social workers who understand birth mother needs and concerns.

Justin Heimer was trained as a marriage and family therapist.  He understands the unique stress that an Arkansas adoption can have on a family, and will take the time to help you through this process.

Adopting Parent FAQs

How much does an adoption cost?

The cost of an adoption varies greatly, depending on the birth mother’s financial need.  Most of the adoptions through Adoption Arkansas cost less than $15,000 for the entire process.  Your cost will be based upon the amount of time spent on your case and the medical and other costs associated with the birth.

How long does an adoption take?

Birth mothers choose the adoptive family for their babies. You may imagine a waiting list in our office that sends the next available baby to the next adoptive family on the list, but that’s not how it works. However, at Adoption Arkansas, we work with a smaller number of adoptive parents at any given time than larger, more generalized firms. We make sure our clients receive individualized and personal attention to meet their needs.

What is the adoption tax credit?

The adoption tax credit allows adopting parents to get a refund for certain costs of their adoption up to $13,400. It is available to most families that make less than $200,000 annually. It is not a refundable credit, so you will not receive more than you pay in income tax. The good news is, most adopting parents get some tax benefits that help offset the cost of adoption.

Should I choose an agency or a law firm like Heimer Law for my Arkansas adoption?

Both can be great options.  The benefit of a larger agency is that they serve more people. Sometimes they can place faster; other times it might slow them down. The good ones also offer fantastic care for birth moms. Heimer Law handles legal matters for some of the largest agencies in Arkansas, and we cannot say enough about the good work those agencies do. On the other hand, we can offer the same quality of service and most of the same services to the birthmothers at a generally lower cost.  Being a smaller boutique firm allows us to hand-select situations where we can efficiently serve all the parties and keep our costs, and your costs, lower.

Why choose Heimer Law?

Heimer Law can offer you the adoption solution you seek in Arkansas. We are a boutique adoption law firm. This means that we do adoptions. We aren’t a jack of all trades. We do a few things and we do them really well.

What services does your office provide?

We offer full service adoptions throughout Arkansas. 

    • We can help you select a birth mother, and help you position yourself so she will select you as well. 
    • We help the birth mother through her pregnancy by connecting her with good medical care as well as counseling. 
    • We may also help birth mothers with immediate needs, such as housing or transportation. 
    • We will provide all the legal work necessary and help coordinate the relationship building between the birth mother and the adoptive parents.
    • We will work with the hospital to have the child released directly to you, and we will represent you at your adoption hearing anywhere in Arkansas.
    • We will order your baby’s new Arkansas birth certificate listing you as the parents.