Question:   Is it legal for adoptive parents to provide financial assistance to the birth mothers?

Answer:   It is legal to provide financial assistance to a birth mother in a private adoption in the State of Texas, but that financial assistance must pass through a licensed adoption agency.

Furthermore, not all financial assistance is legally acceptable to be provided to the mother. Generally, only monies that are 'fair and necessary' may be provided to the birth mother by the adoptive parents. These often include rent, utilites, food, and maternity clothing. They do not include payment of a vehicle note or vehicle insurance.

If the financial assistance is found to be unreasonable the adoptive parents could risk prosecution for purchasing a child.