In those rare instances in which an adoptive placement is challenged, the legal expenses for the adoptive family can be extremely high. However, despite the impression given by the occasional sensational story in the media, few finalized adoptions - even independent adoptions of infants - are contested legally. Less than 1 percent are challenged, according to the North American Council on Adoptable Children.

You can take financial steps, such as establishing an emergency fund, to reduce the impact of a legal challenge to the adoption. But the best advice is to go carefully through all the steps of the adoption process to reduce the likelihood of a legal challenge in the first place. The safest way to avoid expensive court battles is to be certain, in advance, that the child you adopt is legally free to be adopted-that the parental rights of both biological parents have been relinquished or terminated by the courts.