DO read and research. Threr are many good books about adopting toddlers or older. Be well informed aboput possible issues involving older child adoption. We never had problems with RAD, etc. But it can happen. There are very good adoption experts who can review videos and analyze the child's interactions so you are well-informed of what, if any, emotional issues you may be dealing with.
Adopting from foster care is less expensive, but be prepared for many "false starts" and be informed of issues that affect the "older adopted child". My kiddo was 25 months when we got her.
If you are willing to adopt a toddler, ALSO RESEARCH ADOPTING FROM DISRUPTION. Sometimes there are just badly matched or unprepared parents, I am aware of several families who have adopted from disruption.
A SNs child may have their fees reduced to assist the adoptive parent in adopting the child. That is so the child can have their medical/therappy needs addressed ASAP. My child was virtually mute, hearing impaired, and had untreated Strabismus that would have cost her the sight in one eye. All that is corrected, and she is now in the age appropriate grade with no Special Ed needs.
THe costs of adoption vary depending upon travel costs, if international, "in-country" time, translation fees, orphanage fees, etc. The costs of home studies also varies by region of the US. Ours was expensive compared to some other areas, as there are fewer providers. THere are US VISA fees and fingerprint fees. Some countries have low cost programs, but may require more "in-country time". For example, we considered Peru, which was one country that had a rather inexpensive program, but one of us would have needed 5 weeks in-country time co-habiting with the child prior to being able to finalize.
Honestly, we paid about $27,000 total for our adoption, but did not use an attorney here in the US when we "re-adopted" in Children's Court, because the adoption was already final in her native country. WE had already paid for an attorney over there as part of our fees. If I did a domestic adoption. I would not have considered skimping on legal fees.
AS to contesting, it depends. In our orphanage adoption, the parental rights were legally relinquished when she was turned over to the orphanage at birth. So only the orphanage director and the government needed to "approve" of our adoption. With adopting from foster, sometimes the rights have already been terminated. With disruption, there is already a voluntary termination. With private US adoption, both parents need to legally terminate their rights. And be prepared for friends and relatives of the child to possibly do their best to talk them out of the adoption, if they don't change their minds on their own.
Fees were paid in stages. So much upon accepting referral. So much for home study. So much after Minister of Justice approval. Etc.