Adoption is a life-changing experience for adoptive parents and the adopted child. There are many things to consider as part of the adoption process, including the financial side.
Adoption is a significant step that requires a lot of support from adoption professionals, attorneys, counselors, social workers and other adoption experts.
In this article, we find out why adoption costs so much money and how you can budget for the adoption process (see also “Do You Get Money For Adopting A Child?“).
Why Is Adoption So Expensive?
Adoption is a long process that involves a number of different adoption experts and professionals to support the adoptive parents, the birth parents and the child.
As there are so many people involved in adopting a baby, the adoption process costs a significant amount of money.
In addition, all parties involved in the adoption must adhere to legal requirements and laws. For example, adoption agencies have to be fully licensed to ensure high ethical standards.
This often means that there is a lot of paperwork and additional costs included in the process.
Here is an overview of all the potential costs adoptive families need to keep in mind when they consider adopting a child (see also “How To Adopt A Child In California“).
Adoption Agency Fees
One of the biggest cost items in the adoption process is the agency fee.
Regardless of what type of adoption you choose, you will likely need an adoption agency to support you through the entire process.
Adoption agencies need to cover their basic operating costs.
While these agencies can seem expensive, they provide a large amount of guidance and advice that you can rely on during the adoption procedures.
Make sure that you check if your agency’s fees are fixed or if they may charge additional fees during the adoption process.
Also check with your adoption agency or adoption professional if they provide a contract with an expiry date.
If the contract expires, then adoptive families may face unexpected, additional costs further down the line.
It’s also worth noting here that if you want to adopt a child from outside the US, then it’s a good idea to work with an international adoption agency.
They will be able to advise you on any additional costs you may need to consider as part of your international adoption.
Birth Mother Expenses
In most US states, adopting parents pay some expenses for the birth mother. Depending on her needs and the state you live in, this could be living, medical, counseling and legal expenses.
While not all birth mothers will require the same amount of financial assistance from adoptive parents, you can expect to pay a contribution towards the most important expenses for the biological mother.
Medical Expenses
Adopting parents need to consider medical expenses for their child and the prospective birth mother.
As part of variable adoption costs, medical expenses cover the basics of medical treatments and appointments.
Medicaid or your personal health insurance may cover part or all of these expenses.
Legal Fees
Another expense to consider when adopting a child is the cost for an adoption attorney.
You will need an attorney who is specialized in either domestic adoption or international adoption.
He will provide legal advice on consent to the adoption, termination of parental rights and other legal steps that help you gain parenthood rights for your adopted child.
Travel Costs
While travel costs initially don’t appear to be a lot, they can add up quickly if the birth mother lives in another state or even in another country.
Adopting parents should also consider costs for any overnight accommodations, food and other things they need to visit the birth mother and the child.
Living Expenses
Adoptive parents also need to consider paying some of the birth mother’s living expenses during pregnancy.
What exactly an adoptive family needs to pay to a prospective birth mother depends on the adoption laws in your individual state (see also “10 Best States For Families“).
Immigration And Visa Fees
If you are adopting a child from another country, then you also need to consider increased travel costs, additional visa fees for you and your child as well as immigration fees.
These costs can vary greatly depending on how far you need to travel and the adoption country.
Basic Setup For A Child
Whether your adopted child is your first child or you already have children, you will need to consider everything your new family member needs.
This includes clothing, food, diapers and other essentials to make sure that your adopted child feels comfortable.
While these costs shouldn’t impact your decision for adoption, an initial setup for a baby can be expensive for first-time parents, so it’s worth keeping in mind.
Emergency Expenses
When it comes to calculating expenses for adoption, it’s essential that you also consider any emergency situations that may increase the costs.
While adoption agency fees can be fixed, all other variable adoption costs can increase at any time during the adoption process.
It’s also important to keep in mind that adoption costs change depending on your situation, the birth mother’s needs and the state you live in.
How To Budget For An Adoption
With any type of adoption, you will need to budget for all the costs associated with the adoption process.
Good budgeting will help you pay for the adoption without having to worry about the money during the adoption procedure.
Find Out The Estimated Amount For The Adoption
First, you will need to speak to an adoption professional who will be able to give you an estimate of the adoption costs for your specific circumstances.
It’s worth speaking to a number of different adoption agencies, comparing prices and gathering as much information about the adoption process as possible.
Raise The Adoption Money
Once you have a rough estimate of all adoption costs, you can take a look at the different funding options.
You may be eligible for a loan, adoption grant or adoption assistance program. Your adoption agency, an attorney or a tax professional will be able to give you more advice.
Final Thoughts
Adoption is expensive because there are a number of different adoption professionals involved.
Hi, I’m Joan Crassel, and I started my firm in 2006, with the goal to help and represent clients in a range of adoption-related matters.
Since then, the firm has gone on to aid hundreds of clients in adoption proceedings, and in other areas of family law.
With this site, I hope that you can find all of the answers that you are looking for, with in depth guides and informative articles from lawyers, not bloggers or social media influencers. We have actual first-hand knowledge of the adoption process, and can provide you with insight that no one else can.
