How to Adopt > Financing an Adoption

The Cost of Adoption

You may be shocked to learn that there are few costs to adopting a child. Or you may be surprised to discover that not every adoption costs thousands of dollars.

Homestudy and Updates

If you work with a private agency, you will probably be asked to pay a fee for your homestudy. This fee may range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Agencies may also charge for updates or addendums to your homestudy, which are required every one to two years. Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce and even avoid those fees:

Criminal Clearances

Criminal clearances are required as part of the homestudy process. Required criminal checks may include:

  • Federal (FBI) Criminal History
  • State Police Criminal History
  • Child Abuse Clearances
  • Domestic Violence or Sexual Offense Clearances
  • Fingerprints

Usually the family must pay for background checks required by its state. They are not generally expensive but do vary from state to state. Try these ideas to pay for the clearances your state requires:

Parent Preparation

Many adoption agencies and many states require that families complete adoptive parenting preparation classes or training. There may be no fee, as a public or private agency may cover this cost, especially if adopting a waiting child. If not, this training may be included in the cost already paid for the homestudy, or the family may be expected to pay for it separately. Here are some possibilities for reducing or eliminating this cost:

Travel

If you adopt a child who lives in a different state from the one in which you reside or even one who lives at a distance from you in the same state, you and/or the child will travel for pre-placement visits. When you are adopting a waiting child, travel costs are often, but not always, paid by the child's agency. Here are some other possibilities:

Post Placement Supervision

The period after the child comes to live with you but before the adoption is finalized must be supervised by a social worker. There is a charge for this service. If you are working with a public agency, it will probably cover this cost. If you are working with a private agency, this fee may be included in your agency's general fees or it may be separate. Here are some ideas for ways to cover the cost:

Legal Fees

Attorney Fees

An attorney is needed to finalize any adoption. In the adoption of a waiting child from the foster care system, this will probably be the only step for which you will need to pay a lawyer. He or she will act on your behalf, reviewing and filing legal documents and representing you in court. You have several potential sources for funds to pay your attorney:

Court Costs

When an adoption is finalized, court filing fees must be paid, usually by the adoptive family. There will also be fees charged for documents issued by the court, such as an adoption decree or amended birth certificate. These costs may be minor, but will vary from one area to another. To find out what court costs to expect in your state or county, contact your state adoption specialist. Try meeting court costs with these suggestions:

The Unexpected

Miscellaneous Fees

Miscellaneous fees may include:

  • the cost of a required medical exam for the prospective parent(s), as part of the homestudy
  • travel to and from your agency's office
  • obtaining documents, such as your own birth certificate
  • taking time off from work for homestudy meetings and visits with a child
  • child care for children you already have during meetings, parent preparation classes or visits
  • photocopying all paperwork for your own records

While each of these may cost little by itself, little costs can add up. Try these ideas:

Unexpected Expenses

While they are unlikely, unexpected expenses can occur. An agency may close its doors. Or a family may need to move to a different state due to a job or military transfer, which might necessitate starting the process all over with an agency in the new state. Sometimes agencies increase fees for parts of the process, such as an update for a homestudy. If the unexpected happens, one of these may help:

Raising Your Child

Once your child or teenager comes home, you take on the ongoing financial responsibility of raising him or her. In addition to the basics, you'll want to provide some extras, and there may be costs you haven't considered. And check out these sources of assistance:

Remember that for a U.S. waiting child you should not be asked to pay high fees. When you do encounter fees...

  • Compare fees among agencies and, when the time comes, among attorneys.
  • Clarify in writing the fees that are expected and what they cover.Use the suggestions provided in this section to minimize fees.
  • Clarify when payments should be made. Don't pay everything in advance.

Keep photocopies of all paperwork and keep receipts for all expenses.