Why are adoptions so expensive

Most children who are photolisted on our site are eligible for adoption assistance provided by the federal Title IV-E Adoption Assistance Program. It can take the form of a one-time payment, ongoing financial assistance, or both, in addition to Medicaid or other medical assistance.

State adoption programs may provide financial assistance for children who are not covered by Title IV-E funds. Eligibility and amounts of assistance vary by state. Find information about financial assistance by state. The adoption process can be long and complicated. In most cases, it takes a lot of moving parts and skilled professionals to complete.

To understand why adoption costs so much, you have to understand what it takes to complete the process. If you're a prospective birth mother reading this, you likely have questions about adoption costs and potential financial assistance when placing your child for adoption. You can get answers to all of your important questions by completing this form to connect with an adoption professional today.

Adoption is expensive because the process to legally adopt a baby requires the involvement of attorneys , social workers, physicians, government administrators, adoption specialists , counselors and more. While the adoption journey is an emotional one for prospective birth mothers and adoptive families, the adoption process is a legal function.

Adoptions completed by fully licensed agencies are held to high ethical standards, which can mean more paperwork and higher costs. There is more extensive research on how expensive adoption is , but here is a quick breakdown of some contributing costs:. Regardless of which type of adoption agency you work with, there will be adoption agency fees to cover the services provided by these professionals and the basic operating costs of the agency.

Some agencies will give a low number upfront to entice families to work with them, but then ramp up fees later in the process. Working with an adoption agency whose fees are fixed and clearly outlined from the beginning will prevent these unexpected and unwelcome costs. Typically, these are fees paid toward the needs of the prospective birth mother.

Some of these costs can be things like:. Legal Fees: An adoption attorney will be necessary through the legal aspects of adoption, like termination of parental rights and consent to the adoption. The fees for this work are taken on by the adoptive family in most cases. Travel: If an adoptive family is selected by a birth mother who lives in a different state, there will be travel and lodging costs at the time of placement. Why do adoptions cost so much? As you can see, the cost is a result of the requirements of the process.

While the cost of adoption may still be disheartening, hopefully, there is some peace of mind in knowing that the expenses are for necessary functions. There are different types of adoption and different adoption professionals. The type of adoption you choose and the adoption professional you work with will determine the cost of adoption for you.

Since every adoption is unique, the amount of adoption expenses can vary. Most Birth Mothers are in a situation where they will need some financial assistance from the Adopting Parents. Adopting Parents pursuing private US newborn adoptions are warned of the possibilities of an adoption opportunity disrupting. Financially, this can be further devastating if they now find themselves unable to move forward with another adoption opportunity because of their inability to pay for additional Birth Mother expenses.

Ask your adoption professional if they provide any type of financial protection in the event of an adoption disruption. Some national adoption agencies and entities are able to provide some type of financial protection in certain situations, and this can make all the difference to a family trying to adopt a baby after a disruption. For foster care adoptions in the US, Adopting Parents will have little or no out of pocket expenses.

Typically, the children available for adoption through the foster care system are older children and the adoption is often funded by the state.

Adoption agencies can give you cost estimates and a schedule of when fees will be charged. Usually you will be asked to pay for each service as it is provided. Often families are asked to travel on short notice, minimizing opportunities for cost-efficient travel.

Some programs offer escort services either to assist families while in the country, or to bring the child home to you, but this service has fees attached, too.

You may have some control over these expenses. The Canadian government provides tax benefits to Canadian families who incur adoption expenses.

Check out this link to find out what deductions you can claim. Read more.