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1.
Introduction
Prospective adoptive
parents may be concerned about the financial costs of
adopting an infant or child and their ability to meet these
costs. While becoming a parent is rarely free of expenses
(even pregnancy and childbirth can be relatively expensive
if there is inadequate insurance), adoptive parents often
are faced with initial costs that can seem challenging.
However, with planning and with knowledge about the
different types of adoptions and available resources, they
should be able to develop a budget that includes most of the
foreseeable expenses. This factsheet was designed to help
prospective adoptive parents learn about these expenses so
that they can make informed decisions throughout the
adoption process.
The total cost of adopting
varies from $0 to more than $40,000, depending on a number
of factors. The chart below outlines some general categories
of adoption and costs associated with the services provided.
The wide range reflects the multitude of factors that may
affect costs, including the type of adoption, the type of
placement agency or facilitator, and the child's age and
circumstances. Prospective adoptive parents are encouraged
to check with the agencies they are considering to find out
more about specific costs for their circumstances.
Range of Adoption Costs
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Foster Care Adoptions |
$0 - $2,500 |
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Licensed Private Agency Adoptions |
$5,000 - $40,000+ |
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Independent Adoptions |
$8,000 - $40,000+ |
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Facilitated/Unlicensed Adoptions |
$5,000 - $40,000+ |
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Intercountry Adoptions |
$7,000 - $30,000 |
While the overall figures
may seem daunting, prospective adoptive parents should
explore all adoption options and the associated costs for
each. In some cases, the total cost may be much less than
the maximum figures cited here; resources may also be
available to help offset costs. These are discussed at the
end of this factsheet.
Breaking down the total
cost into categorized expenses helps prospective parents
understand what is involved and how to determine a
predictable range for their costs. In some cases,
understanding the costs associated with different types of
adoption may help parents decide which type of adoption to
pursue, or whether to pursue this approach to building a
family.
This factsheet can help by
outlining and discussing the following categories of
expenses:
- Universal expenses,
that is, those that occur for every type of adoption,
including home study expenses and court costs.
- Adoption-specific
expenses, that is, those that are associated with a
particular type of adoption, including foster care
adoptions, domestic infant adoptions, and intercountry
(i.e., foreign or international) adoptions.
All adoptive parents pay
some combination of universal and adoption-specific
expenses.
Source:
The National Adoption Information Clearinghouse (NAIC)
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